Anthony Cavo
Author Interview - Anthony Cavo
Author of LOVE IMMORTAL
An artfully designed compendium of 200 antiquarian photographs, all published here for the first time—including daguerrotypes, ambrotypes, tintypes, cartes de visite, and sepia and black-and-white images—culled from the private collection of longtime antiques collector, dealer, and appraiser Anthony Cavo, accompanied by an entertaining mix of historical anecdotes, true stories, excerpts from literature, letters, quotes, and fun facts.
Author Interview - Anthony Cavo
Author I draw inspiration from: I am an avid book reader. I read every day and, no matter how tired I am, cannot sleep without reading at least a few pages. There are several authors whose books I read and reread every few years. Mary Renault's historical fiction - especially The Charioteer, E. F. Benson's Mapp and Lucia series, Ken Follet, James Clavell, Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett, John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces, and Janet Evanovich.
Author Interview - Anthony Cavo | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book: Anywhere I am able to read a book is my favorite place, but I would have to say, specifically, my bedroom. I enjoy reading outside, but I am so inquisitive (nosy) that I tend to watch what is going on around me rather than concentrating on reading. Once, I was reading A Confederacy of Dunces (probably for the tenth time) on the Subway from Manhattan to Brooklyn and realized I was laughing out loud, which, in NYC, passed as completely normal. Two fellow passengers did, however, ask me the name of the book. If you need excellent writing and a good laugh this is the book for you. Unfortunately, Kennedy's hilarious writing is over-shadowed by the tragedy of his life. He was truly a genius and the victim of a confederacy of dunces.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with: If I were to be stuck in an elevator with a character from a book, it would be a difficult deciscion between John Kennedy Toole's Ignatius J. Reilly from A Confederacy of Dunces, Peter Marlowe from James Clavell's King Rat and Lawrence O'dell from Mary Renault's The Charioteer. I would have to choose Lawrence O'dell from The Charioteer. His character is incredibly complex but he is an incredibly honorable and compassionate person who is very sensitive to the world around him. He can be counted on to do the right thing - even at a cost to himself. Whether you agree with him or not, you will, and must respect him. Aside from that, it would be incredibly amusing to be stuck in an elevator with E. F. Benson's Lucia from his Mapp & Lucia series just to watch Lucia's antics at being stranded in an elevator that had the effrontery to malfunction while she was a passenger.
Author Interview - Anthony Cavo | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author: I have been writing stories since the time I was in grade school, but the defining moment was in my sophmore year in high school. I submitted a short story, Shopping for a Coffin, as a homework assignment in what they used to call English Class. My teacher, Mrs. Robinson (really), asked to read my essay to the class. While reading the essay, she, as well as my classmates, laughed a great deal and a feeling of pride and satisfaction swept through me and at that moment, and I knew what I needed to do for the rest of my life.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook: I read hardback and paperback, but especially love paperbacks. You can throw a paperback in your knapsack or carry-on, stick it in a big pocket, or shove it in a drawer. Paperbacks are tough and are not easily offended. You can write in them, turn down page corners and underline favorite passages - they take it in their stride. These are things you'd be hesitant to do in a more expensive hardcover, and there is no dust jacket to worry about ruining. Paperbacks are easy traveling companions whether you are on a bus, train, airplane or simply sitting on a beach.
The last book I read: The last book I read was Janet Evanovich's Look Alive Twenty-Five. Being a native New Yorker, transplanted to New Jersey, I can relate to Janet's main character, Stephanie Plum on many levels. In short, if a tile from the space shuttle were to fall off, you'd be sure to find it in Stephanie's living room. I am still unable to decide if she is the dumbest genious or smartest nitwit I have had to pleasure to meet on any page, but for sure, she is the luckiest unlucky character I have had the pleasure to encounter.
Author Interview - Anthony Cavo | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer: Although I always opted for pen and paper writing, I have succumbed to the ease of the computer. And because the best writing is often in the re-writing, the computer makes changing text incredibly easy. I still use pen and paper to jot ideas and, because I'm obsessive about all things tangible, I always print a hardcopy of my work and save it on an external hard-drive and at least two flash drives and never keep them all in the same place - just in case aliens invade my home when I'm out and take my laptop.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with: If I were to choose a character with whom I'd be best friends, it would be Jame's Clavell's Peter Marlowe from King Rat. I admire his brilliance, his easy-going manner and his ability to take even the most horrible situation in his stride. These abilities are as important as food and water in surviving the horrors of a P.O.W. camp. He is genuine, generous, strong, intuitive, adaptable, extremely fair and incredibly tough. Peter Marlowe has the ability to flourish in a foreign world by assimilating and making the best of what there is.
Author Interview - Anthony Cavo | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a: If I weren't an author, I'd be an unhappy person. The thought is too scary to comprehend.
Favorite decade in fashion history: I'd have to say my favorite decade in fashion history would be the 1930s. I close my eyes and picture myself in a black double-breasted suit or a double-breasted white dinner jacket with a shawl collar. In any case, my favorite outfit would be anything with dog fur on it.
Place I’d most like to travel: Although I have been fortunate enough to have done quite a bit of traveling I have never been to the one place I have always wanted to visit - England. Growing up, I always seemed to be surrounded by the English. My aunt, who I always thought was comical, was from England and my parent's friends were mostly from England. The weekends were filled with big get togethers that included great conversations, jokes and of course a piano player and singing - they always knew how to have fun. I find I gravitate to British television and have always imagined experiencing the English country-side after reading books by Agatha Christie and Mary Renault. I would also like to visit the villages in Italy where my grandparents grew up, Erchie, Gragnano and Castellammare de Stabia.
My signature drink: I would say my signature drink is water, however, in terms of alcohol it would be a Cabernet or Manhattan.
Favorite artist: My favorite artist, aside from Michelangelo who could do it all, would be a tie between Winslow Homer and James Abbott McNeill Whistler. There is a transferrable serenity to their work.
Number one on my bucket list: If I were to compile a bucket list, the number one thing would be to return to Dominica where I lived for a while and spend a month or so with my dear friend Cina and her wonderful family and visit all my old friends there and maybe meet some of the babies I delivered while there in medical school - they would all be in their thirties by now.
Anything else you'd like to add: I think there is no more sure way to communicate with others than through the written word. Whether it is a series, a single book, fiction, non-fiction, a letter or even a greeting card, the written word has power, it is durable, it can be read over and over and shared and remembered. The surest way to touch someone's heart and mind is to add a handwritten note to a gift, inside a card, an email, a text and if you really want to impress and move someone in a positive way, try writing an actual handwritten letter. I guarantee it will be treasured.
Author Bio: Anthony Cavo is a certified appraiser of art and antiques and a regular contributor to Antique Trader magazine. The son of an antique dealer, he began collecting nineteenth- and early twentieth-century photographs at the age of seven. As a kid he used to trawl neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan with his red wagon, collecting antiques from the curb and selling them at a variety of flea markets, most notably, the 26th Street Flea Market in Manhattan. He used his profits to buy photographs, and continued this pastime throughout grade school and high school, eventually becoming one of the youngest auctioneers at a New York City gallery. In addition to dealing, appraising, and writing about antiques, he conducts webinars on the subject. He lives in Maywood, New Jersey.
