Goodbye
Saul Bellow died. 18 months ago. I heard only today when I was on the highway. Apparently the show was a re-run.
He signed my copy of Mr. Sammler's Planet some years back; Maisie's Dad interviewed him, and I'd pressed my ragged copy into his pocket when he set off to the studio. Marc and I were breaking up then, and it meant something to me that Bellow was cranky with him during the interview. Saul Bellow was the reason I chose the University of Chicago over two other grad schools. He was the reason I contemplated becoming Jewish, at a certain point. His take on human frailty and fear and pride made me want to hear anything he had to say--even if it was released in mass market--even if it was released in dual-cover mass market. He could write about an old person's broken heart in a way that would stop a young person cold. He was the genuine deal.
It's sad. A moment for Saul; I don't think he'd mind the late hour.
posted by I n g e r @ Sunday, October 29, 2006
1 Comments:
Dudley Fitts was a poet, translator, and, poor fellow, my English teacher.
He told a story about Bellow, who was giving a seminar to literature grad students at Yale. The vogue then was "New Criticism," which involved close, technical reading of literature.
They were discussing the scene in the Iliad where the warrior Patroclus died. The grad students were droning on about diction, simile, and whatnot. As they droned on, Bellow gazed around the table and asked, "Doesn't anybody feel sorry for the poor bastard?"
I don't remember much about my English course with Fitts, but one of the things I do remember is that story.
Rest in peace.
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