Welcome to this month's reading group selection. David Von Drehle mentions The Melting Pot , a play by Israel Zangwill, that premiered on Broadway in 1908. At that time theater was accessible to a broad section of the public, not the exclusive domain it has become over the decades. Zangwill carried a hopeful message that America was a place where old hatreds and prejudices were pointless, and that in this new country immigrants would find a more open society. I suppose the reference was more an ironic one for Von Drehle, as he notes the racial and ethnic hatreds were on display everywhere, and at best Zangwill's play helped persons forget for a moment how deep these divides ran. Nevertheless, "the melting pot" made its way into the American lexicon, even if New York could best be describing as a boiling cauldron in the early twentieth century. Triangle: The Fire That Changed America takes a broad view of events that led up the notorious fire, noting the gro
I really enjoyed reading him, no matter what the topic. The obituary I read last night makes the most of _United States_, which won the National Book Award. I've not read that, but should.
ReplyDeleteHe makes a brief appearance in another book I read last year about writers in Italy. He really was a unique human being. One of the few famous writers I wish I could have met.
The rare writer who was very good at what he does, and able to talk about it with wit and irony.
ReplyDeleteGore Vidal in Bob Roberts,
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dei-j4tWI0A
Seems like the Tea Party took their inspiration from Roberts.
Yes, but wasn't the movie supposed to be satire???
ReplyDeleteYes, but then so was Network, and so many of them like to quote Peter Finch. Satire is lost on this bunch.
ReplyDeleteI'm mad as hell and don't want to take it anymore either ... who would have thought it could get worse than life under Bush Jr.?
ReplyDeleteWell, when your worst fear appears before your eyes, I guess it is understandable, but whoa be it to anyone who calls the religious conservatives racist.
ReplyDelete