[Jandek] The Death Ship

[Darin Mitchell]

Of B. Traven:

"The [artist] ... refused to divulge even a scrap of biographical 
information about himself. He said he believed an [artist] should be known 
for his work, not his personal life.... [His first novel] was followed by a 
stream of haunting, powerful novels ... the trail to their author ended at a 
post office box in Mexico City. Unable to discern the wide and luminous line 
that seperates legitimate investigative reportage from an invasion of 
privacy, the literay world reacted as though to an absconding politician or 
mafiaso. The bloodhounds of journalism were dispatched to track [him] down, 
to no avail, and amazing legends grew up - some perhaps fostered by [the 
artist] himself, in self-defense, out of amusement, or both. As a result the 
writer who insisted on remaining anonymous and on letting his work speak for 
him became world-famous mostly for his genius at remaining anonymous, a 
reputation that persists posthumously."

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