Comments on: Everything but Hawaii

Everything but Hawaii

Iridic — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:15:24 -0800

"Cheever wasn't the only one who found inspiration at the Writers' Project [NYT]. Others included Conrad Aiken, Nelson Algren, Saul Bellow, Arna Bontemps, Malcolm Cowley, Edward Dahlberg, Ralph Ellison, Zora Neale Hurston, Claude McKay, Kenneth Patchen, Philip Rahv, Kenneth Rexroth, Harold Rosenberg, Studs Terkel, Margaret Walker, Richard Wright and Frank Yerby. These federal employees produced what would become the renowned American Guide Series, comprising volumes for each of the 48 states that then existed, as well as Alaska."

By: steef

steef — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:47:06 -0800

It took me a minute to realize the Wikipedia page links to the full-view Google e-Book for all the titles. That's awesome.

By: Mo Nickels

Mo Nickels — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:06:07 -0800

I've been working for years on finishing a long-forgotten piece of the Federal Writers' Project, the Lexicon of Trade Jargon, and it's clear the while names you give are exceptional, they are outnumbered by the unexceptional. The typical Writers Project worker, under whose umbrella the Lexicon was protected, was described in a WPA annual report as mainly having "neither the requisite skills nor the physical stamina to engage in construction." Sometimes, literacy was a worker's sole qualification for work on a FWP project.

By: notyou

notyou — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:12:03 -0800

Heh, Mo Nickels. That's great. "Why'd you become a writer?" "I'm incapable of productive work." --------------- Thanks, Iridic. Bookmarked for later consumption.

By: Potomac Avenue

Potomac Avenue — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:19:18 -0800

Maybe the LOC will consider finishing that WPA documentary that led to Woody Guthrie writing one of his best songs.

By: Twang

Twang — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 11:30:08 -0800

the Wikipedia page links to the full-view Google e-Book I wish. The ones I checked are preview only, though available for sale as e-books.

By: Iridic

Iridic — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 11:36:21 -0800

preview only In de ed?

By: mr. digits

mr. digits — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:40:23 -0800

Indeed, at least in the case of Minnesota.

By: mr. digits

mr. digits — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:41:37 -0800

Well... so it seemed at first, anyhow.

By: xedrik

xedrik — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:06:51 -0800

I think I may have an old (original?) copy of the Washington book in hardcover. So much information in there!

By: julen

julen — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:18:58 -0800

I devoured the Virginia guide this summer. It was a fabulous melange of fact, legend, and half-remembered story. It was so interesting to see what was important or notable in the 1930s about places I know so well today. It makes me want to read the pertinent volumes before every road trip!

By: jason_steakums

jason_steakums — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:17:37 -0800

Weird - I'm working my way through Seinfeld again, and just watched "The Cheever Letters" about an hour before seeing this. Gettin' all Baader-Meinhoffy up in here.