Miscellaneous
Up In The Old Hotel - Joseph Mitchell ($14.00/$4.29, Published 1992, 716 pages, Trade Paperback)
I came across a reference to this book a month or so ago and was so interested that, when I found a copy on one of my favorite websites, I ordered it. Joseph Mitchell was a writer for the "New Yorker", a magazine that I've never actually read. His writings about New York and it's minor denizens have been published in 4 separate books - "McSoreley's Wonderful Saloon", "Old Mr. Flood", "The Bottom of the Harbor", and "Joe Gould's Secret"- the copyrights ranging from 1938 up to 1992 - which have all been collected in this volume. Every story in this long book is worth reading. Mitchell often chose to write about people on the margins of society -- a homeless beggar like Joe Gould, a bearded lady, the hard-drinking Hugh Flood -- but he never did so in a patronizing manner. He shows us what's below the surface of things -- old abandoned hotels, the oysters on one's plate, the raving lunatic on the street corner -- it's all fascinating and available to anyone who's willing to look. I have to say that it took me a couple of weeks to get through this because I could only get through one or two of Mitchell's stories before I had to put it down and think about what I'd just read. I enjoyed it.
The Essential Groucho - Stefan Kanfer, ed. ($12.00/$4.29, copyright 2000, 252 pages, Trade Paperback)I came across a reference to this book a month or so ago and was so interested that, when I found a copy on one of my favorite websites, I ordered it. Joseph Mitchell was a writer for the "New Yorker", a magazine that I've never actually read. His writings about New York and it's minor denizens have been published in 4 separate books - "McSoreley's Wonderful Saloon", "Old Mr. Flood", "The Bottom of the Harbor", and "Joe Gould's Secret"- the copyrights ranging from 1938 up to 1992 - which have all been collected in this volume. Every story in this long book is worth reading. Mitchell often chose to write about people on the margins of society -- a homeless beggar like Joe Gould, a bearded lady, the hard-drinking Hugh Flood -- but he never did so in a patronizing manner. He shows us what's below the surface of things -- old abandoned hotels, the oysters on one's plate, the raving lunatic on the street corner -- it's all fascinating and available to anyone who's willing to look. I have to say that it took me a couple of weeks to get through this because I could only get through one or two of Mitchell's stories before I had to put it down and think about what I'd just read. I enjoyed it.
I have been a big fan of The Marx Brothers for most of my life. I have always been partial to Groucho (as I think most people have) and I even have the live 2-album, recording of "An Evening With Groucho". This book is kind of a "greatest hits" volume. It includes favorite scenes from "Animal Crackers", "Monkey Business", "Horse Feathers", "Duck Soup", "A Night at the Opera", and "A Day at the Races", among other films. There is also some material from his radio and TV appearances and a whole section devoted to his correspondence with others. All of this is funny but, in my opinion, reading the movie dialogue isn't as enjoyable as watching the Brothers perform. It was OK.
We're now in the count down to September and Labor Day - the last great "Summer" holiday. I hope you all get to enjoy that long weekend but don't forget to ...
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