"He is not a forgiving cat"
July 14, 2024 2:37 AM Subscribe
Woody Harrelson reads a letter on stage, from novelist John Cheever to a friend who had burdened him with a cat, who would then become... vivid (6 minutes). From Letters Live, which has many such missives.
Love that. Cheever really had a gift for writing perfect letters. I'm thrilled to say that I own a few of them. They're framed, and they're my treasures.
posted by BlahLaLa at 5:16 PM on July 14, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by BlahLaLa at 5:16 PM on July 14, 2024 [1 favorite]
That's terrific BlahLaLa! If you want to transcribe one or two favorites for us, I know I'd find them interesting!
posted by JHarris at 8:17 PM on July 14, 2024
posted by JHarris at 8:17 PM on July 14, 2024
Here are two of them.
Dear Jay Neugeboren;
It was good of you to think of me for the preface of the Foley memoir but my only correspondence with Martha Foley came about when I refused her permission to reprint a story of mine because it plainly seemed to me not to be one of the BEST. All hell broke loose.
sincerely,
(signature)
Another one:
Dear Mr. Macauley,
I enjoyed the correspondence very much and thought your letter masterful. Since the well people seem quite serious and touchy I wonder if there is any question of libel. I got my information from a friendly well-driller named Junius. He’s never been to Russia and doesn’t much resemble my character but if you think I should ask him for a clearance I could try.
Best
(signature)
This one is clearly connected to his short story Artemis, the Honest Well-Driller that appeared in Playboy.
I just love these because they're real artifacts of his life and artistry. Every little turn of phrase is interesting to me. (And yes, I understand that he was a complicated human. That last biography of him a few years ago really showed him to be a general shithead in a bunch of ways, alas.)
posted by BlahLaLa at 6:48 AM on July 15, 2024 [2 favorites]
Dear Jay Neugeboren;
It was good of you to think of me for the preface of the Foley memoir but my only correspondence with Martha Foley came about when I refused her permission to reprint a story of mine because it plainly seemed to me not to be one of the BEST. All hell broke loose.
sincerely,
(signature)
Another one:
Dear Mr. Macauley,
I enjoyed the correspondence very much and thought your letter masterful. Since the well people seem quite serious and touchy I wonder if there is any question of libel. I got my information from a friendly well-driller named Junius. He’s never been to Russia and doesn’t much resemble my character but if you think I should ask him for a clearance I could try.
Best
(signature)
This one is clearly connected to his short story Artemis, the Honest Well-Driller that appeared in Playboy.
I just love these because they're real artifacts of his life and artistry. Every little turn of phrase is interesting to me. (And yes, I understand that he was a complicated human. That last biography of him a few years ago really showed him to be a general shithead in a bunch of ways, alas.)
posted by BlahLaLa at 6:48 AM on July 15, 2024 [2 favorites]
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posted by janell at 8:55 AM on July 14, 2024 [1 favorite]