Comments on: Morphology http://vincentmccaffrey.com/2009/06/22/morphology/ a magazine of work-in-progress, inquiry, & reference Tue, 13 Apr 2010 08:51:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Vince http://vincentmccaffrey.com/2009/06/22/morphology/comment-page-1/#comment-439 Vince Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:32:48 +0000 http://vincentmccaffrey.com/?p=798#comment-439 Lizzie--In an important sense, some of McPhee's work can indeed be called a 'Western.' The best of this fiction genre tries hard to keep to the facts about that territory beyond the Mississippi. The 'Western' was born in an age when its subject was still a current event--thus my reference to <i>The Virginian</i> and its link to Ethel Waxham and <i>Rising From the Plains</i>. However, I don't know that McPhee has ever written fiction. By any parochial definition, McPhee is a journalist, an essayist, and a historian. Tom Wolfe has, late in his career, very successfully stepped across the divide of course. And for my own money, Elmer Kelton is the greatest author of fiction in the Western genre. And simply a great author to boot. Lizzie–In an important sense, some of McPhee’s work can indeed be called a ‘Western.’ The best of this fiction genre tries hard to keep to the facts about that territory beyond the Mississippi. The ‘Western’ was born in an age when its subject was still a current event–thus my reference to The Virginian and its link to Ethel Waxham and Rising From the Plains. However, I don’t know that McPhee has ever written fiction. By any parochial definition, McPhee is a journalist, an essayist, and a historian. Tom Wolfe has, late in his career, very successfully stepped across the divide of course. And for my own money, Elmer Kelton is the greatest author of fiction in the Western genre. And simply a great author to boot.

]]> By: Lizzie http://vincentmccaffrey.com/2009/06/22/morphology/comment-page-1/#comment-437 Lizzie Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:59:21 +0000 http://vincentmccaffrey.com/?p=798#comment-437 Well I'm feeling pretty stupid. I had no idea John McPhee had ever written Westerns. An old boyfriend, long, long ago got me a John McPhee collection -- it might have been called "The John McPhee Reader," but I really don't recall anymore. What I DO remember is loving the way he wrote, how you would be totally captivated by whatever the subject was (and I vividly remember basketball, as you mentioned!), and learning a lot while being thoroughly entertained. I know I still have the book, and plan to dig it out later on and enjoy parts of it again. As for Westerns, I saw Louis L'Amour reviewed on another site today. He's great. And give the <a href="http://www.stevedancy.com/stevedancy_002.htm" rel="nofollow"> Steve Dancy</a> books a try. In "The Shopkeeper," he's moved from NY (where he was a shopkeeper, hence the name) to the West to have adventures and write about them. Of course, gun-slinging and feuds result. It's lots of fun and it's filled with powerful characters. I love re-reading books. While some don't hold up, as you note, others are old friends. And because you change, your experience changes as well. (I must admit, though, that I don't think I'd care for "Gone With the Wind" nearly as much as I did when I was 13...) Well I’m feeling pretty stupid. I had no idea John McPhee had ever written Westerns. An old boyfriend, long, long ago got me a John McPhee collection — it might have been called “The John McPhee Reader,” but I really don’t recall anymore. What I DO remember is loving the way he wrote, how you would be totally captivated by whatever the subject was (and I vividly remember basketball, as you mentioned!), and learning a lot while being thoroughly entertained. I know I still have the book, and plan to dig it out later on and enjoy parts of it again. As for Westerns, I saw Louis L’Amour reviewed on another site today. He’s great. And give the Steve Dancy books a try. In “The Shopkeeper,” he’s moved from NY (where he was a shopkeeper, hence the name) to the West to have adventures and write about them. Of course, gun-slinging and feuds result. It’s lots of fun and it’s filled with powerful characters.

I love re-reading books. While some don’t hold up, as you note, others are old friends. And because you change, your experience changes as well. (I must admit, though, that I don’t think I’d care for “Gone With the Wind” nearly as much as I did when I was 13…)

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