Today I was thinking about the authors of the books I love. These are authors who write books that you read twice. They make you think; they entertain you, they enrich your life. While I was thinking about it, I made a list of some of my favorite writers (linked on the right). But I failed to add one special author -- Myles Connolly who wrote one of my favorite books of all time -- Mr. Blue.
Mr. Blue came to life in 1928 and was not an immediate sensation as Connolly writes in the introduction to a later edition. Somehow, he never died and has been in constant print ever since. I first heard of Mr. Blue in high school -- from Sr. Joanna. She read Mr. Blue's scenario for a movie about the end of the world. It captivated me although it took me another ten years to recall his name and go searching for his book. I just ordered ten copies to share with my book club and others. Mr. Blue is a philosopher with the heart of a child. The Lord could have had Mr. Blue in mind when he said "Unless you become like little children, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven."
Do yourself a favor in 2012 and meet Mr. Blue. If you know him already, invite him back for a visit. He's an unobtrusive guest. His story takes up fewer than 115 pages. But he's a friend I can never quite forget and am always glad to meet again.
I just ordered a 1954 (repr.2005) ed'n with an intro by a Jesuit named Breslin. I hope that's not a bad omen. The 1928 edition was also available.
ReplyDeleteYou can always skip the intro. I was reminded of Mr. Blue when I read an article in the Chesterton Review that had contributors select the most Chestertonian book not written by Chesterton. Two mentioned Mr. Blue. No wonder I love him -- he is Chestertonian!
ReplyDeleteNaming someone who influenced my life would require mentioning a number of people. I'll just list a few:
ReplyDelete- C. S. Lewis who is extraordinarily Chestertonian because Chesterton influenced his own conversion. Favorite: "The Abolition of Man" and it's fictional illustration "That Hideous Strength."
- Chesterton: anything, but I teach about his book "Orthodoxy"
- Richard Feynman -"The Pleasure of Finding Things Out" -- there are some remarks that Catholics won't like since Feynman is an agnostic at best.
- Robert Heinlein "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" and any of his juveniles which I grew up reading and loving. I'm a scientist today more because of Heinlein than any other single factor. In fact I'm also a writer because of Heinlein who had five rules of writing. You can google for them, they're brief, I'll just list the first two:
1) WRITE, 2) FINISH WHAT YOU WRITE.