[MD] The Quality of Art ( Gas on the Bonfire of the Vanities )

[Platt Holden]

Hey Rebecca,

Obviously Wolfe's portrayal of college life doesn't apply to everyone. 
But, as a "general gauge" it's accurate to a tee as are all his books. 
Like you, I'm a great fan ever since I read "The Painted Word" skewering
modern art and the flacks who push it. No other modern writer comes 
close to his stature. 

Regards,
Platt 


> Hey Platt,
> 
> Don't get too caught up (please!) in Wolfe's description of "typical"
> American university life.  What is bang on, as always, is Wolfe's acute
> portrayal of our cultural idiosyncrasies.  Hippies and jocks are just
> convenient, if  quaint, ways of vaguely labeling yourself or someone
> else. If you're open-minded, labels don't really mean anything.  They
> can be a general gauge but not a direct indicator.  Please don't assume
> that Wolfe's caricature of American university students is indicative of
> everyone - if it was, the world would fall apart, and obviously it's
> not.
> 
> Peace,
> Rebecca