E.B. White helped The New Yorker remember the other stories. If you work in print, you are tempted to think that the story is about politics, economics or perhaps high society. This is particularly true if you think that you live in the center of the world and that the people you are writing about are the most important people in the world.
And then there was White, who insisted on covering the dog show or writing a piece about a waiter who was celebrating a perfect spring day while grieving that the forecast called for snow.
It seems to me that American journalism could use a few more characters like White, especially now, when we are tempted to see every facet of American life in terms of what the Current Occupant of the White House is doing. It’s possible to think that the news of the Current Occupant and his disastrous influence on the democracy is vital while still thinking he’s overexposed.
The problem with linking every aspect of American life to any personality is that it inflates the significance of that personality.
The United States and its neighbors are hosts of the World Cup. We would be watching soccer with or without the Current Occupant.
Citizens would be reflecting over the country’s 250th anniversary, with or without the Current Occupant staging celebratory cage fights on the White House lawn.
White was the kind of fellow who kept up with the big news but never lost sight of the other stories.
His granddaughter Martha White pointed out that he covered the doings at the Bronx Zoo and the “fabulous ice extravaganza at the Garden,” but never spent much time with the Algonquin Round Table. He noticed the juncos that live in the great city in winter.
If you haven’t guessed, I’m marking a birthday. E.B. White was born July 7, 1899. His granddaughter said he considered it to be a lucky day.
• Source: Martha White: “‘Small But Unforgettable Moments.’ What E.B. White Loved About New York City”; Lit Hub, Nov. 25, 2024. It’s here:
https://lithub.com/small-but-unforgettable-moments-what-e-b-white-loved-about-new-york-city/
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