The Daily Rumpus
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From Stephen Elliott
Take a look at William Faulkner’s resignation from his postmaster job, which appears at Letters of Note:
...moreAs long as I live under the capitalistic system, I expect to have my life influenced by the demands of moneyed people. But I will be damned if I propose to be at the beck and call of every itinerant scoundrel who has two cents to invest in a postage stamp.
Letters of Note posts Sinclair Lewis’ rejection of the 1926 Pulitzer Prize for the Novel.
Lewis argues that honors such as the Pulitzer serve the committees who award them rather than receivers of the award; these committees become the enforcers of taste and threaten to decrease the creativity of future authors:
“I invite other writers to consider the fact that by accepting the prizes and approval of these vague institutions we are admitting their authority, publicly confirming them as the final judges of literary excellence, and I inquire whether any prize is worth that subservience.”
...moreLetters of Note shares four letters from Woody Allen that appear in Diane Keaton’s recent memoir, Then Again.
“Don’t be fooled by THE ARTS! They’re no big deal; certainly no excuse for people acting like jerks & by that I mean, so what if up till now there were very few women artists.
...moreIf you’re publicly expressing resentment towards America’s most beloved (animated) family, you should expect a response. Letters of Note published Marge Simpson’s response to Barbara Bush’s declaration that the Simpson’s was “the dumbest thing” she’d ever seen. The subject of what makes the ideal American family is a contentious one, but alas, there is always room for acceptance.
...moreAnother Hunter S. Thompson correspondence has come to light. This time: a rejection letter. It is chock full off disdain and aggression that will no doubt make you curious about the original piece, which was sent to Rolling Stone in 1971.
...moreIn 1996, Sarah was one notable member of Tarantino’s fan base. He makes some awesomely gruesome films, but his fan-appreciation is nothing but precious.
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