Lab
Ed Ricketts was such an interesting figure. He was philosophical and kind. He was intelligent and friendly. He was a good friend to Steinbeck. I see that sort of friendship between Randie and Ryan. (I see lots of parallels betwixt the two friendships).
Steinbeck was in New York when he heard of Doc’s car accident. He said “The greatest man in the world is dying and I can’t do anything.”
There’s a synergy that occurs between kindred spirits that becomes more than the sum of its parts. Like between Randie and Ryan… Hmmm… what could an artist and a writer produce together?
A better world?
Steinbeck & Ricketts’ contribution to a better world? Understanding of the world around us… through both non-fictional and (semi-)fictional works…. The Log of the Sea of Cortez and Cannery Row come to mind.
Well, I just got finished reading all the Squids to date (and commenting on some, of course…). Love the strip, though on the other hand it means I’ve got yet another one to add to the list of web comics I read daily 😉 I swear I spend more time reading other people’s comics than doing my own 🙂
Mark, who finds other people’s web comics to be too good a distraction…
Ricketts wrote “Between Pacific Tides” which is a guide to the intertidal organisms of the Pacific Coast. He ran a biological supply business, in which he collected marine organisms, preserved them, and sold the specimens to schools and colleges all over the coutnry for their biology classes. His book is still aorund, having been updated several times by marine biologists since his death.