Re: JDS Film and TV

Malcolm Lawrence (malcolm@wolfenet.com)
Thu, 13 Nov 1997 22:56:11 -0800

PODESTA,Lesley wrote:

> Well Malcolm, I wasn't aware that entering into an exchange was
> "clogging up" a mailing list. Your response seems over the top to me.
> What is making you so angry over a discussion?
> Slightly offended,
> LP

If you want to talk about other authors, fine. But trying to compare them to
Salinger (simply because this list uses him as a focal point) or any other author
is moot unless you can talk about the work itself and compare things that are
comparable to Salinger in a given context (how each author sketches their
characters, the way spirituality is used in the texts, whatever), but simply
reducing them to the size of their pen is ultimately boring and inconsequential.
All of Sappho's output, for example, that survived could fit onto one postcard,
but that doesn't diminish her impact on literature to the present day. It
shouldn't be, for example, Benny Profane versus Holden Caulfield, but what they
have in common (or not) and why (or why not.) THAT is the grist of a good
discussion.