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To: willyboyishere

Ashamed to say, I haven't read Yates. One of the holes in my fiction education. However, I despise Henry Miller for reasons I don't quite understand. I read about three paragraphs of the guy and want to slap him silly. Durrell probably shouldn't be missed, though out of fashion. Also, if you're into honest writing, check out Jim Harrison, particularly his new memoir, Life on the Side. He was part of that whole montana group, including McGuane etc. And, he remains the only "celebrity" who has ever intimidated me.


139 posted on 10/24/2004 10:01:27 PM PDT by durasell (Friends are so alarming, My lover's never charming...)
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To: durasell

I know lots of people have a BIG problem with Henry Miller,
men and women alike, and I can see their POV, since he was a non-romantic misogynistic sort, chauvinistic, user of women,etc. etc.
But for me his honesty is SO bracing, like Orwell's in DOWN AND OUT IN PARIS AND LONDON. Jim Harrison I know about, but haven't read. He probably made more money from Hollywood from that Brad Pitt movie than he got from his publishers ever.
But do try to read Yates---the most underrespected and underrated writer of his generation. He recently died, not terribly old, but a heavy drinker and smoker for decades, in and out of rehab, you know the story of so many writers.....
Miller's BLACK SPRING belongs in a very select class of barely disguisable autobiographical novels, like the ones I metioned, plus Genet's Thief's Journal. Denis Johnson is probably the best out there right now, and gets better and better know every year. ANGELS is a great book. Hope somebody makes it into a movie someday and does real justice to it. John Huston, where are you when we need you?


141 posted on 10/24/2004 10:22:56 PM PDT by willyboyishere
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