25 January 1957 [Note: In the notebooks, this is dated as if it were a continuation of 24 January 1957. It may be, but it seems somewhat more likely that it was written on the following day and simply mis-dated.] In a way, church teachings as practiced in various houses of religion, since religion is … Continue reading 25 January 1957 →

24 January 1957 – The Tower of Babel Man speaks of a “material” world and a “spiritual” world as though these words were opposites. For every irritant there is a counter irritant. We are like “Jim” and “Joe”. “Jim” we could call the “spiritual” world and Joe the “material” world. Aren’t we actually talking about … Continue reading 24 January 1957 – The Tower of Babel →

23 January 1957 Another title for an article. “When an argument occurs” – Certain influences are taking place. Here’s how it goes. Opposing views concerning a subject appear, whether between two people or two dozen million people. Here is what is happening: Joe says Jim is a quote sonofabitch”. Okay. Jim says, “The hell I … Continue reading 23 January 1957 →

22 January 1957 - The Closet (She is trying to fall asleep. This when she begins to get her dreams back.) All through her growing years – Lydia had an uneasy, sometimes panicky feeling if a closet door was ajar, especially at night. One day she happened to think of a bubble pipe she played … Continue reading 22 January 1957 →

21 January 1957 How does one determine what goes on? What is the “outer world” all about? How do you anchor it, like paint on a sheet of paper? The answers to these questions as they kept flooding into my mind like water beginning to flow more and more smoothly as the rocks damming up … Continue reading 21 January 1957 →

20 January 1957 This developing process in me? When did it start? Where did it start? How did it start? It doesn’t matter! – This awakening to the world of human beings and what makes them tick? I had glimpses of it at Community Center. A couple times, I tried to imagine what I look … Continue reading 20 January 1957 →

19 January 1957 More Marjorie Morningstar: Noel wavers between his conceit and doubts – dependence and independence. iconoclast: an image breaker; one who attacks superstitions or shams. Reminiscent of Tom: . . . good for nothing else . . . It takes a displaced neurotic of the worst kind, a walking ghost with no roots … Continue reading 19 January 1957 →

18 January 1957 Once you are exposed to the challenges of calculus, you have very little interest in simple arithmetic, if you are a problem solver. Herman Wouk is so right when he says, through his protagonist Noel, says:  Women estimate men by their earning power (so do men) . . . For a certain … Continue reading 18 January 1957 →

16 January 1957 Maybe the effect of “Marjorie Morningstar”, maybe not. But – once again this writing angle haunts and torments me. The last two nights, going to bed after hearing Kurt read from the book, has found me more and more affected by what is contained in the novel. The Noel Ehrman characterization sets … Continue reading 16 January 1957 →

14 January 1957 Resentment That is an interesting word. What is Resentment? Somewhere in one of my other books it is called by another word: anger. The basis of anger is fear. What then is fear? Billy started working at the Arlington Library part time today. Opportunity to share in the genius and managerial ability … Continue reading 14 January 1957 →