Plimpton

Don't miss a nice little photo slideshow featuring that erstwhile pro sport-trier George Plimpton, here.

Discovering Plimpton's books while I attended writing school proved fortuitous, as his sense of humor and his simple skill were a source of valuable plagiarism inspiration. He is one of those writers whose voice sounds as modern and fresh in 2007 as it did in 1959. Hunter Thompson, in a eulogy, described Plimpton as "American Royalty." When Plimtpon died, in 2003, I missed him, without ever having read his books or knowing why I missed him, beyond his series of cameo appearances. Then, after I put away Paper Lion, Open Net, The Curious Case of Sidd Finch (the article), and Shadow Box, I realized why.