[Dixielandjazz] Mencken letter to Will Durant (1931) on " Meaning of Life"--Barbone quotes Monk

[Norman Vickers]

To:  Pensacola Mencken list; National Menken List; DJML, Musicians &
Jazzfans

From: Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola

 

Steve Barbone gives Thelonious Monk quote in response to question:  What's
the purpose of life?

Thanks Steve.

 

fnv

 

From: Stephen G Barbone [mailto:barbonestreet at earthlink.net] 
Sent: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 5:44 PM
To: Norman Vickers
Subject: Re: Mencken letter to Will Durant (1931) on " Meaning of Life"

 

Dear Norman:

 

Thelonious Monk responded to interviewer Pearl Gonzalez about the meaning of
life as follows: Note 119,Page 556, Thelonious Monk, The Life and Times of
an American Original,  by Robin D.G. Kelley, thusly:

 

 Monk:  "The purpose of life is to die."

 

Gonzalez responded: "But between birth and death there's a lot to do."

 

Monk responded: You asked a question, that's the answer."

 

Not to different from the last paragraph of Mencken's letter. Just more
succinct. <grin>

 

Cheers,

Steve Barbone