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What are we reading? 22/04/2024
Mod
Also enjoying L’Argent. So far it is all incident, no piling up of detail. There is the usual foreboding with Zola. You know that every one of the small investors, introduced one by one, will end up ruined.
There’s a quite wonderful article by James Fenton in the latest NYRB which steps off from a Sargent/Whistler exhibition in Boston to cover much else besides. It seems Sargent could have been a professional musician. JF describes an evening when Sargent and another pianist accompany two singers in a non-stop, four-hand rendition of Tristan.
Our village librarian is trying to get me to bring my computer in so that she can install a portal called LIBI (?) which allows you to access scores of literary journals for free. I'm resisting, because already I can hardly get through everything on the TBR pile, and in any event I like the soothing feel of reading things on paper.
by Percival EverettThis is a multi-layered novel, and the most brilliant piece of work I have read in some time. Percival Everett is a (black) novelist and university professor... you need to know that, because...
Erasure's protagonist is Thelonius 'Monk' Ellison - a (black) novelist and university professor... the name references not only the well-known jazzman, but also Ralph Ellison, author of Invisible Man. But - here's the problem: Monk's novels tend to be reworkings of Greek myths and histories... they do not in any way, shape or form deal with the 'black experience in modern America'.
And - they don't sell particularly well. When his latest book is rejected by his publisher - because, according to his agent Yul - "it's not black enough" (!) Monk explodes:
"What, do I have to have my characters comb their afros and be called niggers for these people?"
"It wouldn't hurt."
I was stunned into silence.
Monk is from a solidly middle class background - his grandfather, father and siblings are all doctors. He has no experience of ghetto life, and no interest in portraying it on the page - and yet, he is being edged into living down to the expectations white publishers have of their black writers. In a fury, he writes a parody ghetto novel and sends it to Yul - who reluctantly sends it to Random House. They immediately accept it, send a huge advance and drool over the reclusive 'ghetto author'... and we're off.
The story of the book, its genesis and publication is absolutely hilarious - it's the funniest thing I've read in years, and had me laughing out loud and often. That's one level.
There is also the story of Monk and his family. There is a tragic death, and the more gradual deterioration of his aged mother... here, Ellison shows a subtle grip on his portrayal of how people in conversation can misinterpret each other.
Then, there are the interstitial sections* - these are clearly intended as offering tools for analysis of the content, and/or a commentary perhaps doing the work of a Greek chorus... for example, at one point Monk gives a talk referring to the concept of 'propositional content': this seems relevant to the way in which speakers and their listeners infer meaning which is not necessarily there 'in the words/text', because of the context... in the story, the context being the historical mistrust between the siblings (for example).
*These sections are not very long, and are of several types: those which deal with concepts from linguistics and literary theory - beyond my area of competence, though I have tried to understand them; brief conversations between artists; short comments by the protagonist (or author?); aphorisms in English and Latin (and maybe some other languages?). I have probably forgotten a few 'types'.
Edit: I deliberately refrained from reading what others have to say before writing my own review, to avoid being influenced. It seems that the term for what Ellison does in this book is "metafictional commentary".
This is a link to one of these sections - a conversation between Robert Rauschenberg and Willem de Kooning, which links directly to the book's title:
https://www.sfmoma.org/artwork/98.298/
(Although familiar with these artists and with the ideas of Marcel Duchamp, I was not previously aware of this work.)
To sum up: this novel can be enjoyed on many different levels. It is a brilliant entertainment, and those disinclined to struggle with the conceptual commentary can comfortably ignore those relatively brief sections. If you do feel so inclined, there are many rabbit holes down which one can escape for many hours... I have barely scratched the surface, so far.
Logger24 wrote: "I’m well into Mukherjee’s The Emperor of All Maladies and still engrossed. The cases he relates are horrible."Sounds interesting indeed... but maybe a bit too close to the bone for me. I had chemo in 2012, and it worked (so far) - not a pleasant experience! But better than the alternative... I'm still standing.
I did well not to read any commentaries on 'Erasure' before completing the book, as there are many - some making points that I disagree with, and some seeming to show an ignorance (or forgetfulness) of the text. If anyone is interested, I'd say - read the book first, then consider the comments.The best and most comprehensive I've come across so far is by Fritz Gysin, but there may be others:https://books.openedition.org/pufr/54...
One comment on JSTOR had some good points, but seemed at times to confuse the book with a film version called 'American Fiction', where it's clear some significant changes have been made:https://daily.jstor.org/the-indelible...
I also didn't agree with some of the points made - specifically, the point about Monk's 'obnoxious (treatment of) Black women. That includes Monk’s new girlfriend, Coraline...' FWIW, the two never really 'get together'... they are on the verge of starting a relationship when Monk discovers to his horror that Coraline admires a novel he abhors. So, he brings things to a close - suddenly and brutally, I suppose, but what if he'd continued? The discovery crossed a red line for him - an author who takes literature seriously - as it showed a fundamental incompatibility. If he'd carried on, the damage down the line would probably have been much worse. (Monk is affectionate towards his female family members; I don't recall the race of most of the other females who appear in person being mentioned at all - maybe the author is making assumptions not justified by the text.)
Mod
are these memories only available in french?..."
Maybe I misunderstood your question when I answered before, so just in case ... I should have made clear that the "Mémoires de Marcel Proust" was what the countess said meaning À la recherche du temps perdu. I wonder whether it was an honest mistake — she also said at this period, towards the end of her life, that she hardly knew Proust, which wasn't true.
Hillerin says that she didn't only inspire the Duchess of Guermantes, but one can also see her in the princess and in Odette. She also says that the Duke of Guermantes is very clearly inspired by the Comte de Greffulhe.
Logger24 wrote: "AB76 wrote: "Logger24 wrote...""...: did you grow up in the UK then? I had you down as Vermonter for life..."
Grew up in the UK, a Lincolnshire boy. Moved permanently to VT only after retiring. M..."
Lincolnshire! My grandfather was a Lincolnshire boy too...Waltham and Grimsby. I traced his paternal ancestry back to 1624, all in that area! His mother was from Dorset.
scarletnoir wrote: " by Percival EverettThis is a multi-layered novel, and the most brilliant piece of work I have read in some time. Percival Everett is a (black) novelist and university..."
you finished it before me as expected, like you, i am really enjoying it
AB76 wrote: "scarletnoir wrote: " by Percival EverettThis is a multi-layered novel, and the most brilliant piece of work I have read in some time. Percival Everett is a (black) novelist ..."
you finished it before me as expected, like you, i am really enjoying it "
I've been looking for something by Everett lately but haven't seen anything on the shelves of the local used book shops yet. I'll probably try one of his earlier novels before this one, perhaps I'll have to order one online.
Logger24 wrote: "Also enjoying L’Argent. So far it is all incident, no piling up of detail. There is the usual foreboding with Zola. You know that every one of the small investors, introduced one by one, will end up ruined.."One of my favourite Zolas and I think has one of his most likeable characters, Caroline Hamelin.
C J Sansom has died!! I knew he had been seriously ill. It appears he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2012.
Berkley wrote: "I've been looking for something by Everett lately but haven't seen anything on the shelves of the local used book shops yet. I'll probably try one of his earlier novels before this one, perhaps I'll have to order one online..."I was surprised to see that Everett had written so many books - 30-odd, apparently. I'm not sure if my ignorance reflects a failure to scan book review sections (I dip in only occasionally, having become a bit annoyed and disillusioned by what looks like an 'I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine' attitude); or, insufficient prominence given to American authors in the UK; or, insufficient prominence given to African-American authors in the UK...
I think that I should simply shut up and take the blame here for not paying attention.
Anyway - I've already put a few Everetts on my TBR list, specifically 'Dr No' and 'The Trees'. A mischievous voice in my ear tells me that I should also consider 'A History of the African-American people (proposed) by Strom Thurmond, as told to Percival Everett and James Kincaid (with James Kincaid)' which must, surely, be pretty subversive. Perhaps to be read in a double-bill with Roberto Bolaño's 'Nazi Literature in America' - also on the TBR list!
This morning at breakfast, I was reading the front page story from yesterday’s NY Times about the amateur historian who is working to establish the innocence of Richard III in regard to the murder of his two young cousins (gift link below). 
My wife asked me about the story and made some skeptical remark about the project. She’s never read The Daughter of Time and, since the article (though not the online version) was illustrated with the official portrait of Richard, I thought I’d put the novel’s thesis to her without mentioning its source.
I turned to the portrait on the front page and asked, “Is that the face of a murderer?”
She laughed and said something to the effect that future historians would use pictures of a massively muscled Trump as evidence in their arguments.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/26/bo...
Mod
Oh! I hadn't seen that.
Bill wrote: "I turned to the portrait on the front page and asked, “Is that the face of a murderer?”She laughed and said something to the effect that future historians would use pictures of a massively muscled Trump as evidence in their arguments..."
Absolutely - history is a moveable feast. We already know that Boris Johnson's supporters will never admit that his period as PM was a disaster, or even that Truss was in error with her disastrous 'financial statement' (for which she and fall-guy Kwarteng sidestepped the protocol of having a 'budget' scrutinised by the Office for Budget responsibility by - simply changing the name!) Truss is now swanning around the globe giving lectures on how there are '10 years to save the West' - by herself and her type, presumably. She nearly destroyed the UK in 44 days - she would not need 10 years to complete the job.
Trump is already regarded as a godhead by his supporters. No amount of evidence about how he has subverted the USA and its institutions to his own ends will persuade a single one of the fanatics. And that will still be the case in 50, 100, 200 years...
A final comment on "Erasure' (for now, anyway) - I discovered that it has recently been filmed under the title 'American Fiction': https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23561236...From a decent article on JSTOR, it became clear to me that the film differs in a number of significant respects from the book (indeed, I wasn't convinced that the author of the piece remembered the book all that well, as opposed to the film). So, better read the book first.
Edit: a quick look at the film's trailer shows that certain assumptions have been made. Many characters in the book do not have their 'race' specified (deliberately, I'd assume). Monk's agent is named 'Yul' - the only 'Yul' I've ever heard of, Hollywood star Yul Brynner, was of Russian descent. Because I know that many Jewish people are involved in showbiz, for no special reason I pictured 'Yul' as a Jewish agent. In the film, the name is changed for some reason to 'Arthur' and the character is played by John Ortiz, who is of Puerto Rican descent. But who knows what 'Yul' was supposed to look like? And why should a 'black' author have a 'black' - or 'black-ish' agent? Murky waters, indeed.
scarletnoir wrote: "Trump is already regarded as a godhead by his supporters. No amount of evidence about how he has subverted the USA and its institutions to his own ends will persuade a single one of the fanatics. And that will still be the case in 50, 100, 200 years...."
Berkley wrote: "AB76 wrote: "scarletnoir wrote: " by Percival EverettThis is a multi-layered novel, and the most brilliant piece of work I have read in some time. Percival Everett is ..."
this was written in 2001...so already 23 yrs old...i missed it totally back then
Gpfr wrote: "AB76 wrote: "Gpfr wrote: "I'm continuing to read (rather slowly) Laure Hillerin's La comtesse Greffulhe (the inspiration for the Duchess of Guermantes) and am now on the final section concerning Pr..."thanks GP
Bill wrote: "scarletnoir wrote: "Trump is already regarded as a godhead by his supporters. No amount of evidence about how he has subverted the USA and its institutions to his own ends will persuade a single on..."Good cartoon, Bill. Will the MAGA brigade pay any attention?
I think we know the answer to that one.
Mod
My area. Although Grimsby became a sizeable and prosperous town only in late-Victorian times, with the enormous growth of the deep-sea fishing industry, there’s a lot of history, starting with the Danes, and maybe even the Romans. King John granted the town its charter in 1201. Two outlying churches still have their Saxon towers.
Disused Waltham aerodrome is where I learned to drive. In WWII it was one of the 50 airfields in Bomber County.
AB76 wrote: "this was written in 2001...so already 23 yrs old...i missed it totally back then."So did I... sometimes, it takes time for us to notice these things...
AB76 wrote: "this was written in 2001...so already 23 yrs old...i missed it totally back then."Every literary event in 2001 was overshadowed by the publication of The Corrections and Atonement.
Logger24 wrote: "AB76 wrote: " ..Lincolnshire! My grandfather was a Lincolnshire boy too...Waltham and Grimsby. I traced his paternal ancestry back to 1624, all in that area! His mother was from Dorset.."My area...."
my grandfather did some holiday jobs on the fishing fleets in his teens, we have a few very small b/w photos...probably mid 1920s.
great to find that Lincs connection...i must explore that area more and the city of Lincoln
Bill wrote: "scarletnoir wrote: "Trump is already regarded as a godhead by his supporters. No amount of evidence about how he has subverted the USA and its institutions to his own ends will persuade a single on..."so true.....Trumps four acolytes
Mod
One of my favourite Zolas and I think has one of his most likeable characters, Caroline Hamelin.
Yes, lovely Caroline, the voice of reason. I hope she never lets herself succumb to the malign Saccard.
Mod
The cathedral and the castle are absolutely worth a visit, and the Wolds are very rightly an AONB.
Logger24 wrote: "There’s a quite wonderful article by James Fenton in the latest NYRB which steps off from a Sargent/Whistler exhibition in Boston to cover much else besides. It seems Sargent could have been a professional musician. JF describes an evening when Sargent and another pianist accompany two singers in a non-stop, four-hand rendition of Tristan."I haven’t gotten to that article, the last in the issue, yet. Unlike a number of his contemporaries, Eakins for example, I can’t recall seeing any of Sargent’s works that depict musicians, and, even if he took part in a performance of Tristan, he doesn’t seem the sort of artist to produce Wagner-derived images, like Ryder or Fantin-Latour.
A couple of things have stood out in the latest NYRB so far.
In her review of Playboy , Anahid Nersessian mentions a 1979 book by Pierre Bourdieu, Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. This sounds like something that might be up my alley. Have any of the Francophone or –phile readers here read it?
Two other articles from which I’ll quote paragraphs that particularly struck me:
In a review of several books and exhibitions centered around homoerotic (or, in some eyes, pornographic) artist Tom of Finland (who, I discovered, really was from Finland), Jarrett Earnest wrote:
By contrast, the recent high-profile Tom of Finland exhibitions have sidestepped the question of fascist aesthetics entirely, with “Made in Germany” (Galerie Judin, Berlin 2020), “Highway Patrol, Greasy Rider, and Other Selected Works” (David Kordansky, New York 2023), and “Bold Journey” making no reference to the existence of Nazi imagery or its lingering presence in the tailored military uniforms. What we get instead is a discursive parade of “sexual liberation,” “personal freedom,” and “gay pride.” I’ve become increasingly uneasy about this uncritical exaltation of Tom of Finland—the august retrospectives; his images printed on T-shirts and swimwear or featured in collaborations with clothing designers like JW Anderson, Comme des Garçons, and Rufskin—which seems to have one ultimate message, reducible to GAY = GOOD. What if we decide that Tom of Finland actually is bad: politically suspect, deeply fucked up? Would we be in a position to think with more subtlety about the intersections of patriarchal white supremacy and the historical project of “gay liberation”? Could we more precisely chart how body fascism and political ideology reinforce or resist each other? Or, in our need for purity, must we pretend that this aesthetic did not exert appeal for those seeking new forms of sexual community—particularly people who explicitly opposed a fascist or racist project, even while seeming to appropriate fascist props?
And finally, Susie Linfield reviewing What Does a Jew Look Like?:
What a Jew—or, rather, an Israeli Jew—looks like has become, oddly, a focus of attention, especially among some parts of the American left. In this view, Israelis are “white” and Palestinians “people of color,” and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict replicates the template of racial justice movements in the United States. The American tendency to reduce political questions to ones of race and skin color—which is both understandable and facile—has been transposed to a national-religious struggle in the Middle East. The US Campaign for Palestinian Rights and Jewish Voice for Peace describe Zionism as a form of “white supremacy.” The editorial board of The Harvard Crimson enthusiastically endorsed a “colorful” campus “Wall of Resistance” that defines Zionism as white supremacy as well as racism, settler colonialism, and apartheid. Israel is, however, one of the world’s most multiethnic countries; an estimated half of Jewish Israelis are descended or emigrated directly from the Arab countries from which they fled or were expelled. Far more Jews have immigrated to Israel from Morocco, Iran, and Iraq than from Germany, Hungary, and France. (The journalist Matti Friedman has dubbed Israel “Mizrahi Nation.”) Palestinians, too, are diverse and exhibit a range of skin colors and physical characteristics.
In some ways the attempt to transform the Israeli–Palestinian conflict into a white-and-black issue is comprehensible. Once one form of moral harm—racism, colonialism, patriarchy, antisemitism—is taken to be exemplary, there is a great temptation to transform it into the paradigm of all harm. But rather than strengthening arguments or movements, this kind of reductionism inevitably distorts them. To view any one form of oppression as the ur-evil that necessarily underlies all others is a form of parochial projection. Rather than enlarging one’s worldview, it results in a radical simplification.
Evening all. Been stuck here in hospital several days now with a drip that beeps to keep me company.
Lincoln Castle is worth a visit if only to see the Magna Carta ( one of only four copies). The old prison fascinated me and, yes, the Wolds are beautiful, not spectacular , gently scenic.
CCCubbon wrote: "Evening all. Been stuck here in hospital several days now with a drip that beeps to keep me company.
Lincoln Castle is worth a visit if only to see the Magna Carta ( one of only four copies). The ..."
Gosh, i hope you are ok CCC, do you have headphones and some audible tapes...or too tired?
CCCubbon wrote: "Evening all. Been stuck here in hospital several days now with a drip that beeps to keep me company.
Lincoln Castle is worth a visit if only to see the Magna Carta ( one of only four copies). The ...">
Oh no, I hope you're doing better!
CCCubbon wrote: "Evening all. Been stuck here in hospital several days now with a drip that beeps to keep me company.
Lincoln Castle is worth a visit if only to see the Magna Carta ( one of only four copies). The ..."
Oh dear, hope you are soon better and home again.
So sorry to hear that, CC. Thinking of you.
CCCubbon wrote: "Been stuck here in hospital several days now with a drip that beeps to keep me company."Oh, dear. The first post here from a hospital bed, I believe. Hope you're well enough to be out of there soon.
I just figured out that the book you posted about earlier, The Hollow Man is also published as The Three Coffins and has been unread on my shelf for many years, probably on the recommendation of Michael Dirda.
CCCubbon wrote: "Evening all. Been stuck here in hospital several days now with a drip that beeps to keep me company.
Lincoln Castle is worth a visit if only to see the Magna Carta ( one of only four copies). The ..."
Oh dear! I hope it isn't too serious. It must be very discombobulating. Will send a more comprehensive message - elsewhere. I think that quite a few of us are living through quite trying times, somehow. I am also wondering what has happened to MK, as they haven't posted for awhile. Anyway I hope you get over, in good form, whatever is afflicting you at the moment.
I am trying to remember whether bleeps in a hospital setting are positive, or worrying, and all I can remember, historically, and personally, is the monitoring during pregnancy, for the heart beat, but I am sure that there are a lot of other kinds of monitoring for very different circumstances. Take care, and my best wishes are with you...
Mod
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Mod
In a review of several books and exhibitions centered around homoerotic (or, in some eyes, pornographic) artist Tom of Finland (who, I discovered, really was from Finland), Jarrett Earnest wrote:
By contrast, the recent high-profile Tom of Finland exhibitions have sidestepped the question of fascist aesthetics entirely...
Mod
Bill wrote: "Logger24 wrote: "There’s a quite wonderful article by James Fenton in the latest NYRB..."
In a review of several books and exhibitions centered around homoerotic (or, in some eyes, pornographic) artist Tom of Finland (who, I discovered, really was from Finland), Jarrett Earnest wrote:
By contrast, the recent high-profile Tom of Finland exhibitions have sidestepped the question of fascist aesthetics entirely...
That fairly long passage you quote is helpful, because I had assumed that the article would be admiring of the talent of Tom of Finland. Seeing the Nazi regalia was enough for me, and I turned the page.
Mod
I read it some time ago and found it pretty good.
I too enjoyed Sansom’s A Winter in Madrid.
The Liberation Line : The Last Untold Story of the Normandy Landings Hardbackby Christian Wolmar
There is an article in the DT headlined "The D-Day miriacle that youive never heard of" about how General Patton got the railway line running again to get his troops and supplies to Paris after the D-Day landings.
Thought it might be of interest to some of us.
CCCubbon wrote: "Evening all. Been stuck here in hospital several days now ..." Oh dear, wishing you all the best. As AC76 says, I hope you have access to audiobooks//podcasts/ radio. They are a godsend at any time, but especially during hospital stays. Get well soon!
Bill wrote: "In her review of Playboy , Anahid Nersessian mentions a 1979 book by Pierre Bourdieu, Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. This sounds like something that might be up my alley. Have any of the Francophone or –phile readers here read it?"Short answer: no. I think that if it interests you, it would be a good idea to read the synopsis and the comments on Goodreads here:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...
Two quotes from that source:
Bourdieu's subject is the study of culture, and his objective is most ambitious: to provide an answer to the problems raised by Kant's Critique of Judgment by showing why no judgment of taste is innocent.
If by '(not) innocent' we mean - prejudiced in some way, or biased by previous experience - then I'd tend to agree. But also:
"Bourdieu’s analysis transcends the usual analysis of conspicuous consumption in two ways: by showing that specific judgments and choices matter less than an esthetic outlook in general and by showing, moreover, that the acquisition of an esthetic outlook not only advertises upper-class prestige but helps to keep the lower orders in line. In other words, the esthetic world view serves as an instrument of domination. It serves the interests not merely of status but of power. It does this, according to Bourdieu, by emphasizing individuality, rivalry, and ‘distinction’ and by devaluing the well-being of society as a whole.”
— Christopher Lasch, Vogue
That, to me, reads like total bollocks. It's saying, in effect, that the working class have zero involvement in aesthetic judgement - an absurdly arrogant assertion. For example - my father (from a solidly working class background) developed an interest in opera and classical music from a young age.
Where do they find these people? (Answer: probably in the 'grandes écoles and ENA.)
Bill wrote: "I’ve become increasingly uneasy about this uncritical exaltation of Tom of Finland—the august retrospectives; his images printed on T-shirts and swimwear or featured in collaborations with clothing designers like JW Anderson, Comme des Garçons, and Rufskin—which seems to have one ultimate message, reducible to GAY = GOOD. What if we decide that Tom of Finland actually is bad: politically suspect, deeply fucked up? "Your post (not just this bit of it) is great fun, with so many points for discussion (controversy?)... thanks for your thoughts.
I’ve become increasingly uneasy about this uncritical exaltation of Tom of Finland—the august retrospectives; his images printed on T-shirts and swimwear or featured in collaborations with clothing designers like JW Anderson, Comme des Garçons, and Rufskin—which seems to have one ultimate message, reducible to GAY = GOOD. What if we decide that Tom of Finland actually is bad: politically suspect, deeply fucked up?
Now then - I'm not gay (though my daughter is and I'm OK with that); so no particular iron in the fire here. I have read the name 'Tom of Finland' somewhere, but know nothing at all about him. So, insofar as his gayness - no problem at all.
But - a Nazi is still a Nazi. If he is by his aesthetic suggesting that Nazi iconography is in some way 'acceptable' nowadays, then - sorry - it isn't for me. Maybe there is some rationalisation for this aesthetic (if that is a correct interpretation of your comment) but I have no idea what it might be, and would, like yourself, be 'uneasy' to put it mildly.
Bill wrote: "In some ways the attempt to transform the Israeli–Palestinian conflict into a white-and-black issue is comprehensible. Once one form of moral harm—racism, colonialism, patriarchy, antisemitism—is taken to be exemplary, there is a great temptation to transform it into the paradigm of all harm. But rather than strengthening arguments or movements, this kind of reductionism inevitably distorts them. To view any one form of oppression as the ur-evil that necessarily underlies all others is a form of parochial projection. Rather than enlarging one’s worldview, it results in a radical simplification."(I assume that this is a part of the quote from Susie Linfield and not your own addition...?)
I completely agree with this point. The idea that you can easily identify a Jew from an Arab (so long as they are not wearing clear signifiers of religion such as a kippah or a niqab) is absurd. People from both religious traditions come in all sorts of shapes and 'colours' (if we must). As for Christians - they don't all have fair hair and blue eyes, no matter what the Mormon Temple may show us... ;-). I rather doubt that this protrait is a realistic depiction.
So, then - if we can't tell a Jew from an Arab, what remains?
We know the Jews suffered intolerable harm from the Nazis - and let's face it, not only from them. Many 'Christian' countries have carried out pogroms over many centuries. The wish - or rather, 'need', for the Jews to have their own 'safe country' is wholly understandable and undeniably justified.
But... some Israelis (and diaspora Jews) seem to have taken their suffering (and the recent atrocity) as being a justification for inflicting excessive retaliatory suffering on the Palestinians (is it necessary to point out that not all Palestinians are members or supporters of Hamas?). I rather think that this may be what the author is getting at, though in a fairy cautious way (understandably).
I do wish the parties would agree to a two state solution, whether as proposed by the UN or along some other negotiated lines. Unfortunately, there seems to be intransigence on both sides, so I'm not holding my breath.
Logger24 wrote: "Bill wrote: "Logger24 wrote: "There’s a quite wonderful article by James Fenton in the latest NYRB..."In a review of several books and exhibitions centered around homoerotic (or, in some eyes, po..."
I enjoyed 'A Winter in Madrid', I was in Madrid when I read it, quite a long time ago, and visited the the Franco Mausoleum 'The Valley of the Fallen', which is a very disturbing and disconcerting place. I didn't know of any other books by him then. But I came across the 'Shardlake' series much later and was surprised to be presented with a very different sort of book to A Winter in Madrid.
I appreciated his descriptive narrative, it gave a real strong impression of life in Tudor England, but there was something a bit off to me in his portrayal of women, they either seemed totally villainous, manipulative or helpless innocents. Whereas all the men were drawn much more sympathetically, and broadly. AWIM doesn't feel like that at all. But maybe 'once a 2nd wave feminist, always a second wave feminist', and I'm hot wired to feel affronted by stereotyped renditions of sexual determinism!... even if that was what the Tudor period was, mostly, like...
CCCubbon wrote: "Evening all. Been stuck here in hospital several days now with a drip that beeps to keep me company ..."
Very sorry to read this - get well soon!
The beeps are good news! ;-) You worry when they stop...
I do hope your fellow patients (if you are in a shared ward) are behaving themselves. Last time I was in, one chap was so addicted to nicotine that despite his broken leg he'd struggle outside several times a day (it was December; he was in his dressing gown) for a crafty fag or three.
Another, who was in the next bed for a few days - and nights - had a few years on me, and suffered from dementia. At night, he'd indulge in some willy-waggling when the nurses came on their rounds.
"Put it away - we've seen it before!" they'd tell him.
Being in a ward is something of an education...
Oh dear, CC, have just seen your post. Sorry to hear you’re unwell. Hope you are getting the best of care and attention, and will soon be up and at ‘em.
Thanks for all the good wishes.Here for a few more days as they tryto getthings stabilized.
Drip still beeps but then I get told off for 1) moving 2) having deep veins so cannula falls out!
In room alone with lovely view but isolated. Cannot read much - just cannot concentrate fgor long.
Dr says they aim for getting me out on Friday so keep your fingers crossed for me.
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"...: did you grow up in the UK then? I had you down as Vermonter for life..."
Grew up in the UK, a Lincolnshire boy. Moved permanently to VT only after retiring. My time as a lawyer was all in London, apart from various cases taking me to foreign parts, and two periods of a few years each in New York and Paris. (Litigation solicitors get to travel much more than barristers.)