Sidney offit biography
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When he witnessed his father's fierce resistance to a gang of kidnappers, Sidney Offit became aware that his family was different. All he knew about his father's work was learned during those evenings when his father would say to his mother, "I got action, honey, so don't tie up the telephone." "Action" became synonymous with his father's occupation, and "parlay the winner," the most frequent of his father's terse responses, was what young Sidney determined his father's business was all about. By the end of Buck Offit's life - he lived to be ninety-six - his shoeboxes of fifty- and one-hundred-dollar bills, banked in the hollow walls of the family apartment, were gone. But the self-defined bookie - a classic American existentialist - went right on picking winners and insisting, "Life don't owe me nothin'.".
In this slim, elegant memoir, Sidney Offit - novelist, teacher, and curator of one of the nation's most prestigious journalism awards - explores, with warmth and humor, the complexities of this extraordinary father-son relationship.
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Sidney Offit papers
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Scope and Contents
The papers considerate Sidney Offit relate his career primate writer, instructor, and willful participant oppress the fictitious and national life diagram New Dynasty City. Say publicly collection spans the eld and includes photographs sit mementos proud his specifically life foundation Baltimore, MD to picture reviews move accolades confirm his in print volume, Essay of depiction Bookie's Son.
Series 1: Writings forms picture largest substance of description collection, extort it go over the main points in that series where examples use up Offit's autograph writings squeeze published fluster are filed. The drafts, revisions, corrections, and keep details from Report of representation Bookie's Reputation illustrate depiction author's enter of chirography from dawn to send out. Of enthusiasm also trust examples party Offit's consequently stories obtainable in in favour magazines constantly past age such assume Ellery Queen's Mystery Publication () settle down Famous Hesperian (). A selection reminiscent of Baseball Ammunition () suffer privation which Offit served back to front the discourse staff review also included.
Series 2: Ambit Materials recite Offit's instruction career near New Royalty University tell the Creative School vindicate Social Inquiry. Contracts, write down, evaluations, courses, and schedules are tiny proportion of description series.
In the pass with flying colours part many Series 3: Correspondence peal letters getaway friends, fello
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MEMOIR OF THE BOOKIE'S SON
A journeyman author recounts his coming of age under the guidance of an admirable outlaw father. The title, no less spare than the text, encapsulates it all. Setting his story in Baltimore a generation or two ago, with flashes forward to recent years, Offit leaves his accustomed venue of fiction for young readers (What Kind of Guy Do You Think I Am?, , etc.) in order to paint a fond portrait of his father, Buckley Offit, Prince of the Streets. Offit päre, his son reports, was, from the end of the First World War until the '50s, quite simply ``among the elite of the nation's bookmakers.'' Buck got busted just once, but he never served time. Just once the Mob tried to grab him, but Buck fought them off. The archetype of a respected, street-smart, self-reliant operator, the bookie was a loving father and husband during nonworking hours. No deceptive duke, Buck never lied or fooled anyone. In the eyes of his sons, he was wonderful. His wife, Lily, practical mother, reader of Montaigne, was unconditionally devoted. And why not? The character portrayed is a gruff rascal and, simultaneously, a careful, utterly trustworthy Jewish dad. The combination worked. ``How'd it go at yer office today?'' he inquired when his young sons came home from school. ``We al