I was a guest on the Speeding Bullitt podcast, devoted to the life and films of Steve McQueen. Host Kelsy Norman had me on to discuss The Great Escape (I came to his attention because of the essay I wrote about the film for the Criterion Collection). Anyway, it was great fun to talk with Kelsy about the film. You can have a listen here.
I have read/lurked on your blog for probably around 15 years. All Gibson Girls at the time. Much has changed since then. Always enjoyed your writing and perspective. So I was looking forward to the podcast. I never would have guessed how you sounded!
Chris – wow! Gibson Girl! The only vestige of that original iteration is the email addy attached to my blog. I was so into those damn girls … I think Elvis, ultimately, is much more appropriate for me.
Just curious – do you remember how you found me? I’m always interested to hear the weird ways my blog came across someone’s radar.
What did you think I would sound like? :)
and thank you for lurking all these years – and reading too – I truly appreciate it.
It’s a month later when I checked if there had been a response, so here’s a late one.
I don’t remember how I stumbled across the blog. I do remember it was late at night and probably sipping some beers. It had to be a result of some Google search, probably one on history. So I think it was one of your essays on the Bolsheviks. But I quickly found your posts on the arts. It was rare to find someone with interest in both history and the arts, and even rarer that the person could talk intelligently on both. Plus you liked a lot of the old black and white classics, which is so rare now but that I also love. So I bookmarked it. I would often do that with blogs I found interesting, but most died after so many years. You keep pushing.
I remember thinking it was a shame your movie reviews were only amateur, and I was extremely pleased when you reported that Ebert had recruited you. I felt like a parent whose child had found success because I had read you for years at that point. Like someone who liked an indie band that recently became big. Strange how things like that work.
I remember your posts about you living in Chicago, so I imagined you’d speak in a Midwestern accent or a Chicago one (I grew up in Northern Illinois myself, and while I imagine I don’t have an “accent” I have been told several times that people can tell I am from Chicagoland by the way I pronounce “Chicago”.) Instead, you sound like some “broad from Brooklyn” or at least somewhere on the East Coast. Which I believe you’re originally from.
// So I think it was one of your essays on the Bolsheviks. But I quickly found your posts on the arts. //
lol Ah those were the days.
// I felt like a parent whose child had found success because I had read you for years at that point. Like someone who liked an indie band that recently became big. //
This is so nice. I really appreciate it – thank you!!