This is, perhaps, where I reveal that I am a nerd (something of which Himself loves to remind me). One of my favorite people died Wednesday.
Art Buchwald was 81. The Washington Post posted a series of tributes to, and articles about, Mr. Buchwald, including a typical "So-and-so, famous for such-and-such, died of X at his home in Y today," article.
I am a nerd, because I've never even met the man. I have long had a love affair with newspaper columnists. Perhaps, because the syndicated columnists were the only thing that was written well in the tiny newspaper of my hometown. Perhaps, because they exposed me to something different - essays on random topics I wasn't always exposed to otherwise (a reason I am in love with NPR - but that's another post). They inspired me to write. People like art Buchwald, Mike Royko and Ellen Goodman led me to try my hand at journalism (which, by the way, I hated) and are the reason I spend a good deal of my life writing random things - essays, journal entries, poems, scripts, etc. in addition to the writings of my day job - press releases, articles, award submissions, letters to homebuyers...
People like Howard Kurtz, Marc Fisher and Dave Barry continued to inspire me as I branched out from Utah to other parts of the country. To this day, when I actually sit down with a physical newspaper in hand, the first thing I read after I scan the headlines, are my favorite columns.
I particularly love the ones that challenge my way of thinking - that provide logical, thought-provoking reasons for having a particular opinion. I don't think a columnist has ever changed my mind, but their works have certainly broadened my horizons.
As for Mr. Buchwald - I loved, more than anything, his detailing of the powerful people in the world of politics. I loved the sometimes acerbic humor and the unapologetic truths he illustrated in his writings. I also found myself fascinated by his ability to wax eloquent on death, in his later columns.
So, while the world heralds the loss of a familiar face, I will quietly pause and place Mr. Buchwald's memory in my own personal Hall of Fame - right next to Charles Schulz. I look forward to re-reading his columns for years to come.
2 comments:
You should look up Herb Caen. He wrote for the SF Chronicle. He was always on page B-1. His writing signatures were to use "..." a lot, and to spell out acronyms (like he would call SFPD "Ess Eff Pee Dee"). He was the only reason my dad subscribed to the "Chrony" when we lived in CA. He's Wiki article can be found here and some of his best work is at SF Gate
I love the use of ...! I'm going to check him out.
Yes, Himself's hair is cause for deep mourning.
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