Robert Kandelman
Post #2774 – 20111223
December 23, 2011
In the winter of 1984/1985 you wrote an essay which you broadcast on NPR about the synagogue you attended. You described the men as finishing as quickly as possible and slamming the siddur shut and looking around as if they had just won a speed contest.
I was shure that you had attended the same synagogue as me, but when you identified the Rabbi as Rabbi Mishkan, I thought there must be another synagogue with the same guys in it.
Anyway, would it be possible to get a copy of that essay? Thanks.
Daniel replies:
I'm fairly sure it is in Hoboken Fish and Chicago Whistle from Xlibris. Along with it you will get too many other essays.
Bill Everett
Post #2773 – 20111211
December 11, 2011
Dear D. Manus Pinkwater,
I told my son a lot about your book “The Last Guru” and he wants to read it in Russian. Has is been translated into Russian?
Lyova approves this message.
Sincerely,
— Bill
Daniel replies:
To my knowledge, nothing of mine has been translated into Russian. It is a horrible shame that a literature-loving people is deprived in this way.
Tovah Underwood
Post #2772 – 20111208
December 8, 2011
I am yet another pinkwater fan yay Daniel !!!!!!!!!!!!! anyway I have a poem for hem and ed
Danial you are great
you think about chickens and fate
then you wright your ideas in a book
and take pitchers of how cool you look
Daniel replies:
Yay Tovah! That is some good poem! My readers are the BEST!
A`ndrew D, Norton
Post #2771 – 20111207
December 7, 2011
Mr. P: As a “guest teacher” (=what u and I called a sub), the permanent teacher had an item in her lesson plan for me to read a book to her 2d graders. I picked up one about a tree by Shel Silverstein. Now, I hear u read, every now & again, on the Saturday morning radio show hosted by one Mr Scott Simon, also a native Chicagoan, as am I. Anyway, I get just a little way into my reading when, Lo! AND Behold–that’s LO! AND behold, I tell u, I remember listening to u read it on air. I tried as well as I could to emulate your manner in reading. And, I think I did pretty well, if I say so myself: put half the kids to sleep. It was a nice story; it was one helluva nice tree. And you read it so nicely. It was a nice way to teach the kids to be kind
Daniel replies:
The truth is, I was never such a big fan of Shel Silverstein as are Scott Simon, and apparently, u.
Daniel Errico
Post #2770 – 20111205
December 5, 2011
Dear Mr. Pinkwater,
I have a few questions for you. If for any reason you can’t answer a question, or any questions, or a part of a question, for an undisclosed or even obvious reason, then I don’t know how to feel about it because that’s a really vague excuse.
1. Do you see all of the big six publishers surviving through 2050?
2. In your opinion will children’s books be the last stand for the reign of traditionally published books?
3. Do you find that last question presumptuous?
4. I’m primarily an ebook author with the vast majority of my last 50,000 sales being from digital titles, but I am a devout fan of real books. Do you believe that something is lost by children reading from a screen rather than the visceral experience of opening a book, smelling the materials, and feeling the pages?
5. Do you like vikings or pirates more?
Thanks so much for your time!!
A fan,
Danny
Daniel replies:
1. There are six big publishers? I didn't know that. I see all six, or however many, big publishers being converted into urban poultry-raising facilities within the next 5 to 10 years.
2. I don't understand the question.
3. I don't understand this question either.
4. You had 50,000 sales? Of ebooks? Wow. Pinkwater.com is currently engaged in research and development of a book-smell computer monitor spray, which will be non-toxic, friendly to electronic components, and at the same time a useful screen cleaner.
5. I like vikings and pirates about the same, but identify more with pirates because there were numerous Jewish pirates, and practically no Jewish vikings.
6. (Bonus answer to a question you did not ask.) The main feature of interest about ebooks is that people can create them without recourse to publishers and editors. This can be a good thing in some cases, but most writers need editing. I cite your own ebook, The Journey of the Noble Gnarble, http://thejourneyofthenoblegnarble.tumblr.com/ which has truly spectacular illustrations by Tiffany Turrill, and is a charming homage to Edward Lear, but maybe, possibly, in the personal opinion of this reader, also exemplifies another feature of ebooks, that the author can make them as long as s/he likes with no one to say them nay, or make useful suggestions about pacing, beginning middle and end, and that sort of thing. It may be that the age of ebooks, now dawning, will turn out to be a golden age for freelance editors.
John Marsh
Post #2768 – 20111204
December 4, 2011
Dear Daniel Pinkwater,
Reading “the after life diet I got a big chuckle out of your description of God playing dice with the universe–“motivator of the galloping dominoes” and all that.
Not being much a dice player, I never knew what the command “Fade him!” meant, as those around the table were advised to do. I looked it up this morning and found out that it means to bet against the person rolling the dice.
Now, if I were a gambler, and God was rolling the dice, I would want to bet with God. Unless, of course, God really is gambling, that is to say, in no way influencing the outcome, in which case, your odds are best betting against God, but would this still be a healthy practice?
Could it mean–“get involved in the game!”? That is to say, if life is a crap game, and God is rolling the dice, the only choice we have as mortals is to either bet against God, or just stand on the sidelines with our hands in our pockets?
If God were rolling the dice, why would we want to Fade Him?
Daniel replies:
I don't know. Why? What would God want us to do? I mean, being the way He is.
Kathryn Moore
Post #2769 – 20111204
December 4, 2011
Dear Mr. Pinkwater,
I have a memory of hearing you speak of a children’s book with excellent illustrations of animals in the shape of numbers. I believe it was on NPR but it has been a while. I have searched & searched for a reference to this book (I failed to write down the title/author at the time). I would love to get this book for my little grandson but first, of course, I would need to know the title.
Any help that you are able to provide will be greatly appreciated!
Best to you & yours,
Ms. Kathryn Moore
Daniel replies:
Are you sure it was me and not some other boring bozo on NPR? It doesn't sound familiar. There was a good book with penguins a few years back, but I've forgotten the title.
Larry Robinowitz
Post #2767 – 20111201
December 1, 2011
Dear Mr. Pinkwater,
I have recently succumbed to a raging bowl of ox tail soup. It wasn’t so bad; just a few hairs. I am curious if you enjoy chicken soup, or if you have sworn it off in deference to your chicken characters.
Larry Robinowitz
Daniel replies:
What are you saying? Chicken soup is made from actual chickens? It's not just a name, or so called because chickens like it? I have to think about this.
david
Post #2766 – 20111129
November 29, 2011
Well, I have recently became familiar with your writings. After buying a box of childrens books I found a 1976 copy of “Lizard Music” in it. Quite an interesting read. Our daughter,6 at the time some what enjoyed it. Not enough pictures for her. I enjoyed it more,though can’t seem to find those late night videos. Although she does like the way you drew yourself as a lizard and the food dish with “Daniel” on it. Anywho, after googling 1st edition Lizard Music, many great reviews by the way,I found an unsigned copy for sale. What came to be surprising was the thousand dollar price tag on it. What would that make a signed 1st edition worth? Am looking forward to reading more of your books. I’ll check the local library. Which one would you recommend for a seven year old? Or for an overgrown kid for that matter? If they don’t have anything of yours, I guess they will have to be pressured into purchasing a book or two if their budget will allow it. Especially since “Lizard Music” has been rereleased.
Neeble,Neeble
David
Daniel replies:
I might like to be someone discovering my books for the first time...starting with Lizard Music. I'd be interested to know if anyone ever bought one of those thousand dollar first editions.
Timothy E. Sheaff
Post #2764 – 20111126
November 26, 2011
Mr. Pinkwater
Have any of your works been adapted into available published scripts?
Thank you
Daniel replies:
What are available published scripts?
Addison W
Post #2763 – 20111126
November 26, 2011
Hi there. My English teacher assigns blog posts about our independent reading, and since I’m reading Lizard Music right now, I had the privilege of writing about what I’d like to ask you. Then, I found out I could ask you! Here’s what I wrote:
Dear Mr. Pinkwater,
How do you come up for the ideas in your books? Do you like your last name? What did you like to do as a kid? What would you do if you didn’t like writing? Do you really call Car Talk on NPR, because I love that show. Those are my five required questions, Mr. Pinkwater. Thank you for your time.
Respectfully, Addison Woodside
Daniel replies:
Dear Addison Woodside,
Here are my 5 required replies:
I don't have to come up with ideas. Ideas are all around. I have 60 ideas a minute, just like everybody else. Only problem is, the ideas all stink. You have to work on them to make them better.
I like my last name. It is pictorial and evocative.
When I was a kid I liked eating, sleeping, playing with my dog, watching television, and listening to music.
If I didn't like writing, I would do all the things I usually do when I am not writing. These include, eating, sleeping, playing with my dog, watching television, and listening to music.
I sometimes call the crazy Magliozzi brothers on Car Talk. If you go to their website, I think you can find the audio of our conversations.
Equally respectfully,
Daniel Pinkwater
curious
Post #2762 – 20111123
November 23, 2011
who are your favorite authors (besides yourself)?
whom would you recommend i read?
Daniel replies:
That's a question I never answer. I used to explain why I never answer it, but now I never do that either.
Daniel
Post #2761 – 20111118
November 18, 2011
I was just on my long rainy commute home from work, and saw a truck emblazoned with a giant smiling bowl of rice topped with an egg, and the caption YUMSILOG: GRAB YOUR FORK AND SPOON. It was inviting yet vaguely sinister, and seemed like it would be right at home in one of your books. It cheered up my evening.
Sincerely,
A long time fan,
Daniel
Daniel replies:
I think I'll have yumsilog for breakfast tomorrow.
Grace
Post #2760 – 20111117
November 17, 2011
Hello Mr.Pinkwater. I was wondering if I could ask your wife, Jill Pinkwater a question. I was just curious if she was ever going to write a sequel to Buffalo Brenda. I read the book and loved it. The only thing I didn’t like was the cliff hanger in the end
Daniel replies:
I will ask her. I happen to know she is writing something else...something good!
Dave
Post #2756 – 20111115
November 15, 2011
Mr. Pinkwater – according to online sources, today (the 15th) is a date of some celebration for you. So Happy Birthday from a reader and fan!
If (heaven forbid) the interweb has misled me again, just take the good wishes at face value.
Daniel replies:
You, and anybody else, can wish me a happy birthday on any date at all.
