Feedback, Comments, Love Letters
Feedback, Comments, Love Letters: 1997
Greetings from France!
I am writing from my job's computer that's connected to Internet.
I found your e-mail address at the bottom of the James Jones
Homepage on the Web.
I am a fan, not of James Jones really, but of French writer Romain
Gary. The two were friends in the 60's, and collaborated on the
dialogs for Zanuck's film "The Longest Day". Some anecdotes
can be found in F. Shane's biography, and letters too.
When "The Thin Red Line" was published in France, Romain Gary
wrote a 3-page preface for the book. There he alluded to a preface-letter
he also wrote for the American original version. I have already checked
through different editions but could not manage to find Gary's appreciation.
Do you have any idea where I could find it? If you have the preface-letter
somewhere, would you make a photocopy for me? Do you know of further
connections between the two writers?
"Mourir ou crever" (French translation of "The Thin Red Line") is not out
of print, but I can try to trace it for you, if you care for the French text or
Romain Gary's preface.
I appreciate your dedication to James Jones and your energy in putting
together the electronic files to make him better known.
Jef Hangouet (hangouet@cogit.ign.fr)
EDITOR'S NOTE: Jef's very interesting letter was forwarded to several of the
Jones scholars who belong to The James Jones Literary Society, who agreed to
attempt to help Jef with his query. SEE BELOW FOR UPDATE TO JEF'S POSTING.
Hi. Richard.
I apologize greatly for not getting back to you sooner. I think what you have
put together for the home page is nothing less than fantastic. I was very
pleased with what I have seen so far. And I can appreciate the work you
have put into it. When I get a bit more time, I look forward to reviewing it
more closely to see if I can offer any additions/suggestions, etc. for its
evolution. I agree with you that it is important that we're out there with
a presence. And a very respectable, nicely done presence, to boot.
Again, nice job,
Vanessa
EDITOR'S NOTE: Vanessa Faurie (v-faurie@uxl.cso.uiuc.edu) coedits
The James Jones Literary Society Newsletter with Ray Elliott,
another long-time supporter of the Society.
Date: Fri, 05 Jul 1996 15:05:50 -0400
To: rking@vunet.vinu.edu
From: Kathryn Stillwell
Subject: jjls home page
Richard,
I have to tell you that the home page for the JJLS is awesome. I just
checked it out a few weeks ago. Am back on the net after an absence. Really,
Richard you did an outstanding job. Thanks for all your hard work. I am
going back there when I finish this and look at the few things I didn't have
time for before. A few items could be updated. Sorry I didn't check it out
again before I wrote this letter. We can talk about details later. I know
you are busy and I have to tell you that the Society is grateful for your
efforts....
Best wishes,
Kathy Stillwell
James Jones Literary Society
Membership Co/Chair
Date: Thu, 08 Aug 1996 13:47:57 -0700
From: student@lib.siu.edu
Subject: James Jones Literary Society Website
Congratulations on the design of your Web Page. It looks really great
and, hopefully, will have national and international responses on a wideº
number of various topics in future.ºA question. What is the progressº
of Terence Malik's proposed film version of THE THIN RED LINE? Malik isº
known mainly for two films - BADLANDS and DAYS OF HEAVEN. His artistry
and lyrical visual style have few supporters in contemporary Hollywood
today. It is sad, but not surprising, that his work has been absent fromº
the screen for some time. But if he gets support and appropriate
independence he could do a really original and honest version of James's
novel. Let's hope the project goes ahead.ºTony Williams, Englishº
Department, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL. 62901-6601.º
e-mail tonyw@siucvmb.siu.edu
EDITOR'S NOTE: If anyone knows the answer to Tony's question, let
me know and I'll post the information here.
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 96 18:14:05 +0200
From: Jean-Francois.Hangouet@ign.fr (JeF Hangouet)
Subject: Re: Romain Gary
"My Dear Jimmy,
Just to prove that I mean it, to whom it may concern:
'The Thin Red Line,' the line between man and beast, so easily crossed,
is a realistic fable, symbolic without symbols, mythological and yet
completely factual, a sort of 'Moby Dick' without the white whale, deeply
philosophical without any philosophizing whatsoever. Touched by a weird,
resigned and yet light-hearted, ironic, and even optimistic acceptance of
our animal nature, with constant flashes of a sly, dark, peculiar humour,
written with a deceptive facility that is the mark of truly great writing,
this extraordinary novel achieves epic proportions through the magic of
a joyful love of life and humanity, absolutely unique in contemporary literature.
The book belongs to that vein of poetical realism which is the rarest and to me
the most precious thing in the whole history of the novel; it is essentially an
epic love poem about the human predicament and like all great books it
leaves one with a feeling of wonder and hope.
ROMAIN GARY"
EDITOR'S NOTE: It looks like Jean-Francois found the answer to the question
he asked earlier in the year (see posting above), as he reproduces Jones's
friend Romain Gary's preface-letter to an American edition of The Thin Red Line.
Thanks for sharing this with us, Jean-Francois!
Date: Sat, 21 Sep 1996 19:41:43 -0400
From: Kathryn Stillwell
Subject: Re: James Jones Society
At 11:06 PM 9/15/96 EST, you wrote:
>As for your idea about using quotations from soldiers on
>the web page: Let's do it! Do I understand that you have some
>letters from soldiers that discuss Jones? If you can get me some
>of them I'll use them. Question: Do the original letter writers
>mind if we use them? Do we have to ask permission? What do you think?
Yes. I think the prudent thing to do is get their permission. Frank Marshall
who the character "Friday" was based on has already given us permission but
I will ask him again. I have heard from a few others who knew Jones
personally or were in his outfit or served at the same time. One guy was in
charge of the base after the movie was made and directed clean up efforts
from the fake bombs they set up to reinact the Pearl Attack. Neat. He is a
published writer himself mainly re Army stuff but I would want to get his
permission. He sent Jones a manuscript of a nonfiction piece he was working
on and later published I think. It was too late for Jones to comment on but
they did correspond some. Please don't be surprised if I don't have this
done before the meeting. I am glad that you like the idea. These soldiers
read about the Society in the Tropic Lightning newsletter. Someone put an
excerpt from the letter I sent out to soldiers re membership. I need to
write the editor again and see what response I get.
>I've madesome enhancements to the Home Page and have the information
>about this year's meeting posted. Mike Mullen has all the data about
>the books written, though you may have found this out already. I
>got a pristine copy of WWII from a friend (someone donated it to
>the public library and the librarian there saved it for me) and
>scanned the cover image in, so this was my last book.
I'll go back to the homepage and have a look. I have it bookmarked now.
I look forward to seeing you. I get in on Fri. we can have a chat about the
developments this year. You have been invaluable to us.
See you soon,
Kathy