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Viewpoint: Bellissimo! Biographer received prize
This summer, Paul Collins, English faculty, was in Bologna, Italy, to receive a special tribute at the Biografilm Festival. Recognized for his 2002 book of quirky biographical essays, Banvard's Folly, Collins is the first foreign writer to receive the Lancia Celebration of Lives Award. Collins, who regularly writes books and magazine articles on figures whom history has forgotten, is known as the "Literary detective" for his frequent talks on National Public Radio.
- Q: How do you choose such interesting people for your essays and articles?
- A: I read a lot of old newspapers and magazines, especially from the 1700s and 1800s. That's where you find people and events that have been forgotten. And, if as I am reading, I think--what the hell is this?--that's when I know I've found something good.
- Q: Give us an example.
- A: One of my personal favorites has always been Ella Cheever Thayer, who wrote a novel in 1880, Wired Love, about a romance between two telegraph operators who've never met. When I first started looking into it there was nothing but a name. Nobody knew where she was from, where she'd gone, or why she'd written it.
- Q: Why an Italian prize for biography?
- A: For some reason Italy has adopted me like no other country. I hear more from my Italian readers and from journalists there than any other country, including the U.S. It's been quite unexpected and very gratifying!