James Purdy, Narrow Rooms

A great novel if you like murder, sex between men, grudges, West Virginia, and long sentences. “His eyes were as bright as ever, perhaps brighter, the disc of the pupil appearing to move like a white fire, but his face in general gave the impression of belonging to someone who never expected anything again.” Purdy’s an unusual writer. Beloved by a few, hated by many reviewers, unknown to almost everyone. Didn’t really start writing until he was 40 (he was a Spanish professor at Lawrence College in Appleton for ten years before that.) Hung out with painters and jazz guys in Chicago. Admired by Langston Hughes and Dame Edith Sitwell, the latter of whom he had his ashes buried next to. Withdrew the rights to the only movie adaptation his work was ever going to get because he didn’t like the proposed lead actor. This reminiscence by Donald Weise gives a vivid picture of the cranky, difficult man. How did I get into James Purdy? I was in Firestone Library in Princeton, in Special…