Favorite Quotes: Langston Hughes – The Big Sea

“That room was right out of a book, and I began to say to myself that I guess dreams do come true, and sometimes life makes its own books, because here I am living in a Paris garret, writing poems and having champagne for breakfast (because champagne is what we had with our breakfast at the Grand Duc from the half-empty bottles left by unsuspecting guests, in their ice buckets – thanks to their fleet removal by the waiters.)”

copyright 1940 by Langston Hughes
copyright 1967, 1968 by Arna Bontemps and George Houston Bass

Favorite Books: Sean O’Casey – Sunset and Evening Star

“Sunset and Evening Star” is Irish playwright Sean O’Casey’s autobiography published 1954.  Surprisingly, it’s written in third person, the author referring to himself as Sean throughout.  It’s loose, stream of conscious style must have been unique in the mid 1950’s (reminds me of Dylan’s “Chronicles” written some 50 years later)!  The reader must follow where O’Casey takes you; eavesdropping on a conversation, witnessing a rant from another writer, prose that lapses into poetry and back again effortlessly. He has a tendency to belabor his subjects somewhat, rambling quite a bit, but the writing is entertaining, the word choice (and invention) playful and the style quite unusual.  His personal insights into Irish history and his fellow artists are fascinating.  The NYT’s obit – linked below, is very thorough if you desire further information on the author.  

written by jbm 3/6/2017

 

O’Casey obit (NYT):  http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0330.html

photo: Sean O’Casey by Wolfgang Suschitzky