'A book that writes itself'

 

“Our life is a book that writesitself and whose principal themes sometimes escape us. We are like charactersin a novel who do not always understand what the author wants of them.” –Julien Green

 

Green was born on Sept. 6, 1900 toAmerican parents living in France.  After spending time in America inhis late teens, he returned to France and in 1922 – after a false start asa painter – began a nearly 80-year career - mostly living in France - as a writer.

 

By 1927 he had established himselfin the world of French literature and probably would have remained there forthe rest of his long life (he died in 1998) except for the outbreak of WorldWar II.  Returning to the U.S., he joined the United States Office of WarInformation, becoming the “French” voice for Voice of America, crucial inkeeping up the French Resistance and ultimately leading to Germany’sdefeat. 

 

While he wrote numerous essays onfaith and religion, he is most noted for his 19-volumediary.  Spanning 80 years, the diary provided the world with a uniquewindow on the artistic and literary scene in Paris.  The popularityof his diary was, he said, based on his free form and spontaneous writingstyle, folksy and highly readable.

 

“The secret is to write justanything, to dare to write just anything,” he said, “because when youwrite just anything, you begin to say what is important.”