Now the book is called Stories from the Nerve Bible and what I mean by the Nerve Bible is the body. And parts of the body appear and disappear throughout the book, adding up to a kind of self-portrait although not a very naturalistic one. And I used the word Bible in the title of this book because the first really strange stories I remember hearing were Bible stories. And these stories were completely amazing: about parting oceans, and talking snakes. And people really seemed to believe these stories. And I¡¯m talking about adults. Adults, who mainly just did the most mundane things imaginable: mowing their lawns and throwing potluck parties; they all believed in these wild stories. And they would sit around and discuss them in the most matter-of-fact way. So in a way I was introduced to a special local form of surrealism at an early age and so there was always a question in my mind about what¡¯s actually true and what is just another art form. Now I¡¯ve always been intere! sted in trying to define what makes up the late twentieth century American for example and so, as an artist, I¡¯ve always thought my main job was to be a spy, to use my eyes and ears, and find some of the answers. For example, I like to hang around the banks of phones in airports, one of my favorite listening posts and eavesdrop on conversations. Now I usually travel on the same schedule as salesmen and after lunch these guys call into the main office and I just stand there at the phones, listening in and taking notes for my portrait of the American salesmen.
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? Oh Frank? Listen, Frank. You know, I hate to say this about Brad. I mean we both know he¡¯s got a heck of a job. Ya, ya. Oh you¡¯re so right. But you know, we both know that Brad isn¡¯t pulling his weight. You know what I mean? And I¡¯m not saying this just because we¡¯re both up for the same Safeway account.
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So this book is really a collection of voices and stories as well as portraits of people that I¡¯ve met along the way.
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The Salesman
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| Laurie Anderson |
