What I wrote two years ago in 750 words in These titles mean nothing.

Wednesday already.

Almost to the end of my Auchincloss book. It is a collection of related short stores. First about an auctioneer at a Sothby’s type place. Second about a law firm. Third about society matrons. I am surprisingly charmed by his writing. They are stories about people and interactions and they are set in New York City. Among the upper crust of course. It would be nice if someone could write that well about the filling and the lower crust as well. I like Colin Harrison but he writes thrillers whose point is the thrill - the New York people aspect seems to some degree just to be along for the ride.

I read some of Joe McGinnis’s Heroes which is supposed to be a memoir. He is - or was since he’s dead now - a few years older than me and I’ve kind of identified with his career. He was a young star. At 24 he was a three times a week columnist for the Philidelphia Inquirer. A dream job. My dread job anyway. He became very famous very early for a book of reportage about Richard Nixon’s 1968 campaign - The Selling of the President. The point was that all access between the public and the press and Nixon was carefully controlled so that his positive aspects could be presented. His campaign handlers perfected the town meeting - where a carefully selected audience presented the image and the questions that would advance the campaign toward the White House.

McGinnins later wrote Fatal Vision another big book about an Army Officer who did/did not/but really did kill his family. Later McGinnis was sued by the subject of the book because the author had presented himself as believing the story and then during the writing of the book changed his mind. I always thought that was kind of a bum wrap. For McGinnis. What was he supposed to do? Go to the guy in jail and say - you know I thought you might be innocent but now that I look at the facts I think you’re guilty? I guess that’s what he was supposed to say.

Later a New Yorker writer - Janet Malcolm maybe? - used McGinnis’s story to write about the relationship between reporters and their subjects. She said reporters have to make friends with the subjects to find out what they need to write. And then when they write their stories - true, false or somewhere in between - the relationship is over. And often the person being written about is disappointed or downright angry.

McGinnis’s memoir gives a prime example of George McGovern being upset with what McGinnis wrote. He told about his presidential campaign - no doubt thinking he was talking to someone who was sympathetic - and maybe McGinnis was sympathetic - but McGinnis was also a writer who had his own agenda. What did McGovern really expect the writer to write? McGovern confided his side of the Eagleton affair. Eagleton was his first vice residential candidate who it turned out had had shock treatment and various mental instabitily. McGovern gave examples. McGovern told the writer how hard the campaign was on his wife. There seems to be more alcohol involved than was wise or necessary. Anyway I can see how it happened. I can see it from both sides.

McGovern of course was the anti-war candidate against R.M. Nixon in 1972. That was Nixon’s second winning presidential campaign. It was the one in which dirty tricks culminated in Watergate. It was the one where Nixon’s campaign extorted funds from high rollers with threats of IRS investigation. As if McGovern ever had a chance. He didn’t.

Anyway I kind of like McGinnis. He’s not that great a writer. Maybe not that great a person. But I can kind of identify with him.

I didn’t eat a lot yesterday. Pears and strawberries and corn chips and salsa. I had thought I would give up corn chips but if I do I will have to come up with a substitute. Something easy and available. Maybe potatoes?

We are having a pot luck Thursday. I suppose that will require a special trip to the grocery store. I thought I’d bring fruit but I seem to be eating my fruit. We are supposed to work this Friday. And then the next Friday is my root canal/crown appointment. That will take care of the next two Fridays.

I put my insoles back in my Saucony beige, gray and purple shoes. My left foot was giving trouble. I walked slowly and shortly with Cindy at noon anyway. I hope today is better.

I have my words. I can quit anytime. Sure I can.