Pitsfield's Q&A
Name: Kermit Pitsfield (pseudonym).
Place: Atlanta, Georgia.
Topics of interest: Film. Literature. Sports. Technology.
Why would you agree to write for a free webzine for no remuneration? I’m a word-slut. I can’t stop myself and I need help.
Why a pseudonym? I make my living as an academic (history). This means that I’m employed by snobs and publish on behalf of their reputations – not to mention my own. It’s unfortunate but if I used my name to write about popular culture or to write creatively it would hurt my ability to publish within my field. Maybe when I’m 70 and I don’t give a damn about such things I’ll change my priorities.
The books/authors that most impacted you as a child; as an adolescent; as a teenager; in your 20’s; recently? I was weaned on Silverstien’s The Giving Tree. What a wonderful book to teach children how to be codependent. SE Hinton’s The Outsiders was big for me when I was twelve – if for no other reason than the fact that it printed the words shit and asshole. To Kill a Mockingbird in high school. 1984 in 84; I suppose that dates me. A bit of Machiavelli, Hobbes and Nietzsche in my 20’s – young, arrogant and lust-ridden, you know. More recently I’ve been impacted by Barry Schwartz’s Abraham Lincoln and the Forge of National Memory.
Most recent education: PhD, Emory.
Vernacular you would elliminate from the English Language:"Neat Christian Couple," "Hecka Sweet," "Reduce taxes and spending," "Walk-off homerun."
Activities (besides writing): Gardening. Professional Sports over-analysis. Laundry. Sexy time.
Have you ever been in a fist-fight? What was it over? Once, with my son’s barber.
Guilty pleasure: Really poorly written, directed and acted Sci-Fi.
Top five films (order optional): 2001: A Space Odyssey. Monty Python’s Holy Grail. The God Father. Bull Durham. Cool Hand Luke.
Political Affiliation: I suppose that I’ve gotten more conservative as I’ve aged. I still register as a democrat but I’m less convinced these days that democrats have better solutions to our problems. I try to vote and support those who seek to represent the under-represented.
What would you discuss if you had a privite audience with POTUS: The man needs a lesson in Islam - badly - like eight years ago.
What your sign would say if you were homeless: malum quo communius eo peius.