5 books you'd take on a desert island (from GoodReads)

[leveldeaded]

shakespeare complete works

OED unabridged

i ching

the CS Lewis Space Trilogy (yes, it's all in one book)

Richard Brautigan's Trout Fishing in America, The Pill versus The Springhill Mine Disaster, and In Watermelon Sugar

Comments

Brautigan

[abigfatslob]

In one of the lit classes I took at Kenyon, we had to pick an American writer to do a final paper on. I picked Brautigan and, seeing everything through my History major lenses, rendered what I thought was a brilliant thesis that his novels were commentaries on the American experience from colonialism through the 60s. Taking them in sequence, I argued, each novel to be a metaphorical examination of succeeding epochs in American history.

The professor (who was in his first year and, I think, invited not to return for a second), gave the paper a low grade, primarily on the strength of his comment -- scrawled in red across the cover page -- to the effect that Brautigan was a talentless light weight in whom no self-respecting Kenyon student should have any interest.

Recently rereading some of the novels, I think my original thesis was a little too precious and a lot forced. His novels are unquestionably commentaries on the American experience, but not in the neat, chronological, or epoch-level sense.

As for that professor's judgment of Brautigan's talent, I think the fact that the English department decided that it was in HIM that no self-respecting Kenyon student should have an interest, said it all.

BTW, after no too long ago ending an over 25-year marriage, I can recall the intensely painful joy of saying "I am glad I am not married". Distance will give you the perspective that you need to gradually reduce the pain.

Re: Brautigan

[leveldeaded]

Well, "Bravo," the English Department. I suspect that professor must have massive insecurities about his own talent. That burns me, though, that he let you pick any author and then just bullied you about your choice. I mean, I could pick Margaret Wise Brown, obviously not talentless, but the scope of her work is certainly a little limited, and would I get criticized for that?

If he wanted you to pick authors HE liked, a list of options would have been the best choice.

I got incredibly lucky with my 1st year english prof. in fact, I'm just lucky, in general.

thanks for the kind thoughts.