spook' author
Greenlee explains difficulties
Oy Jotwi 0. Towm Act very Important. | s I waya pcrs, but In the U. S. ll was
n . _ «■ mw i* write opcclflcslly tor a black only reviewed In the Midwest
u-iy tfvpuansunnot*' audience because white au- by tbe Chicago Sun Times.
Sam Greenlee, a wrller wlio dlencea don't care what >ou aay He said his major project is
wan for aome time unable to •■ long aa It Is for their tene- to try io gel s motion picture
rind an Amerlcanpubllehorfor lit." he said. made of his book. Greenlee,
hla book, "The Spook Who Greenlee pointed out that hla s graduate of the Unlvcraltyof
Sat by the Door," haa been Ice- book waa choaen for the book Wisconsin, said he Is currently
luring and holding Informal of the year by the l.ondon working on a book which he
•dlacuaslons St SIU sine* his Times snd Ihc London Tele- hopea to hare publlahed next
arrival here laat Wednesday. S'*ph. two Engllab newapa- year.
Greonlee, appearing under
the Black American Studlea
Lecture Serlea, vlalicd the
Marlon Prison Wedneaday and
I hold a formal dlacuaalon on
social, lltorsry and political
' Issues with Inmates.
? Gresnlce said that because
he -a- unable to 11nd an American publisher who waswllllng
to publlah his book he lud to
go 10 Kngland to have It done.
"The difficulties I had In
! letting the book publlahed were
not unique, but are iho ssme
that moai black writers go
through*1' he aald.
"I wrote the book In 1966
and It waa not published until
late 196*), |i wss rejected 24
times andonopubllahorwanted
me lo delete the Uat chat-tor.
lUntam Docks hole In Ihe U.S.
finally publlslaed It,*' bo explained.
lie said the answer lor
blacks who have been rejected
try white racist publlabors Is to
seek black piblUhsra.
Greenloo said bo thinks hla
rule ss a black writer la to
make black people Incrrae-
Ingly aware Of their black
culture and to encourage them
to make contributions In the
way they feel is nrcessary.
Greenlee said he spends a
great deal of lime talking co
groups Including high school
and college atudtats. "I don't
make any money doiog thla,
but tf I talk to white folks
for money, I can talk to black
folks for. free.** he added.
"I amturcenflywrbingpoetry, sbort fUtton and children's atones, wMch I cows I-