65 replies to this topic

[Kortoso]

i prefer the place as i saw it in 'the Whole Wide World'

You know that was a movie set, and this is the real thing.

[Kortoso]

Those Americans are a very patriotic people and fly thier flag with pride. It can seem a bit strange to some. I suppose they earned it well enough from that English bunch

That's true, last time I was in the UK I didn't see folks flying the Union Jack from their front porches, but they did represent their footy teams with the same vehemence as we Yanks do our stars and stripes. Maybe if soccer finally catches on, you'll see less jingoism here.

[Carlos]

The American Flag is to be displayed at all National Register of Historic Places. It is considered part of the National Park Service system. The house may be privately owned and operated but it's considered a public place under federal protection. I haven't been there yet but I'm sure there is also a Texas State Historical Marker on or near the home as well. I'm very glad that REH has been so honored by our nation.

[Strom]

The American Flag is to be displayed at all National Register of Historic Places. It is considered part of the National Park Service system. The house may be privately owned and operated but it's considered a public place under federal protection. I haven't been there yet but I'm sure there is also a Texas State Historical Marker on or near the home as well. I'm very glad that REH has been so honored by our nation.

Your right - you can see the historical marker just to the left in this picture:

REH House



Here's a closeup of the historical marker:



I took a ton of pics of just about everything Howard - it was a wonderful trip. And since Robert E. Howard is a great American writer from Texas, I'm also glad he's been honored by our nation for his literary achievements. Well said, Carlos!

[mckennal]

The American Flag is to be displayed at all National Register of Historic Places. It is considered part of the National Park Service system. The house may be privately owned and operated but it's considered a public place under federal protection. I haven't been there yet but I'm sure there is also a Texas State Historical Marker on or near the home as well. I'm very glad that REH has been so honored by our nation.

You go, Carlos!

[mckennal]

Not to be rude, but it looks so undecorated, which I find strange. A man of such genious was such a bare room. Then again, I suppose it doesn't matter where your ass is if your heads in Hyboria.

I know you're joking, but you're all too right. Many writers have lived in extremely dire straits and turned out awe-inspiring work. (Hell, Ezra Pound lived in a cage for a while! Imagine being transported from Italy to America by boat in a cage, for god's sake! And then going to jail and being released to an insane asylum! Poor Ezra.) Imagination is often the only thing that can liberate us. Unfortunately, it's sometimes not enough.

Here's a neat story about the influence and inspiration writer's homes can have:

Cormac McCarthy found out the city of Knoxville (I think that's right) were going to demolish James Agee's birthplace. Mr. McCarthy went to the construction site, collected all the bricks from the demolished building that he could, and took them home and built a fireplace with them. Imagine being warmed by that fire . . .

Edited by mckennal, 05 November 2006 - 03:45 PM.

[John Maddox Roberts]

Howard's room was obviously a converted porch. I used to see these often in old houses when I was a boy in south Texas. Houses were just added to as children came along or finances allowed. They often had those windows just left there, which always looked odd. There was one like that in my great aunt's house in Kenedy, Texas. It came in handy during my great uncle's last, invalid years when it was used as his bedroom. She could keep an eye on him as she went about her daily housework. I would hope Robert had some way to cover that window. Another feature of such houses (I don't know if it is true of the Howard house, never been there) is that often every room has a door to the outside. That was so everyone could get out quick if there was a fire.

[deuce]

Those Americans are a very patriotic people and fly thier flag with pride. It can seem a bit strange to some. I suppose they earned it well enough from that English bunch

That's true, last time I was in the UK I didn't see folks flying the Union Jack from their front porches, but they did represent their footy teams with the same vehemence as we Yanks do our stars and stripes. Maybe if soccer finally catches on, you'll see less jingoism here.

I was driving around Worcestershire and Warwickshire on Armistice Day (I think it was) in early November 2002. Not many Jacks out, but you wouldn't believe the number of English flags (St. George's Cross, blue n' white) waving in the English breeze. There was one flying from the little Anglican church where John Bonham's buried.

[Kortoso]

lately an idea got stuck with me about the movie 'the whole wide world'
in the last talk of Howard with Novalyne Price Howard used the word spitfire for N.P. which was real strange for me since i know this word only because of the WWII airplane and i never heard it before used differently...

The term "spitfire" was used long before (1600) the advent of that aircraft. Of course, once that airplane was named, it only meant one thing.

[John Maddox Roberts]

The 16th century Spanish galleon Cacafuego was politely translated by the English as "Spitfire." Actually, it meant "****fire."

[budgie]

Those Americans are a very patriotic people and fly thier flag with pride. It can seem a bit strange to some. I suppose they earned it well enough from that English bunch

That's true, last time I was in the UK I didn't see folks flying the Union Jack from their front porches, but they did represent their footy teams with the same vehemence as we Yanks do our stars and stripes. Maybe if soccer finally catches on, you'll see less jingoism here.

I was driving around Worcestershire and Warwickshire on Armistice Day (I think it was) in early November 2002. Not many Jacks out, but you wouldn't believe the number of English flags (St. George's Cross, blue n' white) waving in the English breeze. There was one flying from the little Anglican church where John Bonham's buried.

Duece,
The St George Cross is red and white.. blue and whites the Scots one (St Andrew).. It was the same during the football world cup, they were even flying little versions of them from cars.

budgie

[Mikey_C]

The term "spitfire" was used long before (1600) the advent of that aircraft. Of course, once that airplane was named, it only meant one thing.

Incidentally, there's a character called "Spitfire" in E. R. Eddison's great fantasy epic The Worm Ouroboros (1922). There's a strong Elizabethan influence in Eddison.

Edited by Mikey_C, 10 December 2006 - 09:09 PM.

[PainBrush]

The 16th century Spanish galleon Cacafuego was politely translated by the English as "Spitfire." Actually, it meant "****fire."

Hahahhaa , if Howard had called Novalynne a '$hitfire' rather than a 'spitfire' it would have added a different tone to the movie !

[deuce]

Those Americans are a very patriotic people and fly thier flag with pride. It can seem a bit strange to some. I suppose they earned it well enough from that English bunch

That's true, last time I was in the UK I didn't see folks flying the Union Jack from their front porches, but they did represent their footy teams with the same vehemence as we Yanks do our stars and stripes. Maybe if soccer finally catches on, you'll see less jingoism here.

I was driving around Worcestershire and Warwickshire on Armistice Day (I think it was) in early November 2002. Not many Jacks out, but you wouldn't believe the number of English flags (St. George's Cross, blue n' white) waving in the English breeze. There was one flying from the little Anglican church where John Bonham's buried.

Duece,
The St George Cross is red and white.. blue and whites the Scots one (St Andrew).. It was the same during the football world cup, they were even flying little versions of them from cars.

budgie

Sorry 'bout that, Budgie. Bad recollection.

[coyotejohn]

I started typing on a very similar machine at a very young age. My sister collects these ancient dinosaurs, still! I believe in Iowa there is a museum dedicated to the old typewriters of yore. I don't recall getting any calluses from our old typewriter but it did spur me into buying a really good portable electric one as soon as I could save some money.

Maybe I will go there someday...if i can convince the wife.

People think I'm archaic because I use a personal word processor,and not a computer, to write. But just looking at that that typewriter makes my fingers hurt. Amazing to think Howard churned out so many stories on it (or at least that exact model). He must have had calluses on his fingers!

I agree about the calluses and I wonder how reliable it was or if he had to constantly fix it. I tried to take a really good picture of the typewriter but Robert's room is roped off which means you have to view the room from the hallway. This is probably the best close-up pic I was able to get of the typewriter:

[Freebooter]

Hey Strom,
Great pics. I love them! I too want to go there one day. I might try to make it next year, you never know.
Freebooter

[Strom]

Hey Strom,
Great pics. I love them! I too want to go there one day. I might try to make it next year, you never know.
Freebooter

Thanks FB -That's why I posted them - for those fans who haven't been able to get there. If you can do it, the experience is truly a once in a lifetime experience.

[little david]

thats so cool! not quite how i imagined it, his rooms smaller than i imagined it to be (then again you nver imagine thing anywhere near like what it really is do ya ) although what year did his dad die? just missed it on the headstone

[Freebooter]

Speaking of his little room, I can just picture him living in it, laying there at night imagining things to put in his stories, jumpiing up at times, at all hours, to type or jot down some idea or action that had just entered his mind.
FB

[terryallenuk]

what year did his dad die? just missed it on the headstone

November 1944

Terry