The biblical quote about a prophet not being appreciated in his own country also applies in many ways to writers and artists. Consider that the great Van Gogh died penniless and unappreciated. His suicidal streak even found its way into a beautiful and poignant song, Vincent, by Don MacLean. Today, his art commands tens of millions of dollars each!
If one were to scour libraries, archives, and musty bookstores, one would surely find many a tract or essay written by a relatively unknown writer. Consider the vagaries of time, place, and fortune that determine whether such a written piece becomes either an artistic or financial success, or a mere document to be referred to by researchers. Call it luck, because in many ways, Luck has everything to do with it. Writing the right piece at the right time for the right people.
But this does not denigrate in any way truly great written masterpieces that defy time and circumstance. The great books will always be truly great because they are well-written and stand the test of time.
sourced by JMJF
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