Lord Bullock, author of the first definitive history on Hitler, has died. Bullock was also responsible for St. Catherine’s, an all-male society that raised substantial cash and that operated under the illusion that women were incapable of math and science proficiency. Bullock, who was the inspiration for the British term for the naughty bits and the later Sex Pistols song, is mourned by Bulwer-Lytton fans, Brie-sniffing octogenarians, and anyone who laments that John Major is no longer Prime Minister.
Author / DrMabuse
And Elsewhere
Rory writes about the Germaine Greer controversy, and then has the courtesy to relay the internal politics in personal terms for us non-Australians (and non-expats).
Michael Moore, Average Joe? I don’t think so. Not when you’re sitting on royalty receipts and grosses receipts from a bestseller and an Oscar-winning, commercially successful documentary. (via Sarah)
Hypergraphia — this condition reminds me of that Sandman story. (via Maud)
Would You Like Syrup With Your Waffling, Mr. Keller?
Bill Keller now states that the NYTBR “is not written for the publishing industry.” However, the bigger revelation is that Ben Schwarz is on record saying that literary fiction “doesn’t play the same role in the lives of intelligent, informed Americans as it did 50 years ago.”
Since Mr. Schwarz did not follow this statement up with any particular enthusiasm for literary fiction and since he underestimates the power of book freaks (and, also, since he hopes echoing Mr. Keller’s words will get him the job), we here at Return of the Reluctant withdraw our endorsement for Benjamin Schwarz and move to Sarah Crichton’s camp.
We urge all readers to vote hope for Ms. Crichton to take over the Book Review, which is in really silly shape at the moment.
If Only I Could Go Chopping
The Arthur C. Clarke 2004 shortlist has been announced, as have the British Science Fiction Association Award nominees. On both lists: William Gibson’s Pattern Recognition and Tricia Sullivan’s Maul; the former just out in paperback, the latter only available in the UK. Maul deals with quasi-feminist themes and profiles a world after “Y-plagues.”
Cinetrix has tracked down the infamous Teachout/OGIC interview.
Joyce’s “House of the Dead” has been resurrected.
And the Guardian has put up a cohrent greatest hits version of the Haddon interview.
AudBlog #5 — Bookblog Primer
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