Should I write Midgley's biography?

[Moksha]

Here are a few opening sentences that Dr. Shades could consider to grab people's attention:

- "How 13 crows managed to lift a twenty-pound baby Midgley into the air was beyond his mother's comprehension, but as Midgley grew into a man, that was certainly the least of her worries.”

- "It was the day Midgley's prostrate exploded."

- "It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on earth has ever produced the expression ‘As smart as a Mopologist'."

- "Midgley had been called many things since joining the Interpreter Foundation, but until now no one had actually compared him to Satan."

- "'Where's Papa going with that axe?' said an adolescent Midgely to his mother as they were setting the table for breakfast."

- "Midgley was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smog less Chicago day in January of 1930; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Casper, Wyoming in September of 1914."

Shades would first have to inquire as to whether they were funny.

[High Spy]

I will only say that I don't think that you will pander to please the posters on this board as Dan thinks.

That's exactly right. The goal of the biography will be to tell the entire tale, good as well as bad, and allow the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. I myself will be strictly objective.

I'm not convinced Dan thinks Dr. Shades will pander to anyone. I think the reason Dan is trying to discourage Midgley's biography is that Midgley is an a**hole and by publishing his biography, this fact will now be known to a much larger audience.

Ha! That's hilarious if true.

Anyway, a little over two weeks ago I wrote a letter to Dr. Midgley, politely informing him that it would be my honor to write his biography and requesting an interview. I included all of my contact information, but I still haven't heard back from him.

Should I assume that my letter simply got lost in the pile of correspondence on his coffee table and go knock on his door directly? Or would this be a boundary violation?

Did you request a return receipt like when I sent something to Mr. Chad Daybell with the final page blank.

An amazing poem became the final text with the recorded time of receipt being a key part of it.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

Dr Shades,

Think about this attention grabbing sentence to use as the preface:

“Very few castaways who have been marooned on small deserted islands in the middle of the Great Salt Lake, can claim to have survived so long as Midgley, and none in the company of an adult endangered mountain gorilla named Captain Bananas.”

[Dr. Shades]

Dr. Shades,

If you could spare a minute, we would love an update on the project.

Unfortunately, I haven't been to his home yet to ask directly for an interview or series of interviews, but I definitely plan to.

Double unfortunately, the Afore made it clear that he contacted everyone Midgley knows and encouraged/instructed them to not cooperate with this biography in any way.

Therefore, I can only hope that his friends and family members will have forgotten or will otherwise ignore those orders once Midgley is deceased, otherwise the only ones who will cooperate will be those who aren't Midgley's friends or family. In such a case, I run the risk of only getting negative accounts of his life and legacy, which of course isn't the goal. The goal, again, is to get the full picture, tell it as-is and without bias, and let the readers draw their own conclusions (if any).

[Moksha]

In such a case, I run the risk of only getting negative accounts of his life and legacy, which of course isn't the goal. The goal, again, is to get the full picture, tell it as-is and without bias, and let the readers draw their own conclusions (if any).

Wouldn't the friendly ones also have the apologetic propensity of being less than truthful?

[Dr. Shades]

In such a case, I run the risk of only getting negative accounts of his life and legacy, which of course isn't the goal. The goal, again, is to get the full picture, tell it as-is and without bias, and let the readers draw their own conclusions (if any).

Wouldn't the friendly ones also have the apologetic propensity of being less than truthful?

Hmm, that's a good point. Nevertheless, all I can do is go by what they say.

[Bret Ripley]

Wouldn't the friendly ones also have the apologetic propensity of being less than truthful?

Hmm, that's a good point. Nevertheless, all I can do is go by what they say.

This may be a bit novel, but would you consider writing a version of his biography -- or more correctly, "biography" -- in the form of one of those "choose your own adventure" RPG-type books? For example:

Dr. Midgley reads something negative about the church written by an anonymous poster on an internet discussion board. In response, he ...

A) Types out a thoughtful correction while heeding Christ's words to "love your enemies and bless those who curse you" (Matt 5:44). [Go to page 73]

or

B) Cyber-stalks Gina Colvin. [Hi Dr. Midgley!]

[drumdude]

I’m not sure Louis Midgley is noteworthy enough for anyone to undertake writing a biography about him.

The fact that his friends aren’t even interested in the project is a sign they don’t even think it’s a worthwhile endeavor. You might as well write a biography about the prolific Mormon autistic Wikipedia editor John Pack Lambert, while you’re at it.

[Dr. Shades]

I’m not sure Louis Midgley is noteworthy enough for anyone to undertake writing a biography about him.

It would be a labor of love, no doubt. It wouldn't become a best seller by any stretch of the imagination.

The fact that his friends aren’t even interested in the project is a sign they don’t even think it’s a worthwhile endeavor.

You're right. While we're at it, the fact that Midgley himself is apparently uninterested in his own biography is a sad commentary.

[drumdude]

I’m not sure Louis Midgley is noteworthy enough for anyone to undertake writing a biography about him.

It would be a labor of love, no doubt. It wouldn't become a best seller by any stretch of the imagination.

The fact that his friends aren’t even interested in the project is a sign they don’t even think it’s a worthwhile endeavor.

You're right. While we're at it, the fact that Midgley himself is apparently uninterested in his own biography is a sad commentary.

Imagine it were reversed. That DCP was offering to write a biography about you, Shades. You might also have similar doubts about his objectivity.

But if DCP publicly stated (as you have) that his goal is to keep it positive and not be a smear job, it seems to me a no brainer.

It must mean that Midge, and his friends, don’t exactly have a large pool of positive things to say about the man. That is indeed very sad.