Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 11/5 - Fortune

In an op-ed piece syndicated in today’s NY Post, George Will had some clever commentary on the exhausting length of the presidential campaign, using two notable artists to make his points. Shakespeare is first not only in literature but other things as well. I’d argue that he was the first writer to employ psycho-analysis to characters. Mr. Will suggests that many would agree that Polonius, in Hamlet, deserved to be stabbed to death because his speech to his son taught politicians to speak in trite sayings. He closed the article by quoting Woody Allen from My Speech to Graduates (NY Times 1979): “One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly.” Conservative radio host Mike Gallagher said that 30 newspapers nationwide that endorsed Obama four years ago have reversed course.

Speaking of Allen - while researching the quote at Wiki, I stumbled upon my favorite exchange from his prolific film canon. In Play It Again Sam (1972), he is getting some coaching on approaching women from Diane Keaton, who is married. While strolling in a museum, he spots a young, goth-type woman standing before a painting by Jackson Pollock. Keaton encourages him to make a move. Here’s the dialogue:
Allen: That's quite a lovely Jackson Pollock, isn't it?
Woman: Yes, it is.
Allen: What does it say to you?
Woman: It restates the negativeness of the universe. The hideous lonely emptiness of existence. Nothingness. The predicament of man forced to live in a barren, godless eternity like a tiny flame flickering in an immense void with nothing but waste, horror, and degradation, forming a useless, bleak straitjacket in a black, absurd cosmos.
Allen: What are you doing Saturday night?
Woman: Committing suicide.
Allen: What about Friday night?

I'd have to say I'm the luckiest guy in Sheepshead Bay right now. The floating book shop returned to its usual nook at East 13th and Avenue Z. I wasn't expecting much business, as many stores in the area have yet to reopen and possibly will not do so. Many people took a beating from the storm. When the bay breached and water flowed into the streets, it not only took fixtures and cars, not only filled basements, but entered into ground floor apartments as well. Dave, a chef at a Manhattan hotel restaurant, lost his car, which is bad enough, but his son's furniture was floating in four feet of water. A few other people described similar hardship. We asked each other how we had fared. I was feeling a little guilty for having escaped unscathed. I let an elderly man who loves religious books have five for a dollar. A Russian woman bought two more educational books for her grandson. I thought that would be it, then along came lovely young Victoria, who asked if I had any dramas. "Not romance," she said. I picked out novels by Iris Murdoch, Anne Tyler and two other authors whose names escape me at present, and then told her about Killing. To my surprise, she was interested. I was so grateful I let her have the other four books for free. Two of my regulars, Alan and Herbie, also made purchases. Wow. Thanks, folks. I was thinking I might have to take the show on the road every day once the gasoline situation improves. Now it looks like I'll stay put.
Visit Vic's sites:
Vic's Third Novel (Print or Kindle): http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3