Thursday, July 29, 2010

You Know, When I Was Young And Foolish


I used to think I was the reincarnation of Albert Camus. It struck me suddenly when I read his own story, you know, when I was young. I had a resonance with his writing that I can't explain. I identified with his existential character in The Outsider, I felt like one, at the time. Probably because I wanted to lift boy's shirts, if the truth be known. And he was killed in a car accident driving his French sports car, which seemed fitting.

He smoked, he drank, he drove fast cars, all the things a writer should be.
I had a romanticised idea about him.
I love the absurd.

You know, when I was young and foolish.

My new writer of choice to study and read up on is Trueman Capote. Of course, I cannot be the reincarnation of him, as I was born before he died. I don't think I am him, reincarnated, or not. But, I'm liking his writing.
The film Capote put the idea into my head to read In Cold Blood and more recently a story about Harper Lee nudged my memory.
I've read some of his short stories already and now I'm going to read his novels, as I never have before.

He hung out at Studio 54 with Liza and Gore.

Let's get drunk and walk into the sea. You know, be interesting, or something. Do something, be something!
Is it better to live hard and die young than to turn beige in the late afternoon sun of our old age. You know, like parchment, or so much old leather. What is the attraction of your bowels and brain failing, I never did understand.
Or, is it better to simply live well? There is no other meaning to life.

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