Archive for October, 2008


How Maugham wrote

“On taking thought it seemed to me that I must aim at lucidity, simplicity, & euphony.” — Somerset Maugham

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Bailey’s Cheever bio includes new journal excerpts

Blake Bailey’s John Cheever biography isn’t out till next March, but an advance copy arrived in the mail a couple days ago, and I’ve been enjoying the author’s skillful and generous use of excerpts from Cheever’s massive journal. The highlight so far (in that it reveals Cheever as an at-least-occasional black hole for praise) is an entry about the lunch . . .

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