As Robert Benchley once said:
Great literature must spring from an upheaval in the author's soul. If that upheaval is not present then it must come from the works of any other author which happens to be handy and easily adapted.
I was going to make a crack about that sounding more like Peter Benchley, but when I checked Wikipedia for the spelling, saw that in fact Peter is Robert’s grandson. I also learned that before writing Jaws, he was a speechwriter for LBJ. Man, how did we learn anything before the web?
Anyway, nice quote.
A coincidence (or not? You be the judge); I was just yesterday searching to see if there was a video on-line of Mr. Benchley performing the “Treasurer’s Report”. I didn’t find it, although your note inspired me to search again, and I’ve found something that might contain it, but I haven’t time to watch it now…
Thanks,
-V.