Thursday, February 07, 2008

Frank Wilson: How to Compliment Americans

The first reference I can find to Frank Wilson on my blog is this one from September 2006. Since then there have been many others. There have also been book reviews I've written for his pages in The Philadelphia Inquirer, one of which resulted in a reconnection with that great poet John Ashbery after a gap of more years than I care to remember. Tomorrow Frank retires from his job as literary editor, though he will continue blogging. He's sent many people to this blog and I hope I've sent a few to his, though I'm not sure he needs them. His blogging style is hubbism, he creates a hub of links rather than a collection of news, views or, in my case, borderline personality disorders. Occasionally, however, Frank himself emerges not just as a diligent bookman but as an Old Tory. I find myself disagreeing with him about as often as I agree with him, though, I note, Frank and Nige are so in tune they could be the same person. Frank was, in effect, my first glimpse of the higher joys - rather than the lower pleasures - of blogging. He raises the game. Last night I had a dream about being in Philadelphia and trying to find him. One day I will.

10 comments:

  1. Frank - mon semblable, mon frere - I am sorry to hear this, though if retirement is what you want, Lord knows I can see its attractions... The Blog must not perish though - it won't, will it?
    A lovely tribute, Bryan, to which I can only add my own heartfelt affection for this man I know only obliquely and gnomically, but who has cheered and enriched my (meta)life hugely. Enjoy it, Frank!

    ReplyDelete
  2. If you track his blog, you soon acquire a sense he combines the intellectual thirst of a fiery undergrad with the serenity of a compassionate and wise monk. Beside him, the cynical, bitter crankiness that so many who love ideas descend into stands out like a mess of boils.

    ReplyDelete
  3. In your dream, was your name Chigurh and were you lugging a cattle-slaying device with you?

    ReplyDelete
  4. that's what those odd links at the bottom of your posts are about! I used to follow them only to find another link sending me back here. I don't think it's anyone's fault, merely a quirk in the nature of the game.

    I'm never sorry to see anyone retire - may it be a long and a happy one!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Have a wonderful retirement, Frank, you lucky sod. I dream about retirement sometimes (that's probably not such a good sign for someone in their thirties). I hope you are planning to do as little as possible of a practical nature.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm one of those who found Frank's blog thanks to you, Bryan. As you say, his is best described as a hub. I think he is a fine practitioner of that art and hope he spends more time blogging after retirement. All the best to him.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Bryan
    This man sounds like the kind of american we would all love to meet and no doubt love when we met him. Is he the exception that proves the rule?

    But please, please, please, can we have another opp. to insult americans?
    Look at the response you engendered.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I dreamt about meeting Frank first. Maybe we can orgainse our schedules so we don't coincide.
    Sir Galahad of the Blogosphere I call him, and although I am not "in tune" with him on all things, I am on the important ones.
    He's a wonderful man, my life has been all the better since encountering him, and his fellow-beard, Dave Lull, who, being blogless, is called variously "omnipersent Wisconsin librarian" (by Patrick Kurp of Ancdotal Evidence) or "delightful cross-pollinator (by Prairie Mary).

    ReplyDelete
  9. Make that "omnipresent", sorry.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks so much to all of you. I hope that Bryan's and Maxine's dreams come true and that we do all meet.

    ReplyDelete