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09-25-2012, 09:34 AM,
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Rob Wick
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RE: Sandburg special on PBS
Bill, Bill, Bill <head shake> turn in your Sandburg decoder ring and membership card. 
Seriously, it was really good.
Let me start by picking a few small nits. First, while there was surprisingly few errors, there were a couple. There is a scene which shows the young actor playing Sandburg as a teen that shows him going into the Sandburg birthplace, which couldn't have happened since the Sandburgs only lived in that house for a year after his birth. Also, the narrator said that Sandburg was the first private citizen to speak before a joint session of Congress, which is wrong.
I also realize that a filmmaker has just so much time, but I felt that they spent far too much time on his poetry at the expense of his Lincoln work, but that, of course, is my interest. Rodney O. Davis and Sean Wilentz had some good commentary on his Lincoln work, but I felt they should have explored the reaction to it, especially from academic scholars (since the film's talking heads on his Lincoln were both college professors). They completely left out the influence of Phillip Green Wright, Sandburg's professor at Lombard College, who printed the first of Sandburg's literary work. Also left out were his friendships with Harry Hansen and Lloyd Lewis, which were major influences, especially Lewis on Sandburg's Lincoln work.
As I said, these were small criticisms.
I thought the documentary was very good and would serve as a powerful introduction to the work of Sandburg. I wish schools would require it's watching, but I doubt that will happen. What I particularly liked was seeing the interview with Sandburg's wife, Paula, who really deserves a biography of her own (and no, I'm not writing one....my dance card is filled for the next few decades ). I also liked the interview with his only surviving daughter, Helga. Plus, seeing the late Studs Terkel and the late Norman Corwin was very interesting. By far, the best of the "talking heads" was Sandburg's biographer, Penelope Niven. I have hopes that once I get my book written, I can convince her to write the forward.
All in all, it was a fascinating insight into Sandburg the man and was long overdue.
Best
Rob
Abraham Lincoln is the only man, dead or alive, with whom I could have spent five years without one hour of boredom.--Ida M. Tarbell
I want the respect of intelligent men, but I will choose for myself the intelligent.
--Carl Sandburg
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09-25-2012, 10:08 AM,
(This post was last modified: 09-25-2012, 10:23 AM by Gene C.)
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Gene C
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RE: Sandburg special on PBS
I watched it also....it was better than the football game. I was disapointed they didn't focus more on his biography on Lincoln. Did make me wish I could write better, and I appreciate more those that can. I was very impressed by Penelope Niven, Sandburg's biographer. Learning about Sandburg's background was interesting, never knew he was involved in the Social Democratic Party. I will also have to learn more about his "American Songbag". Unfortunately, I was sleepy and I kept dozing on and off through the program, but when I was awake, it was pretty good.
the show has inspired me to incourage all you writers out there (especically you, Rob Wick) to stick with it, and don't give up. Those of us without your talent and skill, want you to get your work published so we can enjoy it, and brag about you to others so they can enjoy your talent too.
So when is this "Old Enough To Know Better" supposed to kick in?
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09-25-2012, 10:49 AM,
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Rob Wick
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RE: Sandburg special on PBS
Thanks for the kind words, Gene. I sincerely appreciate them. I'm typing as fast as I can.
For Sandburg's early radical days, I would recommend Philip Yannella's The Other Carl Sandburg (he was in the documentary talking about Sandburg's Socialist past).
Also, there was a professor in the film named Evert Villarreal whose doctoral dissertation was called Recovering Carl Sandburg: Politics, Prose and Poetry After 1920 which tries to explain why Sandburg fell from literary grace. The dissertation is available online.
Finally, for those of you who just can't get enough of Sandburg, I attach a copy of my 19 page working bibliography that has just about all I could find on the man (although it's changing as I find more). Much of it was taken from Niven's biography and a book by Dale Salwak that is a reference guide, but I've added things that Salwak didn't have (especially book reviews) and there are articles which I have but haven't put in there yet. There are also some works that tangentially concern Sandburg (more along the lines of popular vs. academic history). By the way, if you look at the bottom of page 12 you will notice an entry from some clown who thinks he knows a lot about Sandburg. I would steer clear of him, if I were you.
Sandburg Working Bibliography.pdf (Size: 250.32 KB / Downloads: 7)
Best
Rob
Abraham Lincoln is the only man, dead or alive, with whom I could have spent five years without one hour of boredom.--Ida M. Tarbell
I want the respect of intelligent men, but I will choose for myself the intelligent.
--Carl Sandburg
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09-25-2012, 01:23 PM,
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Rob Wick
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Posts: 3,038
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Joined: Jul 2012
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RE: Sandburg special on PBS
Quote:Roger,....... You spell Rob Wick's name......." ROB WICK"
I'll have you know I haven't been in trouble with the teacher in yea....mont....day.....hou......OK, I'll try better. 
Best
Rob
Abraham Lincoln is the only man, dead or alive, with whom I could have spent five years without one hour of boredom.--Ida M. Tarbell
I want the respect of intelligent men, but I will choose for myself the intelligent.
--Carl Sandburg
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Sandburg special on PBS
