Among the Archives: September 2008 Archives

Photo by Lee Nye

Letter from James Crumley to Les Standiford, 1987. (click for full-size image)

The New York Times is reporting the death of critically acclaimed crime novelist James Crumley. He was 68.

We had the pleasure of hosting Mr. Crumley in 1988, for Whodunit?, our Seminar devoted to the art and tradition of mystery literature. In a correspondence between Crumley and Les Standiford, our program chair that year, Crumley explained his preference for detectives who are "more rebel than hero:"
    They should put their hearts and minds on the line to find whatever limited justice can be found in an injust world, should oppose greed, the sorriest of evils, and ignorance, and should prefer forgiveness over revenge. We don't need heroes stalking mean streets, but human beings, imperfect as they might be, seeking a justice beyond law."

The letter reproduced here, typed on Hellgate Productions stationery, shows a lighthearted, funny, and gracious Jim Crumley. He will be missed.

During our 27th annual Seminar this January, we'll consider the various ways in which historians like David Levering Lewis and novelists like William Kennedy reveal essential truths about our shared history. As we prepare for this unique opportunity, we are also uncovering our own history– as an organization, as an event, and as a group of individuals joined in lettered island life. We've advanced in this endeavor by expanding our Past Seminars page, which now lists the theme and scheduled panelists for each and every year of our history, with links to images of our promotional posters from the pre-website era. Click here to see a slideshow of these low-tech handsome posters.

Photo by Arthur W. Wang

The New York Times is reporting today on the death of Robert Giroux, editor and publisher of some of the 20th century's greatest writers, including Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Lowell, Bernard Malamud, William Gaddis, Derek Walcott, and many more. He was 94.

We had the pleasure of hosting Mr. Giroux in 1993, for our Seminar devoted to the work of Elizabeth Bishop. At the time, he was editing the definitive collection of Bishop's letters now known as One Art. Reproduced below is a letter Giroux wrote to John Malcolm Brinnin, a friend and correspondent of Bishop's, and the organizer of that year's Seminar. (Click to enlarge.)

A letter from Robert Giroux to John Malcolm Brinnin, 1991. (click for full-size image)