A reader writes:
I want you to know how much I enjoy and appreciate your blog, and now your book. A Terry Teachout Reader was waiting for me when I arrived home from work last night, courtesy of amazon.com. After dinner I read the introduction, the first three essays, and then skipped to the back to read your moving tribute to Nancy Lamott, whom I first heard of reading “About Last Night.” At that point I had to put Come Rain or Come Shine on, and it occurred to me while listening that Nancy’s music was not the only thing I had to thank you for. I saw Ghost World and The Last Days of Disco, movies I’d never heard of, due to you. I watched, and enjoyed, Out of the Past last week on TCM and I taped In a Lonely Place, which I’ll watch this weekend. The last time we were in NYC, my wife and I saw Wonderful Town, based on your review. I’m right now on the web here at work ordering some of Dawn Powell’s books because your essay about her intrigued me. I could go on and on but the point is, you are performing a real service for me and (I’m sure) countless others – pointing us towards great art and great performers that we may not have heard about otherwise, and identifying what makes them great in a clear, lucid writing style. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that my opinions often match up with yours, evidenced by my TCCI of 65%. At any rate, I felt I must let you know how much you’re appreciated. Keep up the good work – lots of people like myself depend on it. And thanks.
Thanks to you, sir. That was just what a sick blogger needed to find in his e-mailbox on a gray afternoon.