Donald Barthelme
American
born in 1932 in Philadelphia
Raised in Houston
Moved to New York in his late twenties
Died in New York in 1986 (cancer)
Published Works
FICTION
1990 the King
1986 Paradise [Viking Penguin]
1983 Overnight to Many Distant Cities [Viking
Penguin]
1979 Great Days
1976 Amateurs
1975 the Dead Father [Farrar, Straus],[Pocket
Books (Simon & Schuster)]
1974 Guity Pleasures
1972 Sadness
1970 City Life [Farrar],[Bantam]
1968 Unspeakable Practices, Unnatural Acts
1965 Snow White [Scribner],[Simon & Schuster]
1964 Come Back Dr.Caligari [Little, Brown],[Anchor]
COLLABORATIONS & CHILDREN'S BOOKS
1987 Sam's Bar (with Seymour Chwast) [Doubleday]
1971 the Slightly Irregular Fire Engine [Farrar, Straus, Giroux]
POSTUMOUS: FICTION, PLAYS, ESSAYS & INTERVIEWS
1997 Not Knowing (Essays
& Interviews) [Vintage]
1992 the Teachings of Don B.[Vintage]
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Excerpts
From "Eugénie Grandet", out of Guilty Pleasures:
"It looks as though I'm going to be quite successful here in Saumur," thought Charles, unbuttoning his coat.
*
"A great many people are interested in the question: Who will obtain Eugénie Grandet's hand?
*
Eugénie Grandet's hand:
[drawing of a hand]
*
Judge de Bonfons arrives carrying flowers.
*
"Mother, have you noticed that this society we're in tends to be a little . . . repressive?"
"What does that mean, Eugénie? What does that mean, that strange new word, 'repressive,' that I
have never heard before?"
"It means . . . it's like when you decide to do something, and you get up out of your chair to do it, and you
take a step, and then become aware of frosty glances being directed at you from every side."
"Frosty glances?"
"Your desires are stifled."
"What desires are you talking about?"
"Just desires in general. Any desires. It's a whole . . . I guess atmosphere is the word . . . a tendency on
the part of the society . . ."
"You'd better sew some more pillow cases, Eugénie."
*
Part of a letter:
. . . And now he's ruined a
friends will desert him, and
humiliation. Oh, I wish I ha
straight to heaven, where his
but this is madness . . . I re
that of Charles.
I have sent him to you so
"news of my death to him and
in store for him. Be a father to
not tear him away from his
would kiss him. I beg him on m
which, as his mother's heir, he
But this is a superfluous ple
will realize that he must not
Persuade him to give up all his
time comes. Reveal to him th
which he must live from now
still has any love for me, tell
not lost for him. Yes, work, wh
give him back the fortune I ha
And if he is willing to listen
who for his sake would like to
*
"Please allow me to retire," Charles said. "I must begin a long and sad correspondence."
"Certainly, nephew."
*
"The painter is here from Paris!"
"Good day, painter. What is your name?"
"My name, sir, is John Graham!"
"John Graham! That is not a French name!"
"No, sir. I am an American. My dates are 1881 -- 1961."
"Well, you have an air of competence. Is that your equipment there, on the stagecoach platform?"
"Yes. That is my equipment. That is my easel, my palette, and my paint box containing tins of paints as well
as the finest camel's-hair brushes. In this bag, here, are a few changes of clothes, for I anticipate that this portrait will take
several days."
"Well, that is fine. How do you like our country?"
"It appears to be a very fine country. I imagine a lot of painting could get done in this country."
"Yes, we have some pretty good painters of our own. That is why I am surprised to find that they sent an
American painter, rather than a French one, to do Mlle. Eugénie's portrait. But I'm sure you will do a first-class job.
We're paying you enough."
"Yes, the fee is quite satisfactory."
"Have you brought any examples of your work, so we can see what kind of thing you do?"
"Well, in this album here . . . this is a portrait of Ellen West . . . this one is Mrs. Margot Heap . . . that's an
Indian chief . . . that's Patsy Porker . . ."
"Why are they all cross-eyed?"
"Well, that's just the way I do it. I don't see anything wrong with that. It often occurs in nature."
"But every one is . . ."
"Well, what's so peculiar about that? I just like . . . that's just the way I do it. I like . . ."
*
"In my opinion, Eugénie wasn't fondled enough as a child."
"Adolphe des Grassins wasn't fondled enough either!"
"And Judge de Bonfons?"
"Who could bring himself to fondle Judge de Bonfons!"
"And Charles Grandet?"
"His history in this regard is not known. But it has been observed that he is forever patting himself,
pat pat pat, on the hair, on the kneecap, pat pat pat pat pat pat. This implies--"
"These children need fondling!"
"The state should fondle these poor children!"
"Balzac himself wasn't fondled enough!"
"Men are fools!"
Anything to add? Any corrections to make?
