ed ed
being geniuses together
an extremely interesting and entertaining book about the literary life in paris in the 1920s.
robert mcalmon is unjustly forgotten these days, but played an important and generous part in encouraging, publishing and financing various writers, from hemingway to joyce, for which he got little recognition or thanks.
there are some very funny anecdotes recorded here – especially by mcalmon. stories of james joyce fancying himself “various kinds of dancers: tap, russian and belly,” after imbibing and “trying to climb the lampposts.” glimpses of nora and james at home – nora: “jim, what is it all ye find to jabber about the nights you’re brought back drunk for me to look after…?”
and mcalmon typing out the end of “Ulysses,” trying to make sense of joyce’s placement of pencilled corrections, before giving up and adding the amendments when he thought convenient, thus leaving his stamp forever on that great book.
mcalmon has a sharp sardonic wit and shines an unromantic light on the times - harshly when it comes to hemingway and gertrude stein, while deeply appreciative of joyce’s hard work and dedication - although r.m. remains sceptical about j.j.’s intoxication with words and the dead end of "work in progress"...
other players on the paris stage are remembered and described…including william carlos williams, ford madox ford, ezra pound, sylvia beach and company.
this book makes excellent reading for enthusiasts (like me) of the period.
being geniuses together
an extremely interesting and entertaining book about the literary life in paris in the 1920s.
robert mcalmon is unjustly forgotten these days, but played an important and generous part in encouraging, publishing and financing various writers, from hemingway to joyce, for which he got little recognition or thanks.
there are some very funny anecdotes recorded here – especially by mcalmon. stories of james joyce fancying himself “various kinds of dancers: tap, russian and belly,” after imbibing and “trying to climb the lampposts.” glimpses of nora and james at home – nora: “jim, what is it all ye find to jabber about the nights you’re brought back drunk for me to look after…?”
and mcalmon typing out the end of “Ulysses,” trying to make sense of joyce’s placement of pencilled corrections, before giving up and adding the amendments when he thought convenient, thus leaving his stamp forever on that great book.
mcalmon has a sharp sardonic wit and shines an unromantic light on the times - harshly when it comes to hemingway and gertrude stein, while deeply appreciative of joyce’s hard work and dedication - although r.m. remains sceptical about j.j.’s intoxication with words and the dead end of "work in progress"...
other players on the paris stage are remembered and described…including william carlos williams, ford madox ford, ezra pound, sylvia beach and company.
this book makes excellent reading for enthusiasts (like me) of the period.