The Armored Sentinel (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 4, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 29, 1953 Page: 15 of 18
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Thursday January 29 1953
Best Seller
THE MANUSCRIPT of "Sironia Texas" is piled high in the
business and writing office of the Waco author Madison Cooper
who is checking his now best selling 1731-page novel. (Photo by
Windy Drum).
"SironiaV' Author Interviewed
(Continued From Page 3)
early forties. I knew that a lot of
time in service is simply waiting
I
and that work on a book would
help pass the time.
"Although I didn't get back into
uniform by that time I was too
interested in the idea of writing
this story td drop it."
In his garret-like office the
author has his business desk and
files plus a table that holds a
typewriter covered by a cardboard
box. Above this is usually a map
of Texas.
When alone Mr. Cooper would
lift it to view the roughly drawn
map of his fictional town of Sironia
together with a sketch of the fami
ly trees of Sironia's leading clans.
These two illustrations appear on
the end papers of the book.
Mr. Cooper explained that all of
his business appointments are
scheduled and in between times
he would uncover the typewriter
and Sironia map for his secretive
writing.
When his pre-set timer told
him of his next appointment
the businessman-author would stow
the manuscript in a large ancient
trunk in the office and step into
his role as one of Waco's leading
enterprisers.
Sitting behind his "business"
desk Mr. Cooper appears younger
than his 58 years. He is tall and
solidly built. His wavy blond hair
is touched with grey at the tem
ples but his keen brown eyes and
ready smile are those of a younger
man. His ruggedly sharp features
are those of the story-book Texan
ut his speech is more a mid-
estern twang than a drawl.
ar
Library Launches
Weekly Musicals
On Wednesdays
(PIO)—The Post Library inau
gurated a series of music discus
sions in its new music room last
Wednesday night with the relation
ship of jazz to the classics as the
theme.
Titled "The Symphonic Hour"
the discussion was led by Cpl. Rick
Edelstein of 1st Armored Division
Headquarters. In his talk entitled
"From Bach to Bop" Corporal
Edelstein used records to illustrate
similarities in the works of Igor
Stravinsky noted modern Rus
sian classical composer and Stan
Kenton foremost exponent of pro
gressive jazz.
INTEREST INCREASING
Mary Mathis Post librarian
said the symphonic hour was
organized because servicemen at
Hood have showed increasing in
terest in classical music.
"I was impressed when I first
came here that so many young
men perfer the classics" she said.
"They know so much about them
and show so much interest that we
have enlarged our music depart
ment.
CONDUCTED BY SOLDIERS
"The entire program is con
tacted by the soldiers" she con
tinued. "We feel they will enjoy
it more and learn more if it is
their club."
The library now has a growing
collection of the classics and a
few new records are added each
month. This month the library re
ceived seven long-play albums.
The Symphonic Hour will meet
every Wednesday night and hold
similar discussions.
A man much impressed by his
recent "arrival" in the literary
world Mr. Cooper said he was
quite pleased with the critical re
ception of the book but seems to
feel that the reviewers who didn't
like "Sironia" either hadn't read
the novel completely or didn't un
derstand it.
Even more than the literary
merits of "Sironia" Mr. Cooper
spoke of the great length and
quoted with ease the following
statistics about his work: over 800-
000 words 4939000 typographical
characters five miles of type were
set that would reach around Radio
City ... or something like that.
Quite often his comments were
to the effect that "Sironia" was
"one of the most ... one of the
first one of the biggest ..."
Another thing Mr. Cooper likes
to talk about is the fact that there
were approximately 12000 trade
(non-text) books published in the
United States during 1952 and that
his novel appeared on "Books of
the Year" lists of many of the best-
known of these including "The
New York Times" "The New
York Herald Tribune" "The Satur
day Review" "Time and "News
week" magazines.
The comments of a reviewer in
one of the nationally-known publi
cations seemed to irk him by say
ing that Mr. Cooper's thoughts on
the subject of racial prejudice and
Southern Jim Crow appeared con
fusing and confused.
The author explained by saying
"My personal opinions of the sub
ject are not in the book. That re
viewer was confused because I let
my characters express their own
opinions—which are sometimes in
conflict with one another."
This whole question of "Si
ronia's" critical reception looms
rather large with Mr. Cooper who
quotes easily from many of the
reviews and if memory fails him
his over-stuffed scrap books of
press clippings are readily at hand.
Any word of future plans in the
literary field are strictly the pri
vate property of the Waco author
who being a practical businessman
subscribes to the theory "Does
Macy's tell Gimbel's?"
Regardless of Mr. Cooper's
future efforts he and "Sironia"
have succeeded in adding another
chapter to the already bulging
volumn of Texas fables.
New Spartan
HOME
DOWN 5%
5 YEARS TO PAY
AUTHORIZED DEALERS
Spartan or "M" System
TRAYELITE
TRAIL-ETTE
Also Many Good Used. Trailers
HICKS
TRAILER DIVISION
Member T.D.N.A. Ass'n.
BURNS HOLT Mgr.
2203 at LaSalle
WACO TEX. PH. 4-4241
TICKETS
Anywhere in the U. S. A.
CONTACT OUR
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DETAILS
When traveling In groups of 25 or
more we offer special service. Call
as for information.
CONNECTIONS WITH ALL MAJOR
LINES
SPECIAL FURLOUGH RATES
t4rrow Coach Mines
For information call or writ* our Local Agent
300 Ave. in Killeen Ph. 471
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Lacy, Joe M. The Armored Sentinel (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 4, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 29, 1953, newspaper, January 29, 1953; Temple, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth254320/m1/15/: accessed April 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Casey Memorial Library.