literarytheory

The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories | Christopher Booker

pick

I‘ve never really given a thought about how all the books we read follow similar archetypes; precisely 7 as per this book.

dabbe One of the best books I've ever read. I'll even go further and say that all 7 can be whittle down to 1: the hero's quest. I think Joseph Campbell would agree with me. 😍 #theherowithathousandfaces 4d

SanjanaGhosh You‘re right, I guess every story involves some sort of quest, even if it‘s just an emotional one! 4d

MariaW Gosh, I have had this one on my shelf for forever. I thought the topic is quite interesting, started it already at least a dozen times, but never found the right time to calm down properly and carefully read it. I definitely have to try again. 💪💪💪 4d

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annamatopoetry

Before the Closet: Same-Sex Love from "Beowulf" to "Angels in America" | Allen J. Frantzen

so-so

Oh boy. It ends in a "meh" despite the subject being extremely interesting, mostly b/c the intro and chapter 1 weren't quite on topic; Frantzen is in literature, not history, so for him the narrative is important enough to spend a chapter on 19th c opera. That said, the bits about Anglo-Saxon England and how later texts reflected it? Awesome.
Photo from Friday; today was so rainy I had to finish the book at the gym after the coffee shop closed.

4 likes

annamatopoetry

Before the Closet: Same-Sex Love from "Beowulf" to "Angels in America" | Allen J. Frantzen

"unlike me, an intellectual, those stupid basic Kushner fans don't notice the true depth of Angels."

Maybe I'm being uncharitable, but nothing in Frantzen's style of writing so far, 95% through the book, leads me to any other way of interpreting that quote.

6 likes

annamatopoetry

Before the Closet: Same-Sex Love from "Beowulf" to "Angels in America" | Allen J. Frantzen

Why why why was a typeface where the eth, the wynn, and the thorn are all so ugly and mismatched chosen for a book full of quotes in Old English?

5 likes

dabbe

The Poetics of Translation: History, Theory, Practice | Willis Barnstone

#poetrymatters
@TheSpineView
#watch

TheSpineView ❤️❤️❤️ 2w

dabbe @TheSpineView 🩵💙🩵 2w

AnnCrystal 💝💝💝. 2w

dabbe @AnnCrystal 🩵💙🩵 2w

33 likes4 comments

Hooked_on_books

Genre | John Frow

I found this cool little map on Mental Floss. The article didn‘t add anything, so I didn‘t bother to post the link. I‘m surprised by the popularity of poetry! And my mom and aunt definitely contribute to mystery being the most popular in California! 😆

BarbaraJean It's SO interesting to see poetry show up more often than mystery!! I'd have thought mystery would be more widespread as a popular genre. 3w

Hooked_on_books @BarbaraJean Right?!? That really surprised me, too. Especially since I‘ve heard a million times that poetry doesn‘t sell and I know mystery sells well. So surprising! 3w

sarahbarnes I‘m slightly disappointed that Colorado came in as a romance state…. 3w

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Kristy_K @BarbaraJean Agreed! I honestly thought mystery would be more prevalent. It seems a lot of the famous authors are in this genre. 3w

Laughterhp How did they gather this data? I have a hard time believing all of New England is reading poetry… 3w

Hooked_on_books @Laughterhp They collected Google Trends data of what people were searching for (and filtered out tv/movie searches). So, it may not be what people are actually reading, but it‘s what they‘re showing interest in. 3w

50 likes6 comments

annamatopoetry

Before the Closet: Same-Sex Love from "Beowulf" to "Angels in America" | Allen J. Frantzen

I love how Frantzen goes from "Foucault missed a lot in The History of Sexuality when it comes to the medieval era" (true) to "so all of queer theory is stupid and invalid and also they probably said something mean to me". I don't even care. I usually like academic pettiness, but this has been going on for 21 pages! I'm not out of the fucking intro yet. Do your own work instead of bitching at everyone else. Jesus fuck.

annamatopoetry The last three pages were devoted to the book itself and what is was going to do? I'm sure it'll be fascinating, but also ugh the first 90% could have been summarized down to four pages. 1mo

annamatopoetry Ok, once the book actually starts it's much better, but I'm still waiting for the medieval history. Currently we're doing 19th and 20th c opera? 1mo

6 likes2 comments

annamatopoetry

Before the Closet: Same-Sex Love from "Beowulf" to "Angels in America" | Allen J. Frantzen

It's probably not a good sign when I'm irritated with the author before even leaving the introduction.
More soon.

annamatopoetry I'm now on page 17 of "why everyone else sucks", with another 18 to go. Just say what you're gonna say, oh my fucking god. 1mo

5 likes1 comment

Pinta

The Art of Mystery: The Search for Questions | Maud Casey

so-so

I like this series. Semi-successful entry on a tricky theme: how mystery is created in fiction. Examples: Henry James, WG Sebald, Shirley Jackson, James Baldwin, Paul Yoon. The frustration & freedom in mystery. Imagination, capacity for wonder, pursuit of strangeness. Hauntings. Accepting what can‘t be understood.
98 — “the land of Un: uncertainty, unknowing, unfathomability.”
137 — “There‘s an aspect of infinity to mystery—an eternal becoming.”

13 likes