Monday 12 September 2011

Unadulterated pleasure.

I’m reading a book called Letters between Forster and Isherwood on Homosexuality and Literature, although the title is somewhat misleading, as the content of their letters isn’t at all restricted to those two themes, – mostly it’s just adorable invitations and attempts to meet up and then tragically missing each other, much like life in the twentyfirst century when your mobile phone battery is empty, but with the added tension of impending World War, and the increasing dilemma of how to deal with it on a personal level, both in very abstract and very, very real and specific ways, as in: “My lover is German, how on Earth is that going to work out???”. D:

I’m finding it wonderful and endlessly quotable. I think the personal memories and/or letters of literary people are my favourite thing to read by now, I don’t really know why. Obviously it’s because they’re always incredibly well written and witty, but what has happened to me + novels? I seem to be more and more interested in non-fiction. It’s strange. Is it a growing up thing? Can’t be, right? Adults do read fiction. Am I infested by a sort of high(er)-brow reality TV worm?
Anyway, you must bear with me whenever quotes from there crop up throughout my blog posts in the near future.

T., you must read the book!

“If you happen to be in Greece, please come and call. All you have to do is to get to Chalkis by train, then persuade some farmer to bring you as far as Chalia with his cart, from whence half an hour’s brisk donkey ride will bring you to the shore. From the shore you must shout very loud, and I will come over in a boat and fetch you.” 
Isherwood to Forster, 1933


On an unrelated note, I like these kids:

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

this quote just made me giggle...

think I might add this book to my must-read list. which is getting incredibly, incredibly long these days. (with regards to non-fiction this one is next on my list and already waiting on my bookshelf: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mad-World-Evelyn-Secrets-Brideshead/dp/0007243766 !)

dani said...

What a sensational title! What secrets are there at Brideshead? Has there been a murder? Has a ginormous insect-shaped alien been wreaking havoc? Have lady-writers gone mysteriously missing? WILL WE EVER FIND OUT???

dani said...

“I’m being facetious. There’s no call for it.” - favourite Doctor ever.

Anonymous said...

Oh dear, oh dear, I am afraid that after your fantastic speculations, the secrets will probably end up being quite anticlimactic... "Am I rude? Rude and not ginger." might be mine. At the moment. Tey change CONSTANTLY.

dani said...

It’s ironic because 11 is the rudest ever and 10 never did it on purpose ... he just got, er, carried away? Oh gosh, I’m so biased. I’m a biased Tennant-fangirl, it is disgusting.

Dot said...

65 EURO :(

dani said...

Shocking!! Ich kann’s dir aber als .pdf schicken, if you’re into that kind of thing.