Saturday, March 3, 2012

Harry Crews - A Writer to Know


I just discovered Harry Crews. Have you heard of him? 

Here is a biography of him.

I watched this short clip of him talking and telling stories, I had to learn more. There is something special about a person who truly doesn't give a flying fuck and tells it like it is. 

And then I read this interview. 

He was born in a town called Bacon County, in the state of Georgia. I feel like that says a lot. 

Here is an excerpt from an interviews that I particularly enjoyed:

'Young pussy and dope,' says Harry Crews, most singular of American writers, 'that's the answer.' I have to say I'm not sure what the question was.  The secret of prolonged youth, perhaps.  The key to literary immortality maybe.  More likely there wasn't a question at all. But that's what Crews tells me the answer is, as he pads across his living room, and lowers himself into his  chair, ready to start talking.  https://sites.google.com/site/fivepubs/harrycrews


And some quotes:


If you wait until you got time to write a novel, or time to write a story, or time to read the hundred thousands of books you should have already read - if you wait for the time, you will never do it. ‘Cause there ain’t no time; world don’t want you to do that. World wants you to go to the zoo and eat cotton candy, preferably seven days a week.


There is something beautiful about all scars of whatever nature. A scar means the hurt is over, the wound is closed and healed, done with.
And here is an excerpt from one of his stories published by Georgia Review. 

There is a documentary about him titled The Rough South of Harry Crews. I have not seen it yet but I have seen  clips from it and it looks excellent. Here is one. 

Suffice to say, Harry Crews is really something, a writer worth knowing.




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