I know I’m late with this, but congratulations on having _Lizard Music_ back in print. I fondly recall finding and reading the work back in seventh grade (I’m in 34th grade now), and I hope that this new edition means that more seventh graders can get hold of it.
Thanks. I would rather have a book, especially this one, included in the New York Review of Books collection than win the Jo Osborne Award (which I also won).
Dear Mr. Pinkwater,
My husband and our three sons (ages 14, 10, and 5) so enjoyed reading Borgel recently that when my husband finished reading the book aloud, the boys begged him to start over again at the beginning. What a wonderful book. We have had lots of fascinating esoteric and silly conversations spin out from the evening’s chapter. Our youngest has listened to Frankenbagel, Wempires, and Woogie Norple almost daily for the last month. He’s drawn lots of illustrations to go along with Borgel and the rest.
I understand that the big ‘Four Novels’ book was a result of taking back publishing control of your work. As an independent publisher myself, I say bravo to that, especially when it keeps such exceptional books in print. Thanks for all the stories, may there be many more.
It took maybe 10 years to presuade publishers to bring out 5 NOVELS and 4 FANTASTIC NOVELS. They said things like ""That sounds hard to do,"" and ""We have never done that before,"" and ""I don't understand, you want us to publish a big cheap paperback with lots of novels in it? Why?"" I wonder if your kids would like THE NEDDIAD.
Dear Mr. Pinkwater,
One of my favorite books of all time is “Alan Mendelsohn, the Boy from Mars.” I still think of it whenever I eat chili or drink hot chocolate or find myself in an abandoned garden. I must have checked that book out from my local library a dozen times starting in the 4th grade through high school. I was very pleased to find it included in “Five Novels” recently, and I now look forwards to reading it to my own children so that they might develop their taste for things eccentric and surreal. And chili. Do you perchance have any thoughts on what is in Green Death Chili?
Of course I know exactly what is in Green Death Chili, and prepare it for friends on Bastille Day, the anniversary of the San Francisco earthquake, and during lunar eclipses--but I am forbidden by oath to post the recipe, or even write it down on paper. If you are a person of good character, and would care to meet me in the parking lot of the deserted muffler shop on a moonless night, I could administer the oath and tell you the ingredients.
In preparation for making chili and cornbread to cushion the shock of a terrible blizzard, conversation naturally returned to the most sublime (in my mind) restaurant in the entire Pinkwater canon, the Bermuda Triangle Chili Parlor. I suddenly got deathly curious — does an analogue of this restaurant exist in our world? And what the heck is the proper recipe for Green Death Chili?
I regret that interstate commerce and public health regulations prevent my commenting on the topics you mention, except to say be very careful.
DP,
Hi, I’ve been a big fan of your work for a long long time, since I’m about to turn 30 I guess that’s almost 30 years. My favorite book of yours is The Big Orange Splot. Its my go to gift for anyone I know who has recently had a child. In the fall I decided to show my love of the book and continue to aspire to be an individual in the face of conformity. I got a big orange splot tattoo. I wanted to show it to you, since your book has been so inspirational to me.
Thanks!
It's a nice job. Still I am uneasy when I hear that someone has had a tattoo inspired by something I wrote. (No, you're not the first). I am always afraid that one day the tattooed person will say, ""You know, that really wasn't such a great book after all,"" and there they are, illustrated.
I remember hearing someone (I’m guessing it was you) tell a wonderful story on the radio (NPR) a few years back – I think it was on Superbowl Sunday, and you told a delightful story of a bored child who confused “Sunday” and “Sundae” and got out all the fixings – ice creams, bananas, etc, and then set everything up like a war of two teams (bananas vrs cherries?). It was so warm and sweet, and I wanted to have my daughter hear it (whose husband will be watching football). Is this something you remember or know how I could access a podcast of it?
Sorry, not me, and no idea about who, how, etc.
Well, there are just too many letters on Dorbzeldge, even with dropping the vowels. I’m limited to 6 characters. Rats. I’ll scan Borgle for another useful and fun word to immortalize on my car. Although being thought of as Dr. Bzldge doesn’t sound that bad.
Just do not order ""ZZZZZZ"" on your license plate, lest you cause drivers following you to fall asleep at the wheel.
I was missing hearing your wonderful narration when I discovered the P-Zone site. Yes! I want to hear about the Afterlife Diet! I want to hear about Kellman in Africa again! Bagels in China! The Pompous Librarian who wouldn’t take books!
Alas! The links take me to NPR, where I can see them listed, but the audio IS NOT THERE. 🙁 Don’t you have some influential friends at NPR to make the sounds come back again?
If I had influence at NPR there are more important things than my old stuff I would want to have come back again. (I think some of the material you're looking for may be floating around this very website).
C’mon folks…deliver’the salami’ door to door.
Does anyone other than DP “remember” the
Gyp Joint penny candy store just north of
Nettlehurst grammar school on Broadway?
My grandparents were
the old angry Jews that ran the place.
I have come to terms with the
actual ‘love/hate’ relationship between
the proprietors and their customers.
But, would love any photographs and especially
sweet memories of Richman School Supply.
Anybody ever get
a cold pop,
or Kayo,
out of that sliding door cooler?
(DP…any chance you can contact me?)
Well, as I recall, we tiny customers were obnoxious and annoying--but cute. So who wouldn't love/hate us? You are in effect in contact with me, in a sort of digital way.
Hello, Mr. Pinkwater,
I found a previously unknown (to me) Pinkwater novel called Time Tourists at the U.K. Amazon. It turned out to be a retitled edition of Borgel, a favorite book, so I read it again and it still is great. A new thing I noticed is your dedication of the book to “Harlan Ellison, who tried to help.”
Although I have not read Ellison’s fiction, I know well his very energetic non-fiction, and his enthusiasm for Pinkwater, Gerald Kersh, R.A. Lafferty, and other fine authors. How exactly did he try to help you?
Harlan is a dear sweet man--much like a dear sweet komodo dragon. He only tries to help special people...and you have to be a special person to appreciate it. I don't know why the British edition has a different title. There is so much I don't understand.
I ordered a vanity license plate for my car which says, drbzlge. I was thinking about he Dorbzeldge, but couldn’t fit it all on, so I dropped the vowels. I wonder if anyone will guess what it means as I’m driving down the mean streets of Toronto. BTW, do I owe you anything for using your word?
Rog.
No, they'll think you're Dr. Bzlge from some comparatively vowel-deprived country. You may be spared tickets in no-parking zones. No charge for the word, doctor.
Hello Mr. Pinkwater!
I am a 7th grader in Oregon, and I love your style of writing! I
already have an A in all of the most advanced writing classes for 7th
graders, but I would still like to make it better.
What are your top 7 suggestions on how to become a better writer?
Thank you,
Sarah
1. Read a lot.
2. Read what you like.
3. Write a lot.
4. Like what you write.
5. Have fun.
6. Have fun.
7. Don't take advice too seriously.
Something interesting occurred since last I wrote. I grew three inches vertically. I am the same weight as before but it is much more well proportioned and I look incredibly muscular and fit instead of fat.
Another thing of note…I am a fanatic about vegetable soup. I make it all the time and go to various markets to spend my allowance money on fresh vegetables. Lately I have found that arugula and parsnips add something to the quality of the soup.
Finally I met a young lady my age who is into yoga. We go to Lincoln Park on Sundays at 6 AM to do yoga. However this week she is out of town at a wedding so I decided to do the yoga at home.
I thank you so much for your advice and help.
PS Why do you treat the Chicago Dog with such veneration? I still do not get that. The things do no9t cause heart attacks or anything like that. They are simply beyond delicious.
Chucky-B
And yet, you do not seem to make the connection--your physical transformation, and the fact that the hot dogs have not caused your heart to attack you, both obviously from your consumption of vegetable soup. The young lady you only see doing yoga in the park may be a supernatural being, or vegetable-soup-spirit, protecting you from the hot dogs. Parsnips, eh? I will look into it.
I was reading “Bob Dylan: Writings 1968-2010” by Greil Marcus and he describes a visit to Dylan’s high school in Hibbing, Minnesota. Then he mentions your use of the description “heroic realism” in “Young Adults”. So if you want to really appreciate Dylan, it seems you have to appreciate Pinkwater.
Well, you don't _have_ to.
Dear Daniel Pinkwater
I love all the books you have written and I wonder where you get you`re ideas,I hope to someday read all of you`re books.i`ll probably finish all you`re books by the time i`m 20(with many books in between)and i`m only 11.
sincerely,Caius Sztuk.
I am not planning to finish all my books until you are roughly 30. Since you are not one of these maniacs who just reads one author, I may be able to keep ahead of you...for a while. (No offense to those maniacs who only read my stuff--I love you, of course).
