April 17, 2006
Memorable descriptions of heads and necks
John Homans gets in a good jab at Tom Wolfe in his review of Gay Talese's new memoir, A Writer's Life, published in this week's issue of New York:
Talese, in his memoir as in life, is charming, modest, self-effacing, a pleasant companion. Like Tom Wolfe, who gave Talese credit (which Talese politely declined to accept) for inventing the New Journalism, he is always exceedingly well dressed. But while Wolfe’s starched collar is a plinth for exhibiting that brain he’s so proud of, Talese uses his wardrobe in the Italian way, to show respect, to make a good impression. [Emphasis added.]
This, of course, reminds me of a great, perfectly apt line written by Tom Morton in a 2004 issue of Frieze, which I commented on at the time here. (Click through . . . it's funny enough to merit it.)