By Paul Carrier
Calvin Trillin is widely viewed as a national treasure. That’s partly because he’s a very entertaining guy, but also because he’s been a very entertaining guy for a very long time.
A journalist, humorist and author, Trillin has been writing short stories, novels, essays, columns, magazine articles and wry poetry for decades. Even now, at 87, he still serves as the “deadline poet” for The Nation magazine, quickly cranking out witty verse to deflate the swellheaded and belittle the often silly issues of the day.
In 2008, Trillin was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Four years later, he was awarded the prestigious Thurber Prize for American Humor, for Quite Enough of Calvin Trillin, which was published in 2011.
Quite Enough compiles highlights of Trillin’s work, in prose and verse. At first blush, some of the material may seem dated, thanks to the inevitable passage of time. After all, the book’s subtitle notes that Quite Enough spans “forty years of funny stuff.” But Trillin’s refreshingly humorous take on life shines through it all, whether he’s leading readers back to the 1970s or into the the 21st century.
Trillin’s topics run the gamut. A sampling: “high society and just plain rich people,” criminal justice, New York City, the author’s family, “English and some languages I don’t speak,” foreigners, “the sporting life,” national holidays, and “bagels, Yiddish, and other Jewish contributions to Western civilization.” In an essay on Thanksgiving, the author quips that he is grateful not to be descended from the Pilgrims. “Who wants forebears who put people in the stocks for playing the harpsichord on the Sabbath,” he asks, “or having an innocent little game of pinch and giggle?”
Especially entertaining, to my mind, are Trillin’s “twenty years of pols—one poem each,” a collection of more than 30 put-downs of politicians. They include this less-than-fond 2006 farewell to Donald Rumsfeld, secretary of defense from 1975 to 1977 and again from 2001 to 2006.
To be so wrong so often is a curse.
But being arrogantly wrong is worse.
Still, briefings were a hoot. Our favorite feature?
That tone—exactly like a third-grade teacher
Explaining math to those forevermore
Too slow to get promoted to grade four.
So may you find, as down life’s road you’re wending,
More folks to whom you’re always condescending.
A journalist, humorist and author, Trillin has been writing short stories, novels, essays, columns, magazine articles and wry poetry for decades. Even now, at 87, he still serves as the “deadline poet” for The Nation magazine, quickly cranking out witty verse to deflate the swellheaded and belittle the often silly issues of the day.
In 2008, Trillin was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Four years later, he was awarded the prestigious Thurber Prize for American Humor, for Quite Enough of Calvin Trillin, which was published in 2011.
Quite Enough compiles highlights of Trillin’s work, in prose and verse. At first blush, some of the material may seem dated, thanks to the inevitable passage of time. After all, the book’s subtitle notes that Quite Enough spans “forty years of funny stuff.” But Trillin’s refreshingly humorous take on life shines through it all, whether he’s leading readers back to the 1970s or into the the 21st century.
Trillin’s topics run the gamut. A sampling: “high society and just plain rich people,” criminal justice, New York City, the author’s family, “English and some languages I don’t speak,” foreigners, “the sporting life,” national holidays, and “bagels, Yiddish, and other Jewish contributions to Western civilization.” In an essay on Thanksgiving, the author quips that he is grateful not to be descended from the Pilgrims. “Who wants forebears who put people in the stocks for playing the harpsichord on the Sabbath,” he asks, “or having an innocent little game of pinch and giggle?”
Especially entertaining, to my mind, are Trillin’s “twenty years of pols—one poem each,” a collection of more than 30 put-downs of politicians. They include this less-than-fond 2006 farewell to Donald Rumsfeld, secretary of defense from 1975 to 1977 and again from 2001 to 2006.
To be so wrong so often is a curse.
But being arrogantly wrong is worse.
Still, briefings were a hoot. Our favorite feature?
That tone—exactly like a third-grade teacher
Explaining math to those forevermore
Too slow to get promoted to grade four.
So may you find, as down life’s road you’re wending,
More folks to whom you’re always condescending.
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