I can see that trying to get a word in edgeways will be my main priority where this blog is concerned.
It seems only polite to say hello, since I'm the other half of this blog. So, hello. I'm Dave. Or David. Never Davy. I wouldn't thank you for calling me Davy. I'll probably be known as the "other one" and that's fine by me. He's the talented one in this duo.
We tend to share a large number of interests, so for most of the time what he says goes for me. I'm sure there are areas where we diverge (mainly because he hasn't got round to watching/reading/listening to it yet) but sharing the same voice for much of the time.
I'm also known as the one with the family, since unlike Walt I'm now married with a daughter. Both Walt and myself frequently pause and wonder how on earth I managed that. So expect several posts here on how brilliant some of the modern kids TV programmes are, mainly because that's all I get to watch most of the time.
A word of note....Walt and myself were at one point two-thirds of the entity known as Catholic Taste, hence the name of this blog. This was a text-based fanzine, which was mainly but not exclusively centred on Doctor Who. In fact, it may have been the first Doctor Who fanzine not to concern itself at all with Doctor Who. In writing it we made the unusual step of pretending we were a band and that the issues we released were albums. It seemed funny at the time. This will explain why later we talk about being a bassist or playing drums when neither of us can play either. It will also explain why we will talk of some articles being from our "second album".
We have a vague idea to "re-release" some of the old Catholic Taste stuff, possibly updated since it's over ten years since we wrote it. We'll see.
In the meantime, pull up a chair and have a read of Walt's stuff. He's posting more because he has access to the blog at work whereas my employers are cleverer than his.
Monday, 30 June 2008
So, what is the perfect introduction to the great English novel?
I work in an academic library in Edinburgh, which means that I'm occasionally asked some very odd questions. The oddest definitely being "do you have a copy of the Necronomicon?" If only I'd thought to ask if he wanted it in real human skin or imitation.
The other day, a terribly nice German student came up to the desk and bashfully confessed his ignorance of what he called "the great English novel". Could I recommend something for him that might spark his interest? He said he was actually "embarrassed for not having read any of the greats". Now aside from the fact that my automatic response to received wisdom is not to believe a word of it, this was one I didn't even have to think about.
For me, there was only one choice. It's not an "improving" novel. It's not got a great deal to say by way of searing social comment. It's not epistolary, as so many of the "canon" English novels are (although there is the odd letter here and there). Neither is it a bildungsroman, something which sometimes seemed mandatory for any novel to make the critical grade. It's alright, come back. I'm going to stop being pretentious now. What I mean to say is, my choice - and I didn't even have to think about it - is simply a thundering good read, written in an immediately accessible style.
It's breathtakingly well-paced for such a long novel, which may be the result of its initial publication in serial form as we rattle up to regular cliffhanging points in the narrative. Thanks to the fact that the narrative is repeatedly passed to a different narrator, we're never sure exactly how much to trust.
It is (in point of fact) a blockbusting roller-coaster of a read. And it's one which I had no hesitation in recommending to my German friend as a perfect way to start exploring the murky waters of "the great English novel".
For those who've never read it, I wholeheartedly reccomend "The Woman in White" by Wilkie Collins to you. I envy you - you're in for a treat. For those who have read it - well, you'll know exactly what I mean. It may not be my favourite novel ever, but its damn close.
It's public domain these days, it seems - at least, Gutenberg has it in their list. Get it here, and see if I'm not right.
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/583
The student came back three days later to return it. "It was magnificent", he said.
He was right.
The other day, a terribly nice German student came up to the desk and bashfully confessed his ignorance of what he called "the great English novel". Could I recommend something for him that might spark his interest? He said he was actually "embarrassed for not having read any of the greats". Now aside from the fact that my automatic response to received wisdom is not to believe a word of it, this was one I didn't even have to think about.
For me, there was only one choice. It's not an "improving" novel. It's not got a great deal to say by way of searing social comment. It's not epistolary, as so many of the "canon" English novels are (although there is the odd letter here and there). Neither is it a bildungsroman, something which sometimes seemed mandatory for any novel to make the critical grade. It's alright, come back. I'm going to stop being pretentious now. What I mean to say is, my choice - and I didn't even have to think about it - is simply a thundering good read, written in an immediately accessible style.
It's breathtakingly well-paced for such a long novel, which may be the result of its initial publication in serial form as we rattle up to regular cliffhanging points in the narrative. Thanks to the fact that the narrative is repeatedly passed to a different narrator, we're never sure exactly how much to trust.
It is (in point of fact) a blockbusting roller-coaster of a read. And it's one which I had no hesitation in recommending to my German friend as a perfect way to start exploring the murky waters of "the great English novel".
For those who've never read it, I wholeheartedly reccomend "The Woman in White" by Wilkie Collins to you. I envy you - you're in for a treat. For those who have read it - well, you'll know exactly what I mean. It may not be my favourite novel ever, but its damn close.
It's public domain these days, it seems - at least, Gutenberg has it in their list. Get it here, and see if I'm not right.
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/583
The student came back three days later to return it. "It was magnificent", he said.
He was right.
The genius of Jim Henson #1
For your delectation and delight - a couple of moments of pure gold from season 1 of The Muppet Show.
First up - Rowlf, Catgut, Muppy and Baskerville barbershop their way through "May You Always", in tribute to Lassie. There's not a joke in here - it's a totally straight performance (or as straight as possible, under the circumstances). It's wonderful, though. That's Jerry Nelson as Baskerville taking the lead. A million miles away from Floyd Pepper (his major character, I'd say). Isn't he good? Good as he is though, it takes on a whole new dimension when Rowlf starts vamping those keys at the halfway mark.
Next up - "Hugga Wugga". This traumatised me as a nipper. Now, I think it's one of the finest three minutes of comedy anyone's ever did. Just look at the comic timing on display here. I'm guessing this is Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson, with Jim pitching in at the end. I might be wrong, though....
First up - Rowlf, Catgut, Muppy and Baskerville barbershop their way through "May You Always", in tribute to Lassie. There's not a joke in here - it's a totally straight performance (or as straight as possible, under the circumstances). It's wonderful, though. That's Jerry Nelson as Baskerville taking the lead. A million miles away from Floyd Pepper (his major character, I'd say). Isn't he good? Good as he is though, it takes on a whole new dimension when Rowlf starts vamping those keys at the halfway mark.
Next up - "Hugga Wugga". This traumatised me as a nipper. Now, I think it's one of the finest three minutes of comedy anyone's ever did. Just look at the comic timing on display here. I'm guessing this is Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson, with Jim pitching in at the end. I might be wrong, though....
And when you see the end in sight, the beginning may arrive
Hello, and welcome to the occasionally lucid ramblings of two middle-aged men. We've been talking about doing a blog for years, and now seems as good a time as any. Feel free to pull up an imaginary chair and settle in. Think of us as one of those exclusive Victorian clubs where everyone sits around after a visit to Ye Olde Moustache Shoppe with a balloon of brandy in one hand and an ill-informed opinion ever ready to be espoused.
The overall intent of this blog - at least where I'm concerned - is to be wildly enthusiastic, at times, informative, occasionally very grumpy indeed, but on the whole I'm aiming for a mood of cheery bonhomie with free stuff thrown in every now and then. Be warned - the words "Doctor" and "Who" will almost certainly cross the threshold on many occasions. M'learned colleague and I met as part of Scottish Doctor Who fandom many years ago, and well - why ignore something you love?
Permit me to introduce myself - as one half of the editorial team, I think it's rude to start a blog without saying "Hello".
"Hello". Oh, I kill me.
Anyroad - I'm Walt. I'm the nice one. He's Dave. He's also the nice one. I'm obsessive over the things I love, which translates as an urge to bore everyone senseless with obscurities, minutiae and general stuff you may not realise you wanted to know. You've been warned. Postings from me will probably career all over the place involving some of the following: Jim Henson, Squeeze, old British Telly, old American Telly, comedy (Radio and Telly, Old and New), OTR, vintage film, and will frequently feature a flagrant abuse of the comma. As this sentence has just proven. If you're parading about the internet in forums and other places and someone called "difbrook" pops up, it's probably me.
As and when I get the chance, I'll upload things, review old treasures and rhapsodise over new discoveries. I'll try to post links in time-honoured fashion. The aim is simple - if I love something, I hope someone else will too. That's pretty much all I have in mind for this place, apart from an occasional splenetic rant. Better out than in, and all that.
Hey-ho. I really should shut up for now, but I do hope you all enjoy this place, when it gets going. I'm looking forward to it. A little home from home, as it were. Hope you like us. We like you.
The overall intent of this blog - at least where I'm concerned - is to be wildly enthusiastic, at times, informative, occasionally very grumpy indeed, but on the whole I'm aiming for a mood of cheery bonhomie with free stuff thrown in every now and then. Be warned - the words "Doctor" and "Who" will almost certainly cross the threshold on many occasions. M'learned colleague and I met as part of Scottish Doctor Who fandom many years ago, and well - why ignore something you love?
Permit me to introduce myself - as one half of the editorial team, I think it's rude to start a blog without saying "Hello".
"Hello". Oh, I kill me.
Anyroad - I'm Walt. I'm the nice one. He's Dave. He's also the nice one. I'm obsessive over the things I love, which translates as an urge to bore everyone senseless with obscurities, minutiae and general stuff you may not realise you wanted to know. You've been warned. Postings from me will probably career all over the place involving some of the following: Jim Henson, Squeeze, old British Telly, old American Telly, comedy (Radio and Telly, Old and New), OTR, vintage film, and will frequently feature a flagrant abuse of the comma. As this sentence has just proven. If you're parading about the internet in forums and other places and someone called "difbrook" pops up, it's probably me.
As and when I get the chance, I'll upload things, review old treasures and rhapsodise over new discoveries. I'll try to post links in time-honoured fashion. The aim is simple - if I love something, I hope someone else will too. That's pretty much all I have in mind for this place, apart from an occasional splenetic rant. Better out than in, and all that.
Hey-ho. I really should shut up for now, but I do hope you all enjoy this place, when it gets going. I'm looking forward to it. A little home from home, as it were. Hope you like us. We like you.
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