Joe Gould's Secret
by Joseph Mitchellliterary work· published 1964
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*Joe Gould's Secret* is a 1965 book by Joseph Mitchell, based upon his two New Yorker profiles, *Professor Sea Gull* (1942) and *Joe Gould's Secret* (1964). Mitchell's work details the true story of the eponymous Joe Gould, a writer who lived in Greenwich Village in the first half of the 20th century. Gould was an eccentric, bridging the gap between bohemianism and the beat generation, though he was an outspoken critic of both. This criticism alienated him from the social circles of poets, authors, and artists of his time, and instead he focused on documenting the history of what he called the "shirt-sleeved multitude."
Adaptations (1)
Joe Gould's Secret was adapted into a 2000 film.
Joe Gould's Secret2000 · film · 104 min · dir. Stanley Tucci · IMDb ↗Around 1940, New Yorker staff writer Joe Mitchell meets Joe Gould, a Greenwich Village character who cadges meals, drinks, and contributions to the Joe Gould Fund and who is writing a voluminous Oral History of the World, a record of 20,000 conversations he's overheard. Mitchell is fascinated with this Harvard grad and writes a 1942 piece about him, "Professor Seagull," bringing Gould some celebrity and an invitation to join the Greenwich Village Ravens, a poetry club he's often crashed. Gould's touchy, querulous personality and his frequent dropping in on Mitchell for hours of chat lead to a breakup, but the two Joes stay in touch until Gould's death and Mitchell's unveiling of the secret.
