odd flashback #1 - once whilst living in Chapel Hill (FPB was my neighbor, we each had three kids about the same age, and saw a fair amount of each other outside of work), I remarked to Fred that I preferred the "World Book" to the "Britannica" - he said that he did too - we both liked C. S. Lewis, but he liked Tolkien and I detested Tokien - that was one of our big fallings out - beards and the piano were also major points of discord.
odd flashback #2 - Duane, Fred and I dined together teetotally (Fred and I drank together only twice that I can recall but copiously - Asti Spumonte the first time, Soave the second) - Duane and Fred got along surprisingly well (I was nervous the whole time)
addenda
Cyril's Comments on the November 27 TLS
- great issue – as almost always nowadays
- Rishi Dastidar reviewed Andrew Lih’s recent book “The Wikipedia Revolution” – he did not like it. He said you could learn as much from the Wikipedia article on Wikipedia, but he also recommended Clay Shirky’s “Here Comes Everybody”.
- Some books which received more positive reviews were Karen Sanders’ “Bodies in the Bog”; Kingshill’s and Weswood’s “The Lore of Scotland”; Assouline’s “Herge: The Man Who Created Tintin”; Benton’s “Literary Biography”; and Daniel’s “Gertrude Stein”
- J.C. has some entertaining observations on Konner’s “You Don’t Have To Be Buddhist to Know Nothing”
- The lead review essay is on Willa Cather – must reading for Cather fans
- A letter to the editor recommends Rosie’s “Curious Scotland” (says “enthralling”)
- Thomas Nagel’s recommendation (p. 14) of Meyer’s “Signature in the Cell” created a still continuing tempest in the letters to the editor
- Fergusson’s third appearance (p. 20) is another must read for Old Bookpersons
- The Pepys item also on page 20 is well worth reading
- Good item by Ian Thomson on page 25 on Eric Ambler re Penguin’s reissue of five of his novels (compared them favorably to Maugham’s “Ashenden”)
- The two some what odd bookperson items on pages 30 and 31 are worth reading by bookpersons
- I liked the review on page 33 of Doran’s “The Shakespeare Almanac”