VINDICATION!!!!

In 1973, at Ohio University, I took an honors English class from Professor Walter Tevis. He was famous and had made movie money by writing THE HUSTLER book (movie starring Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason). He also wrote THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT, which became that great series. For my final college paper, a parody of King Lear, he gave me an F and said I wrote as though I were illiterate (he is the black and white photo).

 

The color photo is Dr. Jim Phelan presently teaching at Ohio State. His credits prove internationally noteworthy as Director of Medical Humanities and Director of Project Narrative Medicine n the English dept where storytelling is espoused as a form of healing and humanism. He speaks on the topic internationally and has been inducted into the Norwegian International Academy of Science and Letters. 

 

Tevis is dead now. Phelan just read my book ROYAL ROOTS and sent this message to me:

“I want you to know I admire [ROYAL ROOTS] greatly. You tell an important story with humor, thoughtfulness, empathy, courage, and insight.  I cherish the hours I spent reading it. Keep spreading the word about the power of storytelling.”

 

One of my favorite show biz stories is about an early audition of Fred Astaire at RKO in  1933. The studio exec wrote on his assessment, “Can’t act. Can’t sing. Balding. Can dance a little.”

 

Did not stop Fred. Did not stop me.