Random
Overheard in NYC: Why Do the Heathen Rage? Edition
This Saturday I gave a one-day seminar on Gordon Lish and the Lish school(s) of writing at The New School. A lot of what I spoke about I’ve written about on this site, and some of it may be posted in the future, when its written form is a bit more polished than lecture/discussion notes, but for right now I just wanted to share one tidbit from the class. Actually, it happened before the class. And actually, it didn’t even happen to me. I was sitting in the classroom, and the first student walked in. He was holding a copy of “Guilt,” a story from GL’s collection What I Know So Far that I had assigned as pre-reading. He told me that he’d been looking it over in the elevator, and the man next to him had noticed what he was reading. He said the man was a good bit older, and presumably affiliated with the program, because if you weren’t taking a class or teaching one, you wouldn’t be there on a Saturday. He said the man leaned over and remarked irritably to him: “Everything Gordon Lish says is lies.” Then the ride was over and they parted ways. He came into class and told me this story. It made me feel like it was bound to be a great class, and moreover, despite the gray sky and freezing rain, a wonderful day. I thought, that, right there. That’s why I love Lish- he brings it out in people.
Tags: gordon lish, Why do the heathen rage?
Great story, man.
Great story, man.
And I think Gordon would agree with what the man in the elevator said.
And I think Gordon would agree with what the man in the elevator said.
Lies! But the whole lie! The entire grand fucking thing. Six to twelve hours worth; enough to make you see the good of it.
Lies! But the whole lie! The entire grand fucking thing. Six to twelve hours worth; enough to make you see the good of it.
Luke nailed it. How you been, Luke?
Luke nailed it. How you been, Luke?
Ah, and Gian. Another comrade. Waddup.
Ah, and Gian. Another comrade. Waddup.
Hey look! It’s a Lish clique! Let’s all praise him to the high Heavens until the Tessers and the Anti-Lishes get angry and come screaming at us about how many women he seduced and how that makes him a terrible man.
Hey look! It’s a Lish clique! Let’s all praise him to the high Heavens until the Tessers and the Anti-Lishes get angry and come screaming at us about how many women he seduced and how that makes him a terrible man.
Hahaha
Got “Baby Leg” today. Beautiful. Please tell me it’s real blood. (Be like Lish and lie.)
Hahaha
Got “Baby Leg” today. Beautiful. Please tell me it’s real blood. (Be like Lish and lie.)
Look at my jonquils.
Look at my jonquils.
It’s real blood. Dalmation puppies.
It’s real blood. Dalmation puppies.
This story would be even better if that man in the elevator turned out to be Gordon himself.
This story would be even better if that man in the elevator turned out to be Gordon himself.
Actually, the man in the elevator said a lot more than that, but Gordon edited it down to that one sentence, much to the man, and the man’s wife’s, dismay.
Actually, the man in the elevator said a lot more than that, but Gordon edited it down to that one sentence, much to the man, and the man’s wife’s, dismay.
Who else could it have been? Let’s take guesses.
Gay Talese.
Who else could it have been? Let’s take guesses.
Gay Talese.
DeLillo
The ghost of a million husbands.
DeLillo
The ghost of a million husbands.
Akiva Goldsman
Akiva Goldsman
sweet story
sweet story
david hasselhoff
david hasselhoff
Glaser in disguise.
Glaser in disguise.
It’s alpaca, cocksucker. Miss you all.
It’s alpaca, cocksucker. Miss you all.
male or female?
male or female?
Ya’ll are making me all jealous.
Ya’ll are making me all jealous.
love this
love this