Happy Deathday, Mr. Fante!

On this day in 1983, author, screenwriter, and idol of Charles Bukowski, John Fante, died of complications due to diabetes. He was 74 years old.

Oddly enough, there are quite a few people out there who have never heard of Mr. Fante.

By far, Fante’s most recognizable work is, his semi autobiographical novel Ask the Dusk, published in 1939. It is the third book in a series, referred to now as “The Bandini Quartet”, as it follows the story of it’s protagonist Arturo Bandini. If you’ve never read the book or seen the film adaptation… we suggest you pick it up this week. Especially if you have any interest at all in Great Depression-era stories or “old L.A.” settings. It is a treat, and those of you who are familiar with Charles Bukowski already know how much the novel influenced him.

“I was a young man, starving and drinking and trying to be a writer… It seemed as if everybody was playing word-tricks, that those who said almost nothing at all were considered excellent writers. Their writing was an admixture of subtlety, craft and form, and it was read and it was taught and it was ingested and it was passed on. It was a comfortable contrivance, a very slick and careful Word-Culture… one day I pulled a book down and opened it, and there it was…The lines rolled easily across the page, there was a flow. Each line had its own energy and was followed by another like it. The very substance of each line gave the page a form, a feeling of something carved into it. And here, at last, was a man who was not afraid of emotion. The humor and the pain were intermixed with a superb simplicity. The beginning of that book was a wild and enormous miracle to me. I had a library card. I checked the book out, took it to my room, climbed into my bed and read it, and I knew long before I had finished that here was a man who had evolved a distinct way of writing. The book was Ask the Dust and the author was John Fante” 

Bukowski certainly sums up how we feel too.

Although Fante’s stories were not originally wildly popular, many of his books saw a resurgence of interest upon their republication in the 1980s.

We highly recommend Dago Red , Fante’s only collection of short stories, published in 1940. The stories follow the maturation of one of Fante’s prominent characters, Jimmy Toscana, and wonderfully encapsulate what coming of age stories are all about.

Some of his screenwriting credits include Full of Life, Jeanne Eagels, My Man and I, The reluctant Saint, Something for a Lonely Man, My Six Loves, and Walk on the Wild Side.

For us, Fante’s work is such a fun read because it’s character driven and so very real. You begin reading his stories and thinking ‘I know someone just like Bandini’, you finish his stories with the realization that you are Bandini.

Today, take a minute to remember John Fante and perhaps, try your hand at creating your own alter-ego. What makes you a unique character and what about the time and place you’re living in make your alter-ego stand out as someone worth writing about? Find your inner-Bandini!

Write on in peace, Mr. Fante!

Happy Deathday, Mr. Gibran!

On April 10th, in 1931, Lebanese poet and novelist, Khalil Gibran died of cirrhosis of the liver. He was only 48 years old.

Gibran drew his words from an overwhelmingly vast well of influences. He often merged Eastern and Western philosophies in his poetry, and having grown up in Lebanon, studied art in Paris with Rodin and then adopted America as his new home, Gibran had a broad view of life, religiously, economically and romantically.

If you are unfamiliar with this spiritually stirring poet, we suggest you take a look at this biography on the young writer’s life, or if you are in a hurry check out this link.

Our favorite work by Mr. Gibran, also happens to be listed as one of the century’s best selling books in America after the Bible! The Prophet ,published in 1923, has touched millions of people, all over the world. This was one of the first books Gibran wrote in English and we highly encourage those who have not experienced it, to give it a chance.You’ll be so glad you did.

Some other favorites of ours include The Madman (1918), Sand and Foam (1926) and The New Frontier (1925). It may surprise some of you to hear that American president, John F. Kennedy was influenced by Khalil Gibran, when he famously stated in his Inaugural Speech, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” He was, in fact, quoting from The New Frontier, which had been written thirty-six years prior.

“Are you a politician asking what your country can do for you or a zealous one asking what you can do for your country?”

Today, we have a fun exercise for you and a nice way to remember Mr. Gibran…  be your own prophet. The prophet begins like this…

The Prophet, who has lived in a foreign city for twelve years, is about to board a ship that will take him back home. He is stopped by a group of people, who interrogate him about the mysteries of life…

Now, YOU, fill in the blanks. What are your mysteries? What are your solutions to the day’s problems? What are you certain of? What lies ahead?

Write on in peace, Mr. Gibran!

Adrienne Rich Has Passed On

It has been reported that poet, Adrienne Rich has died today at the age of 82.

We welcome Ms. Rich to the Dead Writers Club and our hearts go out to the loved ones and devoted readers she leaves behind.

To read more about the poet, check out this link!

Do you have a favorite Rich poem? We are partial to “Diving Into the Wreck” and “A Valediction Forbidding Mourning”.

Write on in peace, Ms. Rich!

A Tall Order: Happy Deathday Messrs Whitman, Chandler and Coward!

Today is a big day for us here at the DWC! On this day in 1892, American poet, Walt Whitman died of pneumonia at the age of 72. Also on this day, in 1959, American author, Raymond Chandler also died of pneumonia at the age of 70. And finally, on this day, March 26th, British playwright, Noël Coward died of heart failure at the ripe old age of 74.

Mr. Whitman is, of course, remembered best for his major work, Leaves of Grass, which he continued to update even upon his death bed! It may surprise many of you to know that this wonderfully lyrical work was periodically banned for being “indecent,” as well as for the equally powerfully moving poems, I Sing the Body Electric and Song of Myself. Whitman may have ignored conventional rhyme and meter, but his style is recognized the world over, for its unique, melodic speech patterns.

Although Whitman’s earlier works were far from popular, Ralph Waldo Emerson was among the poet’s early admirers.  He found Leaves particularly inspiring, writing of the poem in 1855, “I am very happy in reading it, as great power makes us happy.” Well put, Mr. Emerson, well put.

Whitman’s final volume of poetry was the “Deathbed” edition of Leaves of Grass, which he prepared in 1891-92.  It concludes with the prose piece, “A Backward Glance O’er Travel’d Roads,” in which the poet attempts to give us a glimpse of where he has been and perhaps… where we are all headed.  We encourage readers, young and old, from every race, class and religion to pick up a copy of this truly epic piece of American literature today… for many of us, it is a “must-own”. For an excellent biography on this titan of literature, we will direct you here.

Now for Mr. Chandler…whose idiosyncratic prose voice is not so unlike Mr. Whitman’s, in that it is entirely unique. His first novel, The Big Sleep (which he wrote in three months and happens to be one of our personal favorites), hit bookstores in 1939 and introduced the character who would come to be synonymous with, and long outlive, his creator: the wisecracking, chess-playing, late-30s L.A. private eye Philip Marlowe. Although Chandler has not set out to write mysteries, it turned out he had a real talent for it, so he continued, penning a plethora of stories, featuring Philip Marlowe. Farewell, My Lovely (1940) and The Long Goodbye (1953) are, without question, his master works. Chandler also took to writing for the big screen in the early ’40s, adapting James M. Cain’s Double Indemnity (1943) and writing the original screenplay for The Blue Dahlia (1946), both of which, he was given Oscar nominations for.

The New York Times once said “Chandler wrote as if pain hurt and life mattered”. This statement holds up, even today. Whatever image you have today of life in mid-20th-century Los Angeles, you have because of Mr. Chandler’s rough, raw look at a city alternating between two worlds of luxury and lawlessness. Personally, we rather think the creators of popular video game L.A. Noire should have given Mr. Chandler a screen credit ;)

Moving on to Noël Coward…let us start by saying that Mr. Coward was truly a titan of his field, penning over forty plays, including musical librettos and film adaptations of his own work. Many people have attributed the notion of “celebrity” to Mr. Coward, whose debonair and stylish appearance, made him an early icon of the 1920s and 30s.

Coward wrote classics of high comedy that capture the period in which they were written.  By far, Coward’s most spectacular show was Cavalcade, which opened in 1930 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Cavalcade was a pageant of English history seen through different generations of the same family and if you ever get a chance to read/see it, you will be all the more enriched for having done so. Some of our favorite works by Coward include The Young Idea (1922), Fallen Angels (1925), Private Lives (1930) and Blithe Spirit (1941). Notable songs written by Coward include “I’ll See You Again” and “Mad About the Boy.”

What we admire most about Mr. Coward, was his ability to wear many hats. Musician, writer, wit…actor. In 1943, Coward received an Oscar for his patriotic war film In Which We Serve. Not only did he write the screenplay, but Coward composed the film’s music and starred in the film as well! If you’ve never seen it… go rent it today! You will not be disappointed.

Today, we hope you will observe the passing of these three very different but nonetheless important innovators of the craft. Whitman… with his lithesome and natural verse, that caresses the soul and cradles the spirit of America in so weathered, yet steady a hand. Chandler… the man who gave the dirty and decadent streets of 1930s Los Angeles a voice. Coward… a name synonymous with cheek, chic and superb technique.

Today, be vulnerable, be perceptive and be daring… be innovative. Cultivate a style all your own. Start a movement.

Write on in peace, you sleeping giants, Mr. Whitman, Mr. Chandler and Mr. Coward!

Happy Deathday Mr. Wieners!

We received a touching message from one of our readers that we had missed a deathday yesterday. And so, we would like to offer this belated deathday post to American poet John Wieners, who died on March 1st in 2002.Many special thanks to http://thesetelevisionblues.tumblr.com/, for bringing this to our attention.

Wieners was a student of the Black Mountain College and studied under fellow poets, Robert Duncan, Robert Creely and Charles Olson. He also worked in the Poet’s Theater in Cambridge, Ma. and lived in San Francisco for a stint, during which time his first book of poems, The Hotel Wentley Poems (1958), was published. In 1960, Wieners was committed to a psychiatric hospital. Though mental illness was something Wieners would struggle with all his life, it has also been said that his illness was thought by many to be “a very special reality”, by which the commonplace gave way to poetry. In fact, it was Robert Creely who once said of Wieners’ work, “His poems had nothing else in mind but their own fact.” Well put, Mr. Creely.

As a beat poet and member of the San Francisco Renaissance, Mr. Wieners was also an antiwar and gay rights activist and founder/editor of the literary magazine Measure (1957–1962). Wieners’ various honors include awards from the Poets Foundation, the New Hope Foundations, and the National Institute of Arts and Letters, as well as a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

While we have unfortunately not read much of his work, we have listened to it. And would like to share one of our favorite recordings with you here. We are looking forward to rushing down to the library and scooping up Ace of Pentacles, published in 1964, as it has been highly recommended to us. We hope you’ll do the same.

If you would like to read up on this fascinating poet, we recommend this work by Andrea Brady, “Making Use of the Pain: The John Wieners Archive”.

Write on in peace, Mr. Wieners.

Happy Deathday, Mr. Thompson!

On this day in 2005, Hunter S. Thompson died from a single, self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head. He was 67 years old.

What can we really say about this eccentric writer and “totally gonzo” journalist? Well, perhaps it is best to let him speak for himself…

“Find that one thing you can do better than everybody else, doesn’t matter what it is, but find it, and do it.”

He couldn’t have been more right on. Thompson did “gonzo” better than anyone… hell, he was the man behind the term! Thompson, was among the many beaten by police outside Chicago’s 1968 Democratic Convention, an event which fueled him both creatively and politically. 

In the 1960s, Thompson spent several months riding, drinking, and on a perpetual drug-induced high with motorcycle gang, Hell’s Angels. He wrote about the experience in an article for National Observer. And so, the first novel was born; Hell’s Angels, which was published in 1966. Then, in 1972, came one of his most recognized works, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which was first serialized in Rolling Stone. In 1998, the novel was depicted on the silver screen, with Thompson portrayed by Johnny Depp. Most recently, The Rum Diary, written in 1957 but not published until 1998, was adapted for film, with Johnny Depp at the helm again. If you are fan, you will not want to miss it.

Today, we dare you to release your inner “gonzo”! Pick a topic or political issue that is relevant today and live in it for a day… immerse yourself in it and then write the most honest piece you can about it. We find, a bottle of Rum helps get us in the right mind set… (of course, we also encourage that you drink responsibly ;)

Write on in peace, Mr. Thompson!

Happy Deathday, Mrs. Shelley!

On this day in 1851, esteemed Frankenstein writer, Mary Shelley died of brain cancer. She was 53 years old.

Who would have guessed that Frankenstein, published anonymously in 1818 to unfavorable critical reception, would become a classic of literature, that is recognized the world over!?! For no one can doubt the significance that this novel has had on our popular culture, art and human psyche.

Shelley was, of course, the wife of the famous Romantic writer Percy Bysshe Shelley and so, was in common friendship with fellow writers John Keats and Lord Byron.

To say that her life was tragic, would certainly be something of an understatement. Only one of her three children survived childhood, her sister was known to be her husband’s mistress and even became pregnant by him. Not to mention, she survived her husband, who drowned at the age of 29! She herself, was plagued with ill health until she finally succumbed to what is thought to be a brain tumor at the relatively young age of 53.

It is unfortunate that more people are not aware of Shelley’s other writings, as they are quite good and certainly worth a read if you are a fan of her rich, gothic style. in fact, one of our favorite works by Shelley, apart from her masterpiece, is her science fiction novel, Last Man, published in 1826. If you’ve not read this apocalyptic treasure, we’ll not spoil it here… suffice it to say, that the characters are almost certainly semi-biographical and based off of people that were in Shelley’s social circle.  She also wrote a large amount of historical novels, short stories and poetry.

Today… think about Frankenstein’s monster…a creature who was created to be both, a warning about the fearsome power of modern science and a nod to the responsibility of a creator to his creations. If you were to rewrite this classic tale… given the times we are living in, what would your monster be comprised of? And how would your monster fare when flung into this world without guidance?

And of course, do not forget to pay your respects to the wonderfully talented, though too often overlooked, Mary Shelley.

Write on in peace, Mrs. Shelley!

A Day in Lowell with Kerouac’s Ghost

One of our long time contributors, Lucas Lammott, recently visited Lowell, Massachusetts, which is the hometown of Jack Kerouac. We cannot think of a better way to ring in the New Year! He took some great snaps, which he allowed us to repost here. Enjoy!

Kerouac was born on 9 Lupine Road in the West Centralville section of Lowell Massachusetts, 2nd floor.

Lowell High School where JK was a football star that got him a scholarship to Columbia University.

Jack Kerouac later referred to 34 Beaulieu Street as “sad Beaulieu”. The Kirouack family was living there in 1926 when Jack’s big brother Gerard died of rheumatic fever at the age of nine.

The grave site of Jean-Louis “Jack” Lebris de Kerouac

Late afternoon rest stop at Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus downtown Lowell. If you ever get a chance to visit Lowell, you should! It is an eerie place… rich in culture, history and… ghostly inspiration.  And if you live in Boston… you have no excuse not to go spend a day in Lowell. Thanks, Lucas, for sharing your day with us!

Happy Deathday, Ms. Brontë!

On this day in 1848, English novelist, Emily Brontë, died of tuberculosis at the age of thirty.

Emily, of the famed “Brontë Sisters”, was the middle sister and the author of the novel, Wuthering Heights, published in 1847. Tragically, this is the only novel published by the young writer, although she did pen several poems , often under the alias of Ellis Bell.

Wuthering Heights, which is now widely regarded as a classic of English Literature, was actually written well over two years before it was finally published a year before Brontë’s untimely death. And it was only printed after the overwhelming success of her elder sister’s novel, Jane Eyre.

The novel has been parodied in popular culture, adapted, dramatized and even alluded to in popular music! Clearly, Ms. Emily Brontë left her literary mark! If you’ve never read this gothic novel of romance, drama, humor and vengeance… you really must add it to your holiday reading list!

Today, why not try your hand at a bit of drama? Star crossed lovers, back stabbing best friends… you get the idea.

Write on in peace, Ms. Brontë!

Happy Deathday, Ms. Wheatley!

On this day, in 1784, Phillis Wheatley, the first prominent black poet in the United States of America, died from unspecified causes at the age of 31, followed shortly after by her infant son.

Born in Gambia, Wheatley was made a slave at age seven. She was purchased by the Wheatley family of Boston. Thankfully, this family taught her to read and write, and always encouraged the young girl to write poetry.

The 1773 publication of Wheatley’s Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral was a big success and was the first book to be published by a black American. She was emancipated by her “owners”, following her poetic success, but chose to stay with the Wheatley family until the death of her former master.

She was a strong supporter of American independence, which is quite obviously reflected in both poems and various plays she wrote during the Revolutionary War.

It is a terrible tragedy that she died so young and impoverished. The statue pictured above can be seen along Boston’s famous Commonwealth Avenue. Sadly, her grave, which can be found at Copps Hill Burying Ground in Boston, was left unmarked.

But her mark upon the face of African-American literature cannot be denied. The fact that this woman had to appear in a court to defend her literary ability before her first work was even published, just to prove she had written it, is a grim reminder of a very dark piece of American history. But it should also serve as a beacon of hope for those out there right now who are struggling to be recognized, to be heard. Follow your dreams and never falter from them. For more biographical information on Wheatley, check out this website!

Today, think on your own freedom. Are you truly free? Have you taken this for granted? Write about what gives you hope. What inspires freedom within you? What does it mean… to be truly free?

Write on in peace, Ms. Wheatley!

Happy Deathday, Mr. Wilde!

“This wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One of us has to go”

             

Happy Deathday, Mr. Dahl!

On this day in 1990, beloved children’s author Roald Dahl died from a blood disease at the age of 74. Apparently, Dahl was buried with his snooker cues, burgundy wine, chocolates, HB pencils and a power saw… we don’t know about you, but we cannot think of a better way to go out.

Mr. Dahl is responsible for some of the most loved children’s books of our time. To name just a few; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Matilda, The Witches and of course, James and the Giant Peach. Some other titles that we enjoy in his extensive collection of work, include Danny the Champion of the World, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More, The Twits  and his 1953 collection of short stories, Someone Like You.

Nobody’s childhood is complete without reading at least one of the aforementioned titles! To find more biographical information on this remarkably talented author and his lasting legacy, please visit his official website!

Pick out one of your favorite Dahl stories today and read it to a youngster… or perhaps seek out someone young of heart to read it with.  Trust us, there’s magic in those pages! We also hope you will take a minute to remember to stop by Roald Dahl’s MARVELOUS CHILDREN’S CHARITY. 

Write on in peace, Mr. Dahl!