Sunday, December 11, 2005

Gertrude Stein

Remember Bennett Cerf, from "What's My Line?" The Random House editor.

He once interviewed Gertrude Stein ("Pigeons in the Grass Alas") on the radio.

"Gertrude Stein, here you are on a coast-to-coast hookup. This is going to be your chance to explain to the American public what you mean by these writings of yours." He added: "I'm very proud to be your publisher, Miss Stein, but as I've always told you, I don't understand much of what you're saying."

She promptly replied: "Well, I've always told you, Bennett, you're a very nice boy but you're rather stupid."