[B5JMS] ATTN JMS S2 commentary comment

[b5jms at cs.columbia.edu]

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From: "Eliyahu Rooff" <lrooff at hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 24 May 2003 20:23:36 -0700
Lines: 28


"Jms at B5" <jmsatb5 at aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030524194336.09886.00000264 at mb-m26.aol.com...
> >
> Because so many people seem to respond to it, from time to time over the
years
> I've considered releasing that material...then I hesitate.  It's one of
those
> things that either I'll release posthumously or delete altogether.
>
WADR, Joe, one of the problems that Mark Twain scholars have to deal with is
that a number of his writings weren't published until after his death, and
were often then bowdlerized to the point that there's still debate about his
original opinions and intent. (MT is my favorite author...) His essays on
the war in the Philippines ended up being tamed to avoid offending the folks
who most needed to hear what he said, and other pieces, such as his War
Prayer, weren't put in print when they might have made some difference.

By publishing during your lifetime, you can ensure that the material
accurately reflects what you meant to say and can explain things that might
confuse your fans. If it's going to inspire people to do good things or to
change their opinions and attitudes, publishing while you're around also
lets you see the difference you've made...

Eliyahu




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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 25 May 2003 08:59:54 GMT
Lines: 34

> Joe, one of the problems that Mark Twain scholars have to deal with is
>that a number of his writings weren't published until after his death, and
>were often then bowdlerized to the point that there's still debate about his
>original opinions and intent. (MT is my favorite author...)

Same here.  He's always been a seminal influence on my work.  I have pretty
much everything he's ever written, absent the five volume set of his journals
that's only available to libraries.  "The Man Who Corrupted Hadleyburg" is
still one of my favorite pieces, as is "The War Prayer," leading to its nod in
B5.  

His essays, to which you refer, are some of his best work, especially his takes
on Adam, Eve, heaven, hell and the rest.  

For anyone looking on: there is one book I tell anyone who wants to be a
writer, to read.  Twain's autobiography.  It is, quite honestly, probably the
best book, best autobiography, ever written.  Funny, inspiring, moving, sad,
and deeply profound.  We think of bios from that time as being dry or
irrelevant...TRUST me on this one.  It's anything but.  I consider it one of
the best books I've ever read.

As for the problem of who really wrote what, and what got changed: we have one
benefit he didn't have: read-only PDF files.

 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
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