DAN ISAAC

Thinking of you dear Marina Susan Willerman

I met Dan in 1960 or so, in the PhD program at the U. of Chicago, and we remained friends in at least periodic contact (I moved to Israel, he to New York) until he died. He was one of a kind. Unique, eccentric -- even that in original ways, and always special, always fully alive, thinking and learning. Always Dan, and I miss him. I'd also like to use this to send my very warm regards to Marina, hoping, if she sees this, she'll get in touch with me. She's pretty special herself, and I'd love...

I first met Dan at a Modern Language Association conference when I found out he had written an article on an author I was working on (Elie Wiesel). He sent me the article and that was the beginning of a deep friendship. We exchanged ideas,and articles (our own and others). I went to Dan's plays, those that he wrote and those of Tennesse William's that he discovered and edited. He invited me to openings of plays and screenings of movies. When Marina was old enough, she came with us. Dan was...

Dear Marina,

Your father was an amazing man in so many ways. And he loved you and your bright spirit deeply, you could see it whenever he talked about you.
I spent interesting time in his company, and valued his passion for Tennessee Williams and the work he brought to light.
My sympathy and thoughts are with you.
All my best wishes,
Susan Willerman

Graduate school seemed horrible. The classes couldn't have been duller, especially the required Bibliography and Literary Historiography taught by the sepulchral Prof. Bond. We spent much of the term examining footnotes in the current issue of PMLA. One footnote was the citation, Unwin, p. 345. Prof. Bond leaned forward, asked devilishly what was Unwin's first name, paused, and then called on Mr. Isaac.

"Was it Joe?" was Dan's response.

That act of resistance,...

I have such a fond memory of your father, Marina. When I worked at Ensemble Studio Theatre, each year I would ask the members to let me know what food they were bringing to the Holiday Party, and each year I would get a call from Dan saying "I'm going to bring a nice rye bread." And he did. For some reason, it always made me smile. I was so sorry to hear of his passing. My sincere condolences to you and your family.

Dear Marina,
Although we never met, I offer my sympathy on the loss of your father.
Bernice Hunt

I've known Dan (still using present tense, I see) for 52 years, since we met at the U. of Chicago, where we both did a PhD in English. We stayed in touch ever since and saw one another once each year, when I returned from Israel for the summer and stayed overnight on a sofa cleared of a dozen book and newspaper filled boxes for the occasion. I'll miss Dan. He was like no one else, one of a kind. A very quirky kind in some ways; that was part of what made him special, but there was a great...

What a lively, blessed, independent spirit, and Marina, you are another. It's a privilege to know you both. My condolences and love to you. Lois Smith, New York City