My review of Les Bodnar’s Carnie is in today’s Wall Street Journal:
Souls of Carnival
My review of Les Bodnar's Carnie is in today's Wall Street Journal.
December 10, 2010
Bill Kauffman
Bill Kauffman is the author of eleven books, among them Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette (Henry Holt), Ain’t My America (Metropolitan), Look Homeward, America (ISI), and Poetry Night at the Ballpark (FPR Books). His next book, Upstaters, is due from SUNY Press in 2026. He is a columnist for The American Conservative and The Spectator World. Bill wrote the screenplay for the 2013 feature film Copperhead. He is a founding editor of Front Porch Republic and has served as a legislative assistant to Senator Pat Moynihan, editor for various magazines and publishers, and vice president of the Batavia Muckdogs, a professional baseball team that was euthanized by Major League Baseball. He lives with his wife Lucine in his native Genesee County, New York.
More to Consider
- High Salaries, Low Corruption?
I read a piece in The Week today, provocatively entitled "Pay politicians like movie stars!" The author, Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry, has taken aim against cronyism: But much of it, as…
- Idiocracy
The future belongs to nincompoops, courtesy of Facebook, Twitter and the Interwebs.
- Pomo Urbanism?
Philip Bess argues that traditional forms of building are particularly suited to contemporary life.
4 comments
Bill Kauffman
I am a dago quadroon, Peters, so make sure your regular chair at Applebee’s faces the front door.
Bill Kauffman
Thanks for your kind words, Ms. Golomski. Merry Christmas!
Jason Peters
“Dago Louie”! Let’s hope he’s one carnie who rests under a marked grave in consecrated ground, where a Wop can still visit the Remains of the Dago.
Monica Golomski
Mr. Kauffman – thank you for sharing your writing talents with those of us who possess none. I was brought to tears this early morning in downtown Green Bay, WI while reading your WSJ review of Carnie. It transported me back to my childhood days and the emotions the good citizens of our small north central Wisconsin town (pop. 908) felt awaiting the annual arrival of the Carnie. My beloved English teacher mother was the mother of five and divorcee of the town drunk/railroad foreman. . As Catholics in that area, we were ingrained with fear, judgment and suspicion of anything or anyone different. In several ways, that’s even how many in our town felt about of my own family. Magically when the Carnie came rolling in – the town turned its heated glare to those outsiders who they felt where even “less than” some members of its own citizenry. As a small child, the Carnie gave me an opportunity to be a legitimized part of my community in their united front of apprehension but for me, this was mixed with an incredible excitement of the unknown and the relief from the judgmental spotlight. Today, your beautifully written words streamed into my heart and out through my tears. Thank you. Monica Berg Golomski
Comments are closed.