olds
Again, thanks for that link, Dan.
Sat Jan 08, 18:16

I had no idea. Terrific stuff. As a rule, I'm an abstract guy myself, but those images of Baskin's do resonate with me. When I first glimpsed the Custer image on the original hardback "Son of" cover, I thought it striking. Not stunning, mind, but arresting. Made me pause, sit up and take note, which, in addition to communicating something about the content within, is what a book cover is supposed to do.

My uncle was a professional artist who, like Baskin, worked mainly in woodcuts, figurative stuff for the most part. His work is framed and hanging all over my condo, including a series of pieces he did for my John Brown book, but which the publisher, in its infinite wisdom, chose not to use for no reason that ever was adequately explained to me.

Unlike "we mortals," we novelists, who are mortals of a certain dubious subset, are also reduced to cobbling facts together, but then transcending them, sometimes in the name of storifying, sometimes in the name of we know not what.






    • Re: I could be wrong — Daniel Buck, Sat Jan 08 9:00
      Bruce, yes, North Point is no more; its back list is apparently distributed by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, part of Macmillan, part of Mr. Big, whatever. Connell was right, the story is the thing.... more
      • Again, thanks for that link, Dan. — olds, Sat Jan 08 18:16
        • McMurty on Custer & Connell on Billy — Daniel Buck, Sun Jan 09 9:28
          In his 2008 NYRB review of Custerology, Larry McMurty has this to say: "Three times in the past twenty years I’ve been asked to write a book about Custer and the Little Bighorn, and each time I’ve ... more
          • Beat me to that inquiry. — olds, Sun Jan 09 11:31
            I was going to ask you. Apparently it was a 30-page consideration of Mister McCarty Bonney Kid. Do not know what became of it. (Are McConnell's papers archived at a university or historical society so... more
            • Re: Beat me to that inquiry. — Daniel Buck, Sun Jan 09 12:10
              Bruce, Thanks. Did not know about Ondaatje's Billy saga, and to further expose my literary blinkers, that he wrote The English Patient. Good grief, this Google fellow I obviously just consulted is ... more
              • As I recall, — olds, Sun Jan 09 14:01
                Ondaatje was savaged by a certain nationalist element in Canada for having the temerity to write about "American" subjects. Apparently Canada was peculiarly insular--and insecure--about its literary c... more
                • Canada — Dan Brown, Sun Jan 16 12:38
                  Canada is...well, Canada. Overrated by many. While Canada may appear to be a sort of idiot relative of ours, she got her land the same way we got ours - by taking it from them who had it first. Lift t... more
                  • True, Dan. — olds, Mon Jan 17 14:48
                    At least about the "similar kind of dirt," though if Canada can be characterized as "a sort of idiot relative of ours," I am happy to raise high a glass to idiocy. As someone who reads his fair sha... more
                    • More Canadian contributions — B.J., Tue Feb 08 1:09
                      Canada’s participation in the 1944 D-Day landing at Juno Beach. 14,000 well trained Canadian soldiers rapidly hit the beach and quickly moved inland which had an indirect effect of decreasing the defe... more
                      • Re: More Canadian contributions — Daniel Buck, Tue Feb 08 10:16
                        Excellent point. 12 or 13 (depending on who is counting) allied countries provided troops, with the US, Britain, and Canada landing the most. I will take this WWII nod to recommend a fine book tha... more
                    • There's a few exceptions. No doubt — Dan Brown, Mon Jan 17 22:55
                      I do admire Trudeau's willingness to go full blackface at a moment's notice. And also like us, Canada interred their Japanese citizens during WW2, for their own good, of course. They also keep the nat... more
                      • Oh, I wouldn't — olds, Thu Feb 10 13:35
                        suggest trusting Cohen, just listening to him, or better yet, reading him. "Beautiful Losers" is a terrific novel and there are a number of poetry collections that are worth a look-see as well. BTW... more
      • Leonard Baskin — Daniel Buck, Sat Jan 08 9:14
        This I did not know. Leonard Baskin's mournful, seated Custer was originally a 1968 National Park Service poster: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O111958/national-parks-usa-poster-baskin-leona... more
        • Dust jacket.... — B.J., Sat Jan 08 11:30
          Shortly after the 'Son of the Morning Star' television mini series in 1991, a new interest was generated in the book. When a new edition was released the dust jacket had an image of Gary Cole dressed... more
          • Ignorant? — Rvn4fun, Mon Jan 10 12:37
            I cant stand to read that Custer was ignorant. That just is not very well informed. He is still the youngest general in history at 23 and maj general 25. Recognized by Sherman, Sheridan, McClellan ... more
            • Indian Scouts at the LBH — Dan Brown, Sun Jan 16 8:37
              This is an interesting link that might shed a little light on the various scouts working forthe 7th https://astonisher.com/the-twisted-saga-of-the-unsung-7th-cavalry-scouts-by-bruce-brown/
    • Click here to receive daily updates