Frederick's Friend Comments

K.D. wrote: "Thanks for inviting me sir. I love your books!

K.D."

Thank you. I see you're reading Dashiell Hammett. I just read THE GLASS KEY. Highly entertaining!

Thanks for inviting me sir. I love your books!

K.D.

Ben wrote: "did you frame your letter from p.g. wodehouse? i would totally have framed that letter!

best,
ben"
Hey, Ben, i only just now saw your question about whether or not I framed my letter from P.G. Wodehouse. And it's December already! So, almost half a year later I am answering. I have never had it framed. But when I do I will also frame my Louis Armstrong autograph! I saw him at a local jazz concert when I was ten. He was a surprise guest. He sang "Hello, Dolly" and then sat in the audience and signed each page of a fan's scrapbook. My brother and I ran up to him and asked him to sign our programs. It was 1970. He died a year later. The concert was by a bandmate of his named Arvell Shaw. It was a charity event and the rumor was that Louis Armstrong would show up.

did you frame your letter from p.g. wodehouse? i would totally have framed that letter!

best,
ben

Gary wrote: "How are you liking FREEDOM so far?? Email me about it?
I am hoping to see the man in person on Sept. 20th. They have moved the Venue twice in anticipation of a big crowd. The man is coming home to..."
Hey, Gary,
I'm about halfway through FREEDOM and I find it highly amusing. Franzen has delivered on his promise. I read THE TWENTY-SEVENTH CITY when it came out, back in 1990 or so and, although he says that book was satire and that he does not write satire any more, he certainly seems to me to be expanding on themes that book introduced. The further into FREEDOM I get, the more I think Franzen is trying to get down on paper, for the world to see, what it is like to live in this country. On the surface it is similar to many serious works written today, but he has hit on something regarding the national character. There is a stillness to this book which is missing in most current literature, and I detect that stillness in Twain and Melville. And in John O'Hara. Please give him a shout-out from a fan on Long Island when you see him in St. Louis!

How are you liking FREEDOM so far?? Email me about it?
I am hoping to see the man in person on Sept. 20th. They have moved the Venue twice in anticipation of a big crowd. The man is coming home to St. Louis!

Hey, Fred,
I don't see you around here much. As for things on my side...I swear if summer doesn't come soon I'll get depressed! I'll reply to your emails asap, but I do hope you're doing well in the meantime.

By the way, since you're a member here, why did you register on ABO? This is much better, it makes no sense to me at all why you'd do that. I'm actually trying to find a way to disable my account there, but can't seem to find any - do you happen to know how to?

Thanks for recommending "A Perfect Waiter" to me. What a cool system! Let's add that to my ever-growing list of "to-read!"

Thanks Fred. Happy New Year! :-). . . And thanks for checking out the chat room.

(Btw, Guilty Pleasures has been pretty quiet. Hopefully, it's just because of the holidays. Hehe.)

Hi, Saleh,

That's a very good question. I will answer it. (I'll also ask if you first heard it as the title of a collection of Raymond Carver stories. I have not read anything by him--although I am aware of his general contribution of realistic stories about people suffering from depression--and I may be wrong as to whether he wrote a book with that title, but, in any case, I associate the question with him.)
Because there are so many varieties of love, there are many different things which might be meant, by any one person when that person brings up the subject. Often it is part of a complaint, such as "You don't love me." Whether that complaint is directed toward a parent, a sibling or a son or daughter, a sense of abandonment is implied, as it would be when addressed to a lover. Often it is a lie: "I love you." Often it is true. Again, "I love you." We talk of God's love, our love of God, or the love shared between God and man. (That last one is almost never discussed.)

Hi.What We Talk About When We Talk About Love?PLZ Answer The Question In My Profile.

Yams--check! (Mashed in bowls, but easily from a yard-long sources.)
Yapping yoyo-yanking yetis -- check! (Stocking stuffers for my nephews and niece included all sorts of walking beasts and toys with strings.)
Yak-milk yeast cakes -- check! (Aged goat cheese on tobasco crackers.)
Yellow yarn-yielding year-end yard gnomes -- check! (My cousin sent a card of her house with gnomes Phot-shopped onto the lawn. My brother gave his kids a ketchup bottle which squeezes red yarn.)

You've yet to yell "Year's Yonder!" [A.k.a. Happy new Year.]

Fred

Hi Frederick!

Here’s wishing you a yippee-filled Yuletime overflowing with yard-long yams, yapping yoyo-yanking yetis, yak-milk yeast-cakes, and yellow yarn-yielding year-end yard-gnomes.

-Jeremy :)