In the conversation below, he explains how Alice Waters almost made the cut, how Time simply reflected the “harsh reality” of the culinary world, and why he thinks the media has no obligation to “advocate for anything” when it comes to the gender gap among famous chefs.
“Artists may be among the greatest individualists in any society but some contemporary practitioners, anxious about the future of the culture, are piloting projects that aim to educate and sustain their younger peers.”
“The orchestra, which had already been downsized from 88 to about 79 members under previous cost-cutting efforts, will be shrunk again by another 11 percent for next season to number in the mid- to upper-60s. The MSO also eliminated seven administration employees, and now has a staff of 30.”
“Its impact is significantly smaller than it was in 2000 or 2005. Even if there has been an upturn in the past two years, it will likely have a long way to go to reach its pre-recession levels.”
Do you think the editor’s decision to refrain from intervening in the text was an instance of the dereliction of standards in the publishing industry, or was it an indication of lingering prudence and respect for the practice of literature within what the author would invariably refer to as the “military-industrial publishing complex”?
“About 20 blocks away is another America entirely. It’s astonishing how little we have to do with each other, and yet we are living in such proximity.”
“There has been a growth in Druid orders and in the number of people interested in pagan festivals.
“Ticket sales to American and European musicals, as well as to a sprinkling of Korean originals, have grown from $9 million in 2000 to an estimated $300 million this year, and a frenzy of licensing deals is underway.”
“Not only did Ms. Kaufman genuinely like writers, but early on, she may have sensed that when one coddles them, one tends to get written about.”
“Some artists want their work to stay up forever. For me it’s part of the game, you don’t know if it will stay up or if you will be arrested.”
“The nomination, in the Best Orchestral Performance category, is its second in two years.”
“Women rarely appear as women – they appear as sex objects or as ersatz men – sometimes both at once.”
“That impulse — to find out more about minor or secondary characters — has inspired many books over the years.”
“Even mediocre plots have a way of sinking their hooks into you, until you find yourself concerned for the fates of characters who aren’t even fully convincing. But even so, there were moments when I began to doubt the whole enterprise of fiction writing itself.”
“Among Molinaro’s numerous other films were Oscar (1967) with [Louis] de Funes and My Uncle Benjamin (1969), which starred the Belgian singer and songwriter Jacques Brel.”