Bill Mauldin…my favorite. Willie and Joe looking at a rat sizing them up and only feet away, “Aim between the eyes. Sometimes they charge when they’re wounded.”
“Now that ya mention it, it does sound like the patter of rain on a tin roof!” (Willie and Joe in a muddy foxhole, rain bouncing off their helmets) My favorite Mauldin cartoon doesn’t have any caption at all: Willie or Joe contemplating a little, obviously undernourished girl, the vanquished and the hungry, exhausted victor.
“It’s no longer necessary, Wilson, to keep notifying yer draft board of yer changes of address.” — Mauldin
Hard to say which writer was most influential — but reading Somerset Maugham’s “The Razor’s Edge” at the tender age of 16 is a clear nominee. He referred to himself as being “in the top rank of second-raters.” And favorites? would include Peter Matthiessen, a true master of prose and the only person to have won the National Book Award for both fiction and nonfiction; the imagination and inventiveness of Italo Calvino; and the prolific works of cartoonist/illustrator Ralph Steadman who doesn’t get nearly enough credit for his writing.
Wonderful question. Thinking back, Twain and Thurber were always key. Dickens comes to mind (you can tell I'm ruminating, but age should have a little privilege, no?). Shakespeare has always been important. Jane Austen is up there. Likewise Bill Mauldin, Scott Momaday, and Leslie Marmon Silko. George Orwell--well, you can see where I'm going with this. Lots of writers are important to me and listing them is likely foolish. Margaret Atwood deserves mention. Thing is, I read all sorts of stuff. And most of it is worthwhile. Reading a list that includes Ernie Pyle and Rudolfo Anaya is instructive. Cheers❤️♾️
Bill Mauldin was brilliant. One of the great advantages of growing up in Chicago was getting to see his work regularly. His cartoon on the murder of Fred Hampton still stands out to me as the most memorable and powerful I’ve ever seen. I haven’t read his writing but I’ll look for it now.
I grew up in a house with a copy of Up Front always on an end table, couch cushion or somewhere other than a bookshelf. My Dad didn't talk about the war, he let Mauldin's writing and drawings do that, answering, 'Yes,' the one time I asked if that's what it was really like. I read it cover to cover many times and, once I'd left home, got my own copy.
Thurber. Oh, yes. I can't begin to acknowledge his influence. Dove deep into SJ Perelman for a long time; maybe too long. Like with the wits of the Algonquin Round Table, looking too closely doesn't do them any favors. Loved Keillor's show more than his books.
“If you really wanna hear about it…” Holden’s opening remark in Salinger’s eternal gem, “Catcher in the Rye.” I followed the Glass Family to the tragic end. Seymour’s suicide, Franny’s nervous breakdown… Zooey’s growing up. The nine short stories. He spoke so openly with humor and vulnerability— and it never felt ‘written.’ William Golden had that ability to seem to talk to you and share his observations and feelings so easily. His books — read all of them. Mark Twain; James Fenimore Cooper; Dickens; Bill Stern; Dylan Thomas; Damon Runyon; Roth. Heller; Tennessee Williams’ ‘One Arm’ and other short stories. The list ruptures my memory and gratitude and seems endless. They all made me feel less alone in the world.
I have a first edition Up Front inherited from my parents. Read it as a kid and was enchanted.
I was fortunate enough to grow up in Chicago when Mauldin was editorial cartoonist for the Chicago Sun-Times. His cartoon when Kennedy was shot is haunting.
I read Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" as a freshman in college in the mid 60's. I believe it had a positive impact on my sense of personal responsibility, however, there was no empathy or compassion in her point of view. My Catholic faith helped with that. Now, I enjoy historical novels very much.
Thanks for a lovely read, Jack. My whole family loved Thurber. There was a series of satyrical takes on history that my high school library stocked. Loved them (quite a relief from two English novels a month + science & math reading list + religion reading list) but remember neither the titles nor author. I, too, enjoyed William F. Buckley's way with words and have enjoyed Christopher's books. Am currently reading The Year of Reading Dangerously by Andy Miller (Fourth Estate, 2014). Haven't laughed this much in years.
I may have mentioned this to you before, but I had the pleasure of enrolling in a seminar on cartooning taught by Bill Mauldin when I was in college. I had zero artistic talent but it was a wonderful class. He told amazing stories both about the war, and about cartooning. He explained how he got his ideas and transformed them into drawings. While he would help students improve their drawing technique (I was hopeless) he was as excited when we came up with an idea for a cartoon as he was when we could execute it.
Every year on Veterans Day Charles Schultz would draw a cartoon featuring Willie & Joe, usually with Snoopy offering to quaff a root beer with them. The day our seminar fell on Veterans Day, I brought root beer to the class so we could all quaff a root beer in honor of both of them. When I graduated, he was kind enough to draw a cartoon in one of his books for me, a present I cherish to this day.
Bill Mauldin is also one of my favorites. His Willy and Joe helped me understand WWII from the GI perspective that just learning the history did not offer (and like you I was a teenage WWII "expert" -- one of my Jr. High history teachers was a Marine on Okinawa who told us some of his stories). unlike you I was really really into comic books.
I wrote about my writing influences in my Substack:
Authors that I read everything they wrote: Jean Shephard, Kurt Vonnegut, Edward Abbey; all gone now. I did read a lot of the Garrison Keillor essays; my attention always wandering during the Lake Wobegon segments though. I listened largely for the skits and the music.
The "more you know him the less you know him" hit home for me...just like my dad from Akron, also with deep Scandahoovian roots (or "ruhts" as he pronounced them).
Bill Mauldin…my favorite. Willie and Joe looking at a rat sizing them up and only feet away, “Aim between the eyes. Sometimes they charge when they’re wounded.”
Thanks for the remembrance.
“Beautiful view. Is there one for the enlisted men?”
I had the pleasure of meeting him once. He spoke at Iowa State University in 1969 when I was in third grade!
“Now that ya mention it, it does sound like the patter of rain on a tin roof!” (Willie and Joe in a muddy foxhole, rain bouncing off their helmets) My favorite Mauldin cartoon doesn’t have any caption at all: Willie or Joe contemplating a little, obviously undernourished girl, the vanquished and the hungry, exhausted victor.
“Let him in. I need a critter I kin feel sorry for. “
“It’s no longer necessary, Wilson, to keep notifying yer draft board of yer changes of address.” — Mauldin
Hard to say which writer was most influential — but reading Somerset Maugham’s “The Razor’s Edge” at the tender age of 16 is a clear nominee. He referred to himself as being “in the top rank of second-raters.” And favorites? would include Peter Matthiessen, a true master of prose and the only person to have won the National Book Award for both fiction and nonfiction; the imagination and inventiveness of Italo Calvino; and the prolific works of cartoonist/illustrator Ralph Steadman who doesn’t get nearly enough credit for his writing.
Love Calvino and Steadman!
Wonderful question. Thinking back, Twain and Thurber were always key. Dickens comes to mind (you can tell I'm ruminating, but age should have a little privilege, no?). Shakespeare has always been important. Jane Austen is up there. Likewise Bill Mauldin, Scott Momaday, and Leslie Marmon Silko. George Orwell--well, you can see where I'm going with this. Lots of writers are important to me and listing them is likely foolish. Margaret Atwood deserves mention. Thing is, I read all sorts of stuff. And most of it is worthwhile. Reading a list that includes Ernie Pyle and Rudolfo Anaya is instructive. Cheers❤️♾️
Bill Mauldin was brilliant. One of the great advantages of growing up in Chicago was getting to see his work regularly. His cartoon on the murder of Fred Hampton still stands out to me as the most memorable and powerful I’ve ever seen. I haven’t read his writing but I’ll look for it now.
I grew up in a house with a copy of Up Front always on an end table, couch cushion or somewhere other than a bookshelf. My Dad didn't talk about the war, he let Mauldin's writing and drawings do that, answering, 'Yes,' the one time I asked if that's what it was really like. I read it cover to cover many times and, once I'd left home, got my own copy.
Thurber. Oh, yes. I can't begin to acknowledge his influence. Dove deep into SJ Perelman for a long time; maybe too long. Like with the wits of the Algonquin Round Table, looking too closely doesn't do them any favors. Loved Keillor's show more than his books.
Enjoyed the column, Jack. Too many writers to list, but a grab bag would have to include:
C.S. Forester, Garry Wills, Stewart Alsop, Calvin Trillin, Pete Dexter (columns).
The couple you knew who wrote for Keillor, was one named Jeff?
Dave
“Senator, I simply have no comment at this time”. ;-)
I also loved Mauldin’s work. I can still feel the texture of the cover fabric. That book’s gotta be around here somewhere.
“If you really wanna hear about it…” Holden’s opening remark in Salinger’s eternal gem, “Catcher in the Rye.” I followed the Glass Family to the tragic end. Seymour’s suicide, Franny’s nervous breakdown… Zooey’s growing up. The nine short stories. He spoke so openly with humor and vulnerability— and it never felt ‘written.’ William Golden had that ability to seem to talk to you and share his observations and feelings so easily. His books — read all of them. Mark Twain; James Fenimore Cooper; Dickens; Bill Stern; Dylan Thomas; Damon Runyon; Roth. Heller; Tennessee Williams’ ‘One Arm’ and other short stories. The list ruptures my memory and gratitude and seems endless. They all made me feel less alone in the world.
I have a first edition Up Front inherited from my parents. Read it as a kid and was enchanted.
I was fortunate enough to grow up in Chicago when Mauldin was editorial cartoonist for the Chicago Sun-Times. His cartoon when Kennedy was shot is haunting.
Also, congratulations Jules!
I read Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" as a freshman in college in the mid 60's. I believe it had a positive impact on my sense of personal responsibility, however, there was no empathy or compassion in her point of view. My Catholic faith helped with that. Now, I enjoy historical novels very much.
Thanks for a lovely read, Jack. My whole family loved Thurber. There was a series of satyrical takes on history that my high school library stocked. Loved them (quite a relief from two English novels a month + science & math reading list + religion reading list) but remember neither the titles nor author. I, too, enjoyed William F. Buckley's way with words and have enjoyed Christopher's books. Am currently reading The Year of Reading Dangerously by Andy Miller (Fourth Estate, 2014). Haven't laughed this much in years.
I may have mentioned this to you before, but I had the pleasure of enrolling in a seminar on cartooning taught by Bill Mauldin when I was in college. I had zero artistic talent but it was a wonderful class. He told amazing stories both about the war, and about cartooning. He explained how he got his ideas and transformed them into drawings. While he would help students improve their drawing technique (I was hopeless) he was as excited when we came up with an idea for a cartoon as he was when we could execute it.
Every year on Veterans Day Charles Schultz would draw a cartoon featuring Willie & Joe, usually with Snoopy offering to quaff a root beer with them. The day our seminar fell on Veterans Day, I brought root beer to the class so we could all quaff a root beer in honor of both of them. When I graduated, he was kind enough to draw a cartoon in one of his books for me, a present I cherish to this day.
Elizabeth Strout, Ann Packer, Ann Patchett, Joyce Maynard, Wally Lamb, Dorothy Allison...to name a few.
It’s not cool to like Joyce, but I do!
Her days with Salinger were so traumatic. Guess that’s when I first became intrigued.
Bill Mauldin is also one of my favorites. His Willy and Joe helped me understand WWII from the GI perspective that just learning the history did not offer (and like you I was a teenage WWII "expert" -- one of my Jr. High history teachers was a Marine on Okinawa who told us some of his stories). unlike you I was really really into comic books.
I wrote about my writing influences in my Substack:
https://emichaelfriend.substack.com/p/my-dad-reads-all-the-time
Looking forward to hearing more of your life-stories.
Authors that I read everything they wrote: Jean Shephard, Kurt Vonnegut, Edward Abbey; all gone now. I did read a lot of the Garrison Keillor essays; my attention always wandering during the Lake Wobegon segments though. I listened largely for the skits and the music.
The "more you know him the less you know him" hit home for me...just like my dad from Akron, also with deep Scandahoovian roots (or "ruhts" as he pronounced them).