Monthly Archives: October 2009

Why Do Something If It Can Be Done: Quoting Gertrude Stein # 11

Post # 12. This is a sketch by Djuna Barnes: Gertrude Stein was a “clinical case of megalomania” (Tristan Tzara). A “dictator of art” (Man Ray). Her writing was a “cold suet-roll of reptilian length…all fat without nerve” (French critic … Continue reading

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Why Quote Something If It Can Be Done: Misquoting Gertrude Stein?

I stand accused of having done her wrong. A commentator with an interesting name commented on my blog post # 4, where I quoted “A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose.” Comment by Alice Toklas 1 … Continue reading

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Why Do Something If It Can Be Done: Quoting Gertrude Stein #10

Post # 10. “Before the flowers of friendship faded friendship faded.” This family photo shows Gertrude, freshly settled in Paris with brother Leo (left), in 1907, a few years before their friendship faded. I was going to tell you how … Continue reading

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Why Do Something If It Can Be Done: Quoting Gertrude Stein # 9

“One cannot come back too often to the question what is knowledge and to the answer knowledge is what one knows.” (“Lectures in America”) Post # 9. So, Gertrude (with Alice, of course) is back in her country and there … Continue reading

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Why Do Something If It Can Be Done: Quoting Gertrude Stein # 8

Post # 8: “To have a hat it is as pleasant as that to have a hat.” Arrival in New York, Oct. 24, 1934, welcomed by the press. “The descriptions of what Miss Stein wore, by the male band of … Continue reading

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Why Do Something If It Can Be Done: Quoting Gertrude Stein # 7

Post # 7. “America is my country and Paris is my home town.” Gertrude is almost arriving at New York — tomorrow, exactly 75 years ago!! New clothes for the famous lecture tour were a must. And so were new … Continue reading

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Why Do Something If It Can Be Done: Quoting Gertrude Stein # 6

I promised to talk a bit more about the legendary rose — here it is on the stationary that Alice produced after “discovering” it in Gertrude’s writing. Countless times Stein and her rose were mocked, with the result that the … Continue reading

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Why Do Something If It Can Be Done: Quoting Gertrude Stein # 5

Post # 5. Today I just call for players: Who’s afraid of Gertrude Stein? Send in, add in your favorite quotes and join the delight and delirium! Here is my favorite quote of the day: “Don’t worry you will.”

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Why Do Something If It Can Be Done: Quoting Gertrude Stein # 4

Post # 4, day 4. This is about how writing is written (How Writing is Written – one of the 600 titles of Stein’s oeuvre) and how writing is read. Do you remember what you felt and thought when you … Continue reading

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Why Do Something If It Can Be Done: Quoting Gertrude Stein # 3

Post # 3 in anticipation of my photobiography coming out again at Algonquin (after having been a collector’s item!) I want to add a word to my last post on fame. A topic so important to all of us. Success, … Continue reading

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