Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
Which hit like an earthquake the week it was published.
Wolfe and his editors were praised, denounced, and most of all, talked-about.
I had come from the WashingtonPost,where stories were assigned by the inch.
So the first night …
I went over to the city desk, and said, How long do you want this to be?
And the editor said, What do you mean, how long?
Until it gets boring!
Wolfe,inNew Yorkin 2008:One day I was hanging around a hallway atHarpers…
I wandered next door into the office of David Halberstam, who wasnt there.
Nosily I noticed a rather fancy card on his desktop …
I sought out Leonard and Felicia Bernstein and introduced myself.
And they were very proud of what they were doing.
Neither account was in any way critical of what had gone on.
Even after reading them, Lenny and Felicia probably had little inkling of what was going to happen next.
Now about your goals, Mr. Bernstein said from the depths of an armchair.
Im not sure I understand how youre going to achieve them.
I mean what are your tactics?
I dig absolutely, Mr. Bernstein said.
Even worse, Tom Wolfe was also at the party, and his article has not yet appeared.
Lennys in a state waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Wolfe,2008:I kept my National Brand shorthand pad and ballpoint pen in plain view.
We dont have parties.
It was a meeting, a very serious meeting, involving civil liberties.
I manage to overcome that … Thats a personal thing …
I used to get very uptight about things like that, but
Dont you get bitter?
Doesnt that make you mad?
Noooo, man … Thats a personal thing … see … and I dont get mad about that personally.
Well, says Lenny, it makesmemad!
Letter from Barbara Walters,June 19, 1970:Thank you for writing about me with such accuracy.
Your excellent article brought the whole extraordinary evening back.
Wolfe,2008:Bernsteins sister wrote a letter enumerating my sins.
Letter to Wolfe from Shirley Bernstein,ca.
A tip of my hat to both of you.
Letter from Norman Podhoretz,June 4, 1970:A masterpiece.Congratulations.
Letter from Elizabeth Thompson Ortiz,June 4, 1970:hey cancel our subscription.
conspired to foment hatred and violent dissension among blacks, among Jews and between blacks and Jews.
No one was all the way to happy again.
Letter from David Halberstam,ca.
August 1970:That is just a fine piece.
My only objection is that I wish I had written it.
