Talese:
“It’s work you have to love, and what propels it is a hope that your prose style – the final effort – is going to be the embodiment of your best and a credit upon the people you write about.”

“Better that you should take the chance of trying something that is close to your heart, you think is what you want to write, and if they do not publish it, put it in your drawer. But maybe another day will come and you will find a place to put that. You will take it out of your drawer and do something else with it.”

“I have been doing the same thing for 50 years. I’m thinking the same way, reporting the same way. I look story, story, story. I am not looking to cover the Senate. I don’t care about being a political reporter. I don’t care about current events. I care about stories.”

Uite, numa’ doua chestii mici din textul despre Sinatra care vorbesc despre geniul lui la reporting:
– “[...]; his valet, George Jacobs, a handsome Negro who, when entertaining girls in his apartment, plays records by Ray Charles.” !!!!!!
– scena asta din hotelul din Las Vegas in care sta Sinatra — “On the eve of the fight he stayed up all night and slept through most of the afternoon, though his recorded voice could be heard singing in the lobby of The Sands, in the gambling casino, even in the toilets, being interrupted every few bars however by the paging public address: “…Telephone call for Mr. Ron Fish, Mr. Ron Fish…with a ribbon of gold in her hair…. Telephone call for Mr. Herbert Rothstein, Mr. Herbert Rothstein…memories of a time so bright, keep me sleepless through dark endless nights….”

In postarea ta despre jurnalismul narativ vorbesti despre vocea distincta a povestitorului – pentru mine vocea lui Talese a fost intotdeauna discreta, foarte foarte diferita de Wolfe sau Harrington, Sager, sau, de ce nu, Junod. Nu stiu cum sa explic exact, in timp ce altii absorb toata informatia si o filtreaza prin propria interpretare distincta si o redau apoi aproape ca pe un produs nou (ceea ce de asemenea nu e rau) e ca si cum la Talese filtrarea e mai simpla, mai focusata pe om. La Talese observi reportingul care este de exceptie de fiecare data si placerea lui de a-ti prezenta oricat de putin si personajele secundare. In fine… recomand cu caldura intreaga lui colectie de texte, Fame and Obscurity, toate sunt niste bijuterii. (titlul blogului meu se trage dintr-un mic paragraf din textul lui despre DiMaggio, blink and you may miss it :)