More lit crit!
I stopped by the booksale again today and couldn’t resist buying about 10 more books, lol. The fiction section seems a bit boring this year, so I’ve piled on the literary criticism; besides, this is the expensive stuff and most “classics” I can find rather cheaply in a Penguin or OUP edition.
Today’s finds:
The American Transcendentalists by Perry Miller
On the Art of Reading by Quiller-Couch
The Historical Novel by Georg Lukacs
Language and Silence by George Steiner
Seven Types of Ambiguity by William Empson (which incidentally was just referred to in a book I cracked open this morning)
Theory of Literature by Wellek and Warren
Notes Towards a Definition of Culture by T.S. Eliot
The Art of the Novel by Henry James (it’s a collection of all his prefaces, yippee!)
Romantic Affinities, Portraits from an Age 1780-1830 by Rupert Christiansen
There’s some Dillard that’d be nice to have just for fun; but I’m gonna wait till Friday when it’s half price! PLUS, I got my belated birthday present from my parents: The Story of Art, “Finding Neverland”, “Drunkard’s Prayer” by Over the Rhine and “Our Endless Numbered Days” by Iron & Wine. So very cool!! Thank you mum and dad! 
May 17th, 2005 at 5:26 pm
Oooh, I think you will love Iron & Wine. If you’re not taken at first, give it some more time - it grew on me and now I count it among my all-time favourites.
You guys pick the best articles of the week.
May 17th, 2005 at 5:29 pm
Wow…lots of great books for the library…glad that you finally got the gift. One more book is one the way. Have you come across any books of Watercolour? I would love that..or any landscape painters? Getting ready for Mexico
May 17th, 2005 at 6:47 pm
Oh, oh, Bryce and I just made up a really fun game. Okay, so it was my idea but he played along. It’s like charades — you have to act out (or pose in) a famous painting; essentially you are the painting and the other person guesses. Hints are of course allowed. It helps if you go to art galleries together I’d imagine. It’s rather funny; Bryce does a mean Mona Lisa.
May 17th, 2005 at 7:34 pm
I can’t imagine Bryce smiling without showing his teeth.
May 17th, 2005 at 9:38 pm
Laura — I think you’re right; I&W has to grow on me just a bit; however, I really like the song, “naked as we came”, makes me tear up every time.
Mom — I’ve only looked in the literary criticism and classics sections actually; I’ll be sure to check out the art section when I go back next!
Dad — It’s his raised-eyebrow smile.
May 17th, 2005 at 11:18 pm
lit crit is fun stuff. i’m realizing what a great prerequisite literary theory is to studying theology. wasn’t Hawthorne a transcendentalist? i’m curious about those folks..
May 18th, 2005 at 12:04 am
Kendra, Hawthorne was a Transcendentalist — as in the Emerson and Thoreau variety — and even joined the Transcendental commune (Brook Farm) for awhile, but then left after becoming disillusioned with it all, I think.
May 18th, 2005 at 12:36 am
Iron and Wine sounds a bit Simon and Garfunkel-esque to me.
May 18th, 2005 at 10:39 am
Iron and Wine! Hurray!!!! Actually we got turned on to them because a Intown friend’s wife knows them, she being from the south and them being Georgia folk. We have their other EP right now, not nearly as lovely (in my opinion)as Our Endless Numbered Days, but if you want to borrow it, let us know.
May 19th, 2005 at 2:47 pm
Which EP do you have Liz? I’ve heard their song “Woman King” online and really like the sound! It definitely grows on me.