Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-24

the written word and the Simpl
This years judge batting C
Wright Morris THE FIELD
OF VISION. Much grumbling
was heard, and a few brave
souls came right out and said
they found his story of a group
Of NebraSkanS at a Mexican
bullfight downright unread
able. One judge. who had long
since wearied of explaining to
people why Edwin O'Connor's
uproariouS political novel 1.-THE
Last Hurrah" didn't make it,
said defensively of his choice,
We'll, maybe it isn't a good
book; but he's a good writer"
The awards to diplomat
George KEENAN, for RUSSIA
LEAVES THE WAR and poet
Richard Wilbur for THE
THINGS OF THIS WORLD
met with general approval or
at least no audible manifesto
tons of disapproval.
Took This One on Faith
Poetry is so generally unread
these days. that most of the
reviewers took Mr.. Wilbur's
laurel on faith. One reviewer
said he hadn't touched the
stuff since Edna Millay,
thought he'd quit while he was
ahead. But the happy throng
in the Commodore agreed that
Mr.. Wilbur acquitted himself
oratorically. very we'll indeed.
He came to the party from
composing the lyrics for
"Candide." a chore which he
said left him. constantly pre-
occupied with the man in the
third row."
It's different writing poetry.
ut is true" said young Mr..
Wilbur in his brief address,
that the poet does not di-
rectly address his neighbors;
but he does address a great
congress Of persons who dwell
at the back of his mind, a
congress of all those who have
taught him and whom he has
admired; they constitute his
ideal audience and his better
self. -. Writing poetry is
talking to oneself: yet it is a
mode OF talking to oneself in
which the self disappears, and
the product is something that,
though II may not be for
everybody is about everybody"
The chief speaker was Ar
thur Larson, new chief of the
United States Information
Agency. Before that critical
audience, he did not go I'M
criticized. While the book peo-
pie were glad to hear him
speak so highly of books, they
seemed to take exception to
his lengthy exposition of the
work of his agency.
Authors are always invited
to take part in these proceed
ings. and as usual. a goodly
number appeared to watch and
be watched.
TOday's Best Writing
This years lion was Frank
O'Connor. whose short stories
of Ireland are unquestionably
the best being written today.
He is a tall man, with q long,
wise, kind face, glasses slip
ping down his nose. a neat
gray mustache. a light broeue.
Drawn by his benevolent
expression as much as by his
reputation, people crowded
around Mr.. O'Connor. who was
at the MIA with his very
young wife, a former student
in his writing courses.
Now living in Brooklyn
Heights, Mr.. O'Conuor still
goes back to the old country
every year for a few months
to find out what's going on
and to find new material. He
has not yet written any stories
about America, and we rather
think he won't.
An Irish-American author
was on hand. TOO. Mary Nc
Carthy. and she's not at all
like her lacquered and dis
dainful prose. Handsome, af-
fable. somehow almost girlish
she greeted her admirers with
a wide grin.
She explained that Mem
cries of a Catholic Childhood"
most Of which originally APP
peared in the New Yorker, will
soon be of the presses. She