I like to have a few books going at once- There's the "primary" book, the one I read at home when I get a few minutes. (Right now The Tina Fey memoir, "Bossypants". Laugh out loud funny)
There's the "mobile" book, kept in the car, to be taken with me when I suspect some waiting is imminent. (currently "Pops", the recent biography of Louis Armstrong, what a life!)
Then there is the .... how do I put this delicately? The "commode" book. Yes, I'm one of those people who read in the "reading room" In my defense I will say, Irish/catholic family, five kids, the bathroom was the only place to find a few moments of relative peace.
It helps if that book is divided into short chapters, or stories, don't want to get too involved. Right now I am reading "Altman: the oral biography" Perfect. As a young film fanatic coming of age in the '70's Altman was a hero of mine. MASH, Brewster McCloud, Three Women, The Long Goodbye, and on and on. Nobody Made movies like Altman, before or since.
I went to the New York Premiere of "A Wedding" many moons ago. Lincoln Center, lots; of celebs, lots of hub bub. Stood next to Pam Dawber (who was in the film) be still my heart. And saw live and in person five feet away from me ,Madeline Kahn, swoon!Enough Name dropping.
Well one more drop, I also saw Altman in his last public appearance, he was interviewed by Peter Travers at the John Drew theater in East Hampton as part of the film festival there. He was charming and Funny and cranky and didn't have one good thing to say about Warren Beatty. (they were at loggerheads during the filming of McCabe and Mrs. Miller)
The book is very insightful and enjoyable lots of friends and colleauges, telling the story of his life, as they remember it. I think that's my favorite part of the book, the fact that people describing the same event , an event they were both present for, will remember it totally different. At times in the book someone will actually comment about that, "That's they way they remember it? Hmmm that's funny"
I love a good biography , but come on ,so often it's just memories- hazy and opinionated. Quick right now, tell me about a memorable day at work 25 years ago. What did you say? What did he say? where were you? ......Who knows? I'll tell you the story and I'll gurantee it will be true, but I won't gurantee it's factual.
I'm always amazed at some of the old show biz bios, these guys remebered everything! Who the stage manager was, how much they got paid, the name of the place they bought their cigars. And it's all true! Factual? hmmm
Here's a great story from a George Burns memoir, he was working (pre Gracie) Telling Jokes while roller skating (this was an act) He was booked into a resort in Lake Ronkonkoma (all the Long Islanders are going, Ohhhhh!) After the first show, the manager pulled him aside and said, "I hired a dog act! Not some half assed comedian " Burns replies " Oh, my agent didn't tell me- I have a dog act too, as a matter of fact , my dog is back at the hotel"
Burns gets a ride down to the dog pound, picks out a dog and heads back to the resort. He does the same act- skates, jokes, but now he holds the dog in his arms while he skates. He was fired. True? Absolutely! Factual? hmmmmm maybe.
Does it really matter, though?
I'm thinking about this tonight because I read an article about somebody who is out to debunk the John Steinbeck book "Travels with Charley" One of the last things he wrote- a story about him and his dog Charley who get into a pick up truck camper deal and drive across America. Along the way he stops and talks to the regular folks he meets.
His trip starts in Sag Harbor (Long Islanders- "Ohhhhhh")
A favorite book of mine, as a matter of fact my plan is when I get to be an old coot (soon) I'll pack up the truck and head out after Steinbeck. And to add to the fun I would stop at public libraries along the way and read a chapter or two of the book, right off the shelf. I might have to hurry, since libraries are doomed, like everything else.
The trip took place in the early '60's and many of the stories he tells are snapshots of all the tension and pain the country found it self in. A great read.
So now, someone is coming after the book as a work of fiction! Steinbeck didn't sleep in the camper as much as he say s in the book- many nights he stayed in a motel!!! They even went so far as to look at weather charts from 50 years ago and proved that on days he said it was sunny----It was Raining!!!!!!!! And on and on.
Petty nonsense, he wasn't testifying in court, he was telling a story. He travelled across the country, was it sunny, did it rain, was he in a Holiday Inn?
I don't care. I care that it is a truthful story, beautifully told.
I am a fan of the truth. And the people who tell the truth.
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