Category Archives: A.J. Liebling
Liebling Commentary
A.J Liebling is brutally honest, yet not malicious. He exposes the silliness of humans without laughing, the dirt without comment, and their aura without distortion. I find his writing refreshing. There is so much repressed judgement in journalism today, and as much as some writers believe they can successfully mask their opinions, many cannot. With Liebling’s writing, I cannot detect suppression. Instead, Liebling allows the people in his stories to reveal their own character through speech and description.
My favorite story was “Getting By.” Liebling’s description of the professional faster and the professional eater were brilliant. Here you can see how Liebling reveals their character, merely by quoting them and through seemingly objective statements, with just enough sarcasm in the undertone. For example, on page 102 Liebling includes a short description of Mr. Di Laurentis (the professional eater) followed by quote on how he bent dimes with his teeth:
“Mr. Di Laurentis was square shouldered and blocky, but not overly fat. He stood five feet eight inches, weighed 180 pounds, and was thirty-seven years old. His black hair was pomaded and he wore a wrist watch on a gold link bracelet. His jaw was broad at the base and he bent dimes with his teeth. “Don’t tell anybody I do this,” he said, as he demonstrated on Billy the Oysterman’s favorite ten-cent piece, a family heirloom.” It seems somebody had once told Mr. Di Laurentis it was against the law.”
At no point does Liebling comment on Di Laurentis’ blatant stupidity. And yet, the reader cannot help but pick up on it. That’s good journalism.
Chanelle Perrin; A.J. Liebling response
I definitely enjoyed certain parts of the A. J. Liebling pieces. I found the excerpt on Hymie Katz to be the most entertaining. His character reminds me of a present day New yorker. An individual with the hunger for the next dollar. I felt that this ‘tummler’ was a foreshadowing for the future new York. That the people with the business sense and drive would be the future of the city.
I also enjoyed Liebling’s description of 142nd and 143rd street in Harlem. He tells this portion of the story through a series of lists, something reminiscent of E.B. White’s “Here Is New York”. Liebling begins to describe the living conditions of the poor and of the well off. It’s ironic how close in proximity each social class is to the other, but yet how vastly different their lives are. The poor sleep stacked on top of one another, versus the well off population that could afford the additional space.
Liebling made Harlem come to life from his words, he did a great job of creating the environment in my mind. He carved out the environment then worked his way to the the significant individuals in his neighborhood. For instance Miss Ira who gives the neighborhood its touch of fashion, or Pearl Hankinson an activist in the area. Hankinson is wealthy enough to leave the area, but has found comfort in it, she is one of the residents who has actually watched the neighborhood change over the years, and according to her it gets worse and worse. Initially, I wondered why she she chose to stay, but it’s clear that she has become attached to the neighborhood and It’s children.
Overall Liebling’s pieces I feel are good templates for a profile and backgrounder. He works his way from the general grand scale information, to a more specific detailed account of the neighborhood.
Protected: Liebling: Thoughts on His Work
Protected: Liebling : Rundown
Protected: “Back where I came from” Thoughts from Maya by Mayara Guimaraes
Response: AJ Liebling
After reading the writing selections by Liebling, I have the say the one that spoke to me most was “Back Where I came From.” Not only was the piece well-crafted, it was also eloquently written. Liebling uses language in a way that draws in readers. He paints the picture of Harlem without sounding overly flowery and disingenuous.
My favorite line is at the very beginning of the reading, when he says
“With the exception of a couple of white women who have married colored men and of three Chinese laundrymen who sleep behind their shops, all the 3,824 residents in the block are Negroes.”
This line thoroughly describes Harlem in a nutshell. The integration of statistics (3,824 residents) adds credibility to the piece and shows readers that Liebling knows exactly what he is talking about. He is not just a passerby. He is much more than that.
Liebling also describes Harlem in various angles, which makes him even more of an intriguing writer. For example, he mentions both the poorest and richest areas of Harlem. He describes the discrepancy, which shows that Harlem is more than meets the eye.
Liebling is a very inspirational writer. His use of language and words is incredibly intriguing and makes readers want more.
Protected: Liebling.
Protected: Getting By- Liebling
Reaction to Liebling
Gambling at the track, opening clubs and conning investors; “Tummler” really grabbed my attention when Liebling wrote that all Hymie needed to open his nightclub was “an idea and a loan of fifty dollars.” From there it was a fast track through the course of Hymie’s absurd yet mischievously inspiring operation. This was easily my favorite of Liebling’s work, simply because the quality of the content was so rich and Liebling delivered it in a manner that matched the fast pace, rambling lifestyle of Hymie.
“Beginning With the Undertaker” was the first Liebling piece I read and it certainly set a strange tone for the author as I continued on reading. I view it as a fun superstition among Italians, told expertly by an inside New Yorker subjected to their culture. Although the majority of the piece did seem like a long tangent, I particularly liked the mood he created in the opening paragraph, with lonely policemen floundering through the undertaker’s store at all hours of the night.
“Apology for Breathing” is Liebling saying that New York is not for everybody, so just take it as it is. New York is different than every other place in America and tourists and visitors should know that before they come. All the “microcosms” Liebling writes of are what keep the wheels of this beautiful machine continuously turning. What a tourist views as hustle and bustle is really just a vibrant city functioning at its best.