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Lesser Lights: More Tales from a Hamptons' Apprenticeship
Literary Nonfiction. Memoir. This second collection of memoirs continues McIntosh's coming of age story set in Long Island's famous Hamptons arts colony. Included are stories of wild adventures in filmmaking with Norman Mailer and Ilya Bolotowsky, the discovery of Communists among the writers and painters, as well as encounters with Truman Capote, Jean Stafford, P. G. Wodehouse, and others.
"I love time travel stories--and this book offers a trip back to a time and place that seems almost like science-fiction today. Wonderful characters, great surprises, and a sly sense of humor that kept me eagerly turning the pages."--R.L. Stine
"I love time travel stories--and this book offers a trip back to a time and place that seems almost like science-fiction today. Wonderful characters, great surprises, and a sly sense of humor that kept me eagerly turning the pages."--R.L. Stine
134 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2000
577 people want to read
About the author
Sandy McIntosh
21 books19 followersSandy McIntosh was born in Rockville Centre, New York, and received a BA from Southampton College, an MFA from Columbia University and a doctorate from the Union Graduate. After working with children for eight years as a writer in the schools he completed a study of writers who taught in the program and how their work with children affected their own writing. The study, The Poets in the Poets-in-the Schools was published by the University of Minnesota. He alternated teaching creative writing at Southampton College and Hofstra University with publishing nonfiction works, such as Firing Back (John Wiley 1997), and computer software, such as Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing! (Electronic Arts, 1986). He contributes journalism, poetry, and opinion columns to The New York Times, The Daily Beast, The New York Daily News, Newsday, The Nation, The Wall Street Journal, American Book Review, and elsewhere. He was also editor and publisher of Wok Talk, a Chinese cooking bi-monthly and the author and editor of several Chinese cook books.
His first collection of poetry, Earth Works, was published by Southampton College in 1970, the year he graduated. He has since published 11 collections of poetry, four prose volumes and three computer software programs.
His original poetry in a screenplay won the Silver Medal in the Film Festival of the Americas. The New York Times’ published his poem “Cemetery Chess,” and an excerpt of his collaboration with Denise Duhamel appears in The Best American Poetry.
From 1990 to 2000 he was chairman of the Distinguished Poetry Series at Guild Hall, East Hampton, New York.
He was managing editor of Long Island University’s national literary journal, Confrontation, for more than a decade, and is publisher of Marsh Hawk Press.
His first collection of poetry, Earth Works, was published by Southampton College in 1970, the year he graduated. He has since published 11 collections of poetry, four prose volumes and three computer software programs.
His original poetry in a screenplay won the Silver Medal in the Film Festival of the Americas. The New York Times’ published his poem “Cemetery Chess,” and an excerpt of his collaboration with Denise Duhamel appears in The Best American Poetry.
From 1990 to 2000 he was chairman of the Distinguished Poetry Series at Guild Hall, East Hampton, New York.
He was managing editor of Long Island University’s national literary journal, Confrontation, for more than a decade, and is publisher of Marsh Hawk Press.
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March 15, 2019
" Lights — More Tales from a Hamptons’ Apprenticeship" by Sandy McIntosh is a künstlerroman of sorts, a memoir of a sensitive young man plunged into a world of artists after spending six years in a military school, told in compelling, graceful, and descriptive writing.
In the mid-1960s McIntosh was fortunate to enroll in Southampton College, which no longer exists. There he met and became friends with noted, sometimes irascible poets, playwrights, artists and filmmakers on the faculty and in the community. Their genius, drive, talent, imagination and eccentricities entranced McIntosh, who cared deeply about poetry, literature and art and was drawn to their creative personalities. They welcomed him into their homes and lives and offered an education to light a lifetime.
The book is organized as a series of encounters with not-so-lesser-lights, including Ilya Bolotowsky, Norman Mailer, Truman Capote, Willem de Kooning, David Ignatow and H. R. Hays.
McIntosh writes of being on set when Norman Mailer was directing Maidstone. He relates the famous incident in which Rip Torn attacked Mailer's character with a hammer, and Mailer bit Torn's ear.
He becomes and actor and production assistant in an Ilya Bolotowsky film. The artist with his thick Russian accent was McIntosh's freshman English professor.
McIntosh meets and talks with Hervé Villechaize, discovered playing a Chopin waltz on a piano.
In hopes of meeting long-time idol P.G. Wodehouse, McIntosh arrives at the hospital, only to be asked to carry the great author's typewriter for his widow.
More Tales includes lively conversations with writers and artists, often alcohol-fueled. Topics range from personal creativity to sex, politics, the Vietnam War, Communism, wealth in the Hamptons and the Federal Writers' Project.
As powerful as the Hamptons' apprenticeship was for McIntosh, one wonders if there are similar opportunities in education today. One hopes.
In the mid-1960s McIntosh was fortunate to enroll in Southampton College, which no longer exists. There he met and became friends with noted, sometimes irascible poets, playwrights, artists and filmmakers on the faculty and in the community. Their genius, drive, talent, imagination and eccentricities entranced McIntosh, who cared deeply about poetry, literature and art and was drawn to their creative personalities. They welcomed him into their homes and lives and offered an education to light a lifetime.
The book is organized as a series of encounters with not-so-lesser-lights, including Ilya Bolotowsky, Norman Mailer, Truman Capote, Willem de Kooning, David Ignatow and H. R. Hays.
McIntosh writes of being on set when Norman Mailer was directing Maidstone. He relates the famous incident in which Rip Torn attacked Mailer's character with a hammer, and Mailer bit Torn's ear.
He becomes and actor and production assistant in an Ilya Bolotowsky film. The artist with his thick Russian accent was McIntosh's freshman English professor.
McIntosh meets and talks with Hervé Villechaize, discovered playing a Chopin waltz on a piano.
In hopes of meeting long-time idol P.G. Wodehouse, McIntosh arrives at the hospital, only to be asked to carry the great author's typewriter for his widow.
More Tales includes lively conversations with writers and artists, often alcohol-fueled. Topics range from personal creativity to sex, politics, the Vietnam War, Communism, wealth in the Hamptons and the Federal Writers' Project.
As powerful as the Hamptons' apprenticeship was for McIntosh, one wonders if there are similar opportunities in education today. One hopes.
Displaying 1 of 1 review