OT: Tropic of Capricorn

[barrysloate]

So I'm sitting here rereading Henry Miller's Tropic of Capricorn, one of my favorite books, and I came upon the following passage, where Miller is reminiscing about his childhood:

"For most of us it smelled of sugar, of Cuban plantations, of the strange Cuban flag which had a star in the corner and which was always highly regarded by those who saved the little cards which were given away with Sweet Caporal cigarettes and on which there were represented either the flags of different nations or the leading soubrettes of the stage or the famous pugilists."

Miller was born in 1891, so we have to assume he is recalling a time well before T206 (he graduated Eastern District High School in Brooklyn in 1909). So are these circa 1900-05 sets he remembers? Are his memories accurate?

[Rob D.]

Not sure, Barry, but a word of advice: Make sure you return the book to the library on time. That Bookman is relentless.

[barrysloate]

That was a classic episode...and Bookman shows up in several episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm as a cranky doctor!

[DaveW]

The T59 set (Flags of All Nations) came out in 1909-1911 and had Sweet Cap as one of it's several backs. That's probably what he's talking about.
- Dave

[Robextend]

I lost it when he called Seinfeld "Joy Boy".

[barrysloate]

Okay, but during those years he would have been 18 to 20 years old, certainly not part of one's childhood memories. And he likely would have also mentioned the little cards with the baseball players. I'm assuming he's thinking about a time when he was maybe ten years old, give or take. But I can't think of any cards available circa 1901. That was why I felt his memory may have not been that accurate.

[barrysloate]

Got any instance coffee? Why not, it's freeze dried. You keep it in the back of the cupboard. If you ever need to make a cup of coffee, it's there!

[Robextend]

I swear it looked like he was about to crack up there. I bet you they did 100 takes of that scene before Jerry actually held it together.

[barrysloate]

Jerry started to crack up when Bookman asked him, have you ever killed a man before? Phillip Baker Hall is a veteran character actor and he nailed the part of Bookman.

[Ladder7]

That skit is one of the funniest moments in TV history, perhaps in life itself IMO. But, I think you'd of had to come of the age in 1960-70 to really appreciate LT. Bookman.
I've seen it dozens of times and still marvel at his unwavering delivery. Jerry tries to hold it together, but fails miserably throughout.

Incidentally, When will Curb reruns return to primetime?.. Getting pretty tired of that sickly, pretentious Trebek

[barrysloate]

Steve- I hate to say it but I think the Curb reruns are gone.

I read that HBO sold the show to syndication, and I think TVLand was one of the stations that bought them. How do you show those episodes on commercial TV? Susie Greene's lines will be entirely bleeped out. Big disappointment. I looked forward to watching an episode every evening.

[drc]

It's an autobiographical novel, not an autobiography, so there's room for some artistic license, margin of error, foggy memory. It's unlikely Miller anticipated his books being fact checked by a 21st century baseball card historian.

[barrysloate]

Yes, no question Miller mixes fact with fantasy, but the long sections about his childhood seem pretty right on, and if he were in college when these cards were released...just not sure why he would say this. I read Miller pretty closely and his recollections of his childhood days in Brooklyn are strong. I'm surprised he would make something like this up.

[JasonL]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Okay, but during those years he would have been 18 to 20 years old, certainly not part of one's childhood memories. And he likely would have also mentioned the little cards with the baseball players. I'm assuming he's thinking about a time when he was maybe ten years old, give or take. But I can't think of any cards available circa 1901. That was why I felt his memory may have not been that accurate.

Don't believe everything you read!

[barrysloate]

I know it's a book, but I also know Miller. Certain memories burn strong with him. He clearly had some knowledge of those cards, but he would have been an adult when they circulated. Can't figure out why he cited them as part of his childhood, that's all.

[drc]

I read a few Henry Millers when I was younger. Though he had too sunny a disposition for my literary taste. I preferred the the semi-autobiographical novel of Louis-Ferdinand Celine (Journey to the End of the Night), who was Henry Miller's contemporary and essentially his evil twin-- in both literature and life (be warned). Similar wild anarchic adventures (though concerned with travel rather than sex), a beautiful and unique writing style, but much more dark and pessimistic.

[barrysloate]

Miller is my favorite because he never had ambition to do anything- except write. And he grew up in Brooklyn. My grandmother went to the same high school as him (a few years later) but I'm certain their paths never crossed. I simply adore his work, and his sensibility. He was a cult figure who struggled for success until he was passed forty, then became an icon.

[drdduet]

There are several nonsports Sweet Cap issues in the late 19th century and through the early 1900's--many actresses, ships, etc...and if I'm not mistaken most of the issues prior to 1909 were distributed outside the US.

[drc]

Arguably the darkest, most disturbing recognized classic American novel of all time is 'Last Exit to Brooklyn' by Hubert Selby Jr, which, as the title would suggest, is also about Brooklyn. I can't say I enjoyed the novel, but it made a lasting impression, as I suppose witnessing someone being run over by a train would.

Growing up, I'd never been to New York City, but received starkly contrasting input about the city, Selby and Woodie Allen being extreme ends.