"Truth, Lies, and Duct Tape": an essay by author Sara Paretsky

[Mairead]

John Mortimor, creator of Rumpole of the Old Bailey, once commented that “The shelf life of a modern ... writer is somewhere between the milk and the yogurt.” If you want to know why that’s the case, you can ask that astute social commentator Sylvester Stallone. Broke and down on his luck, reportedly wrote the script for Rocky in three days. “Yo,” he said, adding, "I'm astounded by people who take 18 years to write something. That's how long it took that guy to write Madame Bovary. And was that ever on a bestseller list? No. It was a lousy book and it made a lousy movie."

In his inimitable way, Sly has spoken up for the industry. Although he often portrays the loner hero succeeding against all odds, Stallone has become one of the richest people in America by being a star who is bankrolled by the conglomerates he fights on-screen.

As a country, we are an odd mix that Stallone exactly mirrors: we believe we are rugged individualists, but we take refuge in enormous corporations -- Weyerhauser, Enron, Disney -- whom we trust to look after our forests, heat our homes, or give us accurate and carefully-researched news.

(more)

http://www.saraparetsky.com/silence.html

[redqueen]

1. OMG

That is fabulous! I love Sara's books (yes I'm addicted to her PI books, sue me :) ) but I never knew she did THIS!

Thanks very much for sharing it!