Letters and comic

More on Henry Miller

Kudos to Dell Franklin for his vivid portraits of Henry Miller and Magnus Toren [“Rogue of the Month,” July, 2007], the curator of the Henry Miller Library off Highway 1.
I would add only—for those who live at one or more removes from the magnificent coastal stretch from Carmel to Morro Bay—that Ansel Adams’ collection of photographs of “Jeffers Country” brings powerfully home the beauty of the great Sur of California, to which both Henry Miller and Robinson Jeffers were deeply attached.
In this connection, especially for details on the influence of poet Jeffers on the novelist Miller, it is well worth consulting Robert Brophy’s essay “Henry Miller Meets Robinson Jeffers” (97 Robinson Jeffers Newsletter, 1996: 21-25) and Elayne Fitzgerald’s follow-up essay “The Raconteur and the Poet: Henry Miller and Jeffers” (Jeffers Studies 3:1, Winter 1999: 16-20).

John F. Maguire
San Francisco


Best hitter ever?

Hey Dell:
I picked up a sixer and a Rogue Voice at Stagecoach Liquor and when I got home I paged to your article on Ted Williams [“Meeting royalty,” July, 2007]. Being an avid baseball fan—I actually live and die with every St. Louis Cardinal victory or loss, and even at 8 and a half back I imagine them beginning one of the “greatest comebacks of all time,” which is what I say to myself after they win a game—I immediately read your memoir about meeting the great Boston left fielder in 1961. It would probably be impossible to say who was the greatest hitter amongst Williams, DiMaggio and Musial, but because of the .406 milestone, most would probably go with Ted. He truly was a genius in his own right.
A few years back, after Ted’s death, I remember Joe Morgan and John Miller doing a Monday night game-of-the week talking about baseball’s legendary hitters. Morgan said, “If Ted Williams was playing today he’d probably only hit around .275.” Miller queried, “Why? Better pitching now?”
“No,” Joe answered, “because Ted would be about 85 years old.” Excellent article, Dell. I thoroughly enjoy your work and the Rogue Voice.

Dennis Dillow
Paso Robles, Calif.


Made my day

Hello Dell:
I discovered your publication while visiting Big Sur last week and read it cover to cover today. The Henry Miller cover caught my eye but the writing made my day. Your piece on meeting Ted Williams inspired me to write my father and send him a copy. I recently met a man who played with Ted in high school and his memories were priceless. Much thanks to you for publishing the Rogue Voice.
I look forward to more of your work in the future.

Cheers,
William Andrejko


More women writers

Bravo, Stacey, for featuring the two women writers in the July Rogue Voice. Dian’s lament about poetry [“Falling standards of poetic living”] and lack of funding for the arts is a critical issue we all face; without the arts we don’t have a civilized population. Amber’s piece [“Balancing with wind”] was a lovely diary of the relationship between mother and child.
I will look forward to more thought-provoking essays by more women writers.
By the way, the luscious and lively Code Pinkers (myself included) do not hang big bras around town. We “pink slip” those dastardly villains running our country with big pink slip fabric.

Victoria Grostick
San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Editor’s note: Thank you, Victoria, for challenging us to be more inclusive. Our July edition was richer because of our women contributors, of which there were actually four: Amber Hudson, Dian Sousa, Elizabeth Jarvis and illustrator Doris Louiseau.
Pink slips, big bras, they’re all the same to lugs like us.


Obsessed with alcohol and girls

When I come home from work in the evening I do not want to pick up a paper and read about negativity and cynicism. Sorry. But this is what I see in the Rogue Voice. A washed out cab driver who is obsessed with alcohol and young girls. A window washer who cannot make it in the real world and values himself a homeless crusader. A prisoner who describes men’s sexual organs in the shower room. I find most of what I see in the Rogue Voice as repulsive, and of no redeeming value. When I come home from work I would rather read the Breeze and the Central Coast Family paper. The stories are simple and uplifting and wholesome. If you read these papers out of town you would see this area for what it is—safe, friendly, and beautiful. If you read the Rogue Voice you would think Cayucos and SLO county is an ugly, snobby place, which it is not.

Anne and Doug
Cayucos, Calif.

Editor’s note: Gladly, for those who find it difficult to stomach the content of The Rogue Voice, we point you to publications like the Breeze and Central Coast Family, which cater to a simple, if not wholesome and uplifting readership.

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