Ps: I forgot to mention that I’m re-reading Susan Sontag’s “Against Interpretation”. I was going to add it (hence why the opening of the newsletter alludes to literary criticism), but I’m only halfway through. So expect to see it in next week’s post.
Ps2: I’ve corrected the name of the last entry to Banu Mushtaq, as it was previously misspelled. Apologies.
I have little personal anecdotes/vignettes which I can add relating to at least a few of those (including photos later).
For example, I lost count of how many times I have visited the KHM in Wien, ÖsterReich (pardon the Pascal case, but a remnant from writing code, the camel case is different. I had to look it up). I never did learn enough German to thrive in Austria.
Anyway, I was there in 2017 wandering around admiring the paintings. I stumbled into the room with a self-portrait of Rembrandt and almost freaked out. I am pretty sure I have a photo of the painting and some tourists from Korea. I took a photo of them and shared it with their Handys (Cell Phone). I had never heard that term until visiting the EU.
You mentioned a necklace ? Now, this is a very loose association, something I am familiar with. But I once had a photo of one that is an interesting part of my autobiography. Maybe I could share the photo of that as well and ask you for an interpretation without providing any more context ?
And then you mentioned a Penguin Edition ? I once had a Penguin Edition of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Sadly, that mysteriously vanished years ago. I think Hamlet and Macbeth were my favorites, but probably Hamlet because I was stupid enough to make a special trip to Helsingør to see the castle.
However, I have a recent video from Sicily of all places. One of the locals and I were chatting while waiting for a commuter train. She told me that Michelangelo Florio (some Siciliano) contributed to the works of Shakespeare. I believe it. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crollalanza_theory_of_Shakespeare_authorship
There is an entire academic discipline related to the origins of Shakespeare's works.
From MacBeth, that little ditty by the witches, and from Hamlet, that to be or not to be thingy.
Round about the couldron go:
In the poisones entrails throw.
Toad,that under cold stone
Days and nights has thirty-one
Sweated venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first in the charmed pot.
Double,double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
...
I have to say, as an observer much of the time, is it just a coincidence that Marcel Proust and Oscar Wilde have some things in common ?
These are great! I ended up reading an extract from Heart Lamp and like you said, I'm grateful to have read it, too.
I'm from Karnataka and Kannada is my first language, and I'm pleasantly surprised to have discovered an author from my hometown through you. Thank you!
Ps: I forgot to mention that I’m re-reading Susan Sontag’s “Against Interpretation”. I was going to add it (hence why the opening of the newsletter alludes to literary criticism), but I’m only halfway through. So expect to see it in next week’s post.
Ps2: I’ve corrected the name of the last entry to Banu Mushtaq, as it was previously misspelled. Apologies.
Thx for sharing these with us, Julian. I was in need of something to read.
I have little personal anecdotes/vignettes which I can add relating to at least a few of those (including photos later).
For example, I lost count of how many times I have visited the KHM in Wien, ÖsterReich (pardon the Pascal case, but a remnant from writing code, the camel case is different. I had to look it up). I never did learn enough German to thrive in Austria.
Anyway, I was there in 2017 wandering around admiring the paintings. I stumbled into the room with a self-portrait of Rembrandt and almost freaked out. I am pretty sure I have a photo of the painting and some tourists from Korea. I took a photo of them and shared it with their Handys (Cell Phone). I had never heard that term until visiting the EU.
You mentioned a necklace ? Now, this is a very loose association, something I am familiar with. But I once had a photo of one that is an interesting part of my autobiography. Maybe I could share the photo of that as well and ask you for an interpretation without providing any more context ?
And then you mentioned a Penguin Edition ? I once had a Penguin Edition of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Sadly, that mysteriously vanished years ago. I think Hamlet and Macbeth were my favorites, but probably Hamlet because I was stupid enough to make a special trip to Helsingør to see the castle.
However, I have a recent video from Sicily of all places. One of the locals and I were chatting while waiting for a commuter train. She told me that Michelangelo Florio (some Siciliano) contributed to the works of Shakespeare. I believe it. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crollalanza_theory_of_Shakespeare_authorship
There is an entire academic discipline related to the origins of Shakespeare's works.
From MacBeth, that little ditty by the witches, and from Hamlet, that to be or not to be thingy.
Round about the couldron go:
In the poisones entrails throw.
Toad,that under cold stone
Days and nights has thirty-one
Sweated venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first in the charmed pot.
Double,double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.
...
I have to say, as an observer much of the time, is it just a coincidence that Marcel Proust and Oscar Wilde have some things in common ?
These are great! I ended up reading an extract from Heart Lamp and like you said, I'm grateful to have read it, too.
I'm from Karnataka and Kannada is my first language, and I'm pleasantly surprised to have discovered an author from my hometown through you. Thank you!
This was eclectically refreshing. I'm always looking for good reads. I live in France but never ever think of reading Proust or rereading Maupassant.