The profile of Frank Sinatra by Gay Talese was intriguing. Everyone knows the name and everyone has probably heard at least a song or two by him. Drunk people sing along to his song “New York, New York” after Yankees’ baseball games. People make love listening to his music. He is one of those singers who transcends time and will always be a classic. This profile takes such a large public figure head and shows the real man behind the music. It appeals to the readers because who doesn’t like reading about celebrities? Talese never really got the chance to sit down and do a true interview with Sinatra but he utilized people close to him and observations to write a thrilling piece that captivates audiences of all ages. Talese uses ethos and pathos beautifully in the personal views of people surrounding Sinatra. His friends told stories of Sinatra’s love and affection for his family that truly transformed the public celebrity into a real, relatable human being.
The interview with Gay Talese is interesting. He talks of doing profiles and makes it seem like a full time job merely gathering material. He says he takes about a year or two for him to feel comfortable writing a profile of someone. To write a profile (according to Talese) you need (sincere) curiosity and patience. You also need to have a point. He says he wanted to write about people not in the news and discover them. He wanted to use real people, real names, and real facts to make nonfiction writing important and well known. He was proud of his ability to “write literature in a daily newspaper.” The interview was fascinating and I would love to read more profiles by him.
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