Mighty: Bull, Pen, Gun - Joyce Maynard

“I sent him a five-sentence note, he sent me a 20-page letter, I sent him a one-page letter, he sent me a 50-page letter back. That was the first week of my correspondence with Grizzly.”

Mighty: Bull, Pen, Gun

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An author who treasures the art of letter-writing is spellbound by an
inmate who becomes a pen pal, a man comes to terms with a personal
tragedy caused by a gun, and a writer describes how Ernest Hemingway
persuades him to risk his life by pretending to be a matador. Hosted by
The Moth’s Artistic Director, Catherine Burns.

The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic
Public Media.

A. E. Hotchner lets Ernest Hemmingway talk him into dressing like a matador to face a bull in Spain.

Kemp Powers is only 14 when he learns that playing with a loaded gun can have devastating consequences.

Joyce Maynard is seduced by an inmate with extraordinary letter-writing skills.


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Stories in this Episode

16:44
The Day I Became a Matador

by A. E. Hotchner

A man's relationship with a famous writer takes an unexpected twist.

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12:38
The Past Wasn't Done With Me

by Kemp Powers

Kemp Powers is only 14 when he learns that playing with a loaded gun can have devastating consequences.

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11:59
The One Good Man

by Joyce Maynard

An author who treasures the art of letter-writing is spellbound by an inmate who becomes a pen pal.

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Extras From This Episode

Mighty extras

A.E. Hotchner

You can read Ernest Hemingway’s side of the story in The Dangerous Summer.

All photos by Larry Barrows, LIFE magazine.

1307 Ae Hotchner Extra 3

A.E. Hotchner gets advice from his “manager”, Ernest Hemingway, before the bullfight.

1307 Ae Hotchner Extra 1

The subjects of The Dangerous Summer, from left to right – Ernest Hemingway, Luis Miguel Dominguin, A.E. Hotchner and Antonio Ordonez.

Kemp Powers

You can read more about Kemp’s life before and after in The Shooting, available as an e-book through Amazon.

All photos courtesy Kemp Powers.

1307 Kemp Powers Extra 1 Baby Kemp

Kemp as a baby.

1307 Kemp Powers Extra 4

Kemp and his kids, Mingus and Mackenzie.

Joyce Maynard

1307 Joyce Maynard Extra 1 Photo From The Era Of Joyces Correspondence With Grizzly 1993 With Son Wilson In His As Hat

Joyce and her kids around the time of her correspondence with Grizzly. Photo courtesy Joyce Maynard.

Count The Ways Cover

The cover of Joyce's tenth book, Count the Ways, which will be released June 29, 2021