Some Brief Epistles

[silburygirl]

Dear Canucks

Comments

(Antosha that was)

[mickawber_fics]

Possesion really is pretty damned close to perfect. Romance. Mystery. Literature. Pretty clothes. Literature.

Even if it does have the typical Brit Lit Ugly American character and even if Byatt is a bit of a bint.

Re: (Antosha that was)

[silburygirl]

True, although I feel as though she paints most of her British characters as sufficiently unflattering as well... I get a kick out of a lot of the satiric elements, because it's so catty in a very academic way. (And there is Leonora, who is American and completely delightful.)

I know next to nothing about Byatt, except that she is/used to be an academic.

[mundungus42]

I adored "Possession" and totally understand why it's making "Mansfield Park" look less attractive. Such a delicious literary puzzle and love letter to poetry- I would read it back-to-back with Stoppard's "Arcadia" any day of the week.

YAY for happy sketchy sports bars and games! I suggest the following definition of commodity: attempting to pass on information in a very strange way.

[silburygirl]

I love how much it makes fun of academics, even though it's basically affectionate towards academia. Catty academics are the best!

That is an excellent definition, and definitely not a Marxist one (I'm trying to avoid Marxism with every fibre of my being!), but unfortunately has nothing to do with my topic. Sigh.

[mundungus42]

And it really is spot on about the "types" it pillories, too. I almost wish there had been more on display, but the book didn't need a big cast, so she chose the fun ones :D

How about this definition? Commodity: toilet inventory.

[silburygirl]

And I feel like limiting the cast made her manage to still seem somewhat affectionate-could have easily turned into a academic bash-fest. The cattiness is almost more delicious because of the restraint.

Exactly the definition I need! Thank you! Character functions as toilet inventory. :D