You know, one of the most difficult things to do is to pare down the collection of things accumulated in life. Be it the useless detritus in one’s cellar or garage, or the similar thrift store worth of crap that invades your mind. Recently, an invitation to renew my subscription to The Writers Almanac crossed my path. At first I said, I’ve gotta start eliminating everything that has damn all to do with my passion, radio broadcasts of curated jazz programs. So I did nothing to encourage further essays or TWA’s to reach my computer, until now, at five AM when I do my best thinking. All it took was to read a recent essay, a particularly entertaining piece about the absurdity of some current thinking, and an older edition of TWA. I’m now parting with my lunch money for a week to read more of your essays that, much to my elderly delight, skewer the annoyingly (who think they’re) enlightened, and TWA that brings to light the fascinating back stories of those who have contributed so very much to the literary world. Thanks a lot for the bologna sandwiches I’ll be eating this week.
Re: Alex Haley and Roots. He was more than Accused of plagiarism. There was a Court Settlement in 1978 with Harold Courlander, author of a novel, The African, 1957. Courlander was a folklorist with extensive publications, including the 2 vol. Treasury of African Folklore. Haley claimed one of his volunteer researchers might have transcribed Courlander's work. A second expert on Africa Dr. Margaret Walker Alexander said that Haley had stolen passages from her novel Jubilee, based in part on her grandmother's story. Alexander published extensive non-fiction works on African Americans. Mr. Haley's authorship must always be qualified with an asterisk.
You know, one of the most difficult things to do is to pare down the collection of things accumulated in life. Be it the useless detritus in one’s cellar or garage, or the similar thrift store worth of crap that invades your mind. Recently, an invitation to renew my subscription to The Writers Almanac crossed my path. At first I said, I’ve gotta start eliminating everything that has damn all to do with my passion, radio broadcasts of curated jazz programs. So I did nothing to encourage further essays or TWA’s to reach my computer, until now, at five AM when I do my best thinking. All it took was to read a recent essay, a particularly entertaining piece about the absurdity of some current thinking, and an older edition of TWA. I’m now parting with my lunch money for a week to read more of your essays that, much to my elderly delight, skewer the annoyingly (who think they’re) enlightened, and TWA that brings to light the fascinating back stories of those who have contributed so very much to the literary world. Thanks a lot for the bologna sandwiches I’ll be eating this week.
Re: Alex Haley and Roots. He was more than Accused of plagiarism. There was a Court Settlement in 1978 with Harold Courlander, author of a novel, The African, 1957. Courlander was a folklorist with extensive publications, including the 2 vol. Treasury of African Folklore. Haley claimed one of his volunteer researchers might have transcribed Courlander's work. A second expert on Africa Dr. Margaret Walker Alexander said that Haley had stolen passages from her novel Jubilee, based in part on her grandmother's story. Alexander published extensive non-fiction works on African Americans. Mr. Haley's authorship must always be qualified with an asterisk.