I’ll be using this blog as a supplement to the discussion board in BB, which is itself a rather visually unexciting media platform (though it does get the job done). I will be posting various links, news stories of interest, interviews, full texts that you might find of interest, interviews, full texts that you might find interesting, and commentary of my own. Don’t know how often I will update it, but if you follow the blog, you’ll know! I will not provide pertinent course information to the blog since it’s supplemental, but I may just comment on/analyze/discuss certain works we’re studying . . . you never know. You, too, will be able to post to the blog and comment on others’ posting. I’m experimenting with various feeds and points of connectivity, so stay tuned. In the meantime . . . here’s a bit of random pop-culture lit news:
Oh, boy. Chances are . . . no. I shudder, as evidently does the author of this article. Nonetheless, "Dollhouse" is as an apt a title as one might expect. A snippet: "What can we expect? A Picaresque satire? Existential fiction in the style of Sartre? No matter what genre the novel winds up being, we can safely say that it will change the face of literature as we know it. And here are five reasons why: . . ."
This is a fun one . . . any classics on your secret list of not so "great" books? Mine? Catcher in the Rye. Most of Faulkner's novels. Thomas Pynchon for sure. You?
Mark Twain once made the following comment on the works of Jane Austen. I concur with Mr. Twain.
ReplyDelete"I haven't any right to criticise books, and I don't do it except when I hate them. I often want to criticise Jane Austen, but her books madden me so that I can't conceal my frenzy from the reader; and therefore I have to stop every time I begin. Everytime I read 'Pride and Prejudice' I want to dig her up and beat her over the skull with her own shin-bone.
- Letter to Joseph Twichell, 13 September 1898"
I'm assuming this is Rebecca, no? IN any case, it's funny you mention this as I just read a response to the "Overrated" article; the author berated the contributors for criticizing the classics. I actually love Austen myself, particularly for her social commentary. That said, my specialty is British women's literature, 18th and 19th century, so I'm a bit biased.
ReplyDeleteOpens mouth, inserts foot.
ReplyDeleteNo, no! I can appreciate your hatred of Austen. Truly. I don't mind disagreement whatsoever. Please don't censor yourself or feel you need to -- I know plenty of people who hate Austen. Passionately.
ReplyDelete