One of my colleagues just read "Northanger Abbey" for the first time, and now we're both trying to convince another co-worker to read it as her first-ever Austen novel! It's a Northangerssaince!
I also sometimes think of the strange case of Udolpho.com (or was it .net?), which began as a transcribed version of the novel, then the man behind became well-known for a time as a right-wing blogger under the name Udolpho, then he moved further right and became the proprietor of an anti-Semitic message board under a different name. I do not know what he is up to in the Trump era.
This is unrelated to your post, but I buy a decent amount of books mentioned on Substack (with a mediocre success rate of actually reading them or enjoying them if I do) but I got The Course of the Heart after it was mentioned here and devoured it in two sittings. Really good stuff and to my tastes (already looking to get more of his work) so thanks for the rec in addition to your great essays.
oh this is great to hear! I just finished his book The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again and really, really liked it, if you're looking for another recommendation. It's a little bit more straightforward than The Course of the Heart (but not in a bad way).
In the late 80s, i stole "kindest regards" from a wonderful academic, Sanford Elberg, of UC-Berkeley (dean of the grad school from the McCarthy/HUAC hearings to the kidnapping of Patty Hearst). Because i knew him well, it seemed so appropriate as the closing of a delightful old man, which i want to be.
I also think Richard Rorty would be pleased with your essay about *northanger abbey* as indicative of his claim that novels do philosophy better than it does it itself these days.
that was lovely! and a little terrifying!
One of my colleagues just read "Northanger Abbey" for the first time, and now we're both trying to convince another co-worker to read it as her first-ever Austen novel! It's a Northangerssaince!
yes! yes! yes!
Do you know about this book? From what I have heard, the author likes The Mysteries of Udolpho more than you did. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Jane-Austens-Bookshelf/Rebecca-Romney/9781982190248
I also sometimes think of the strange case of Udolpho.com (or was it .net?), which began as a transcribed version of the novel, then the man behind became well-known for a time as a right-wing blogger under the name Udolpho, then he moved further right and became the proprietor of an anti-Semitic message board under a different name. I do not know what he is up to in the Trump era.
I picked it up recently but I haven't read it yet!
I adore Henry Tilney and your article is superb! I read Northanger Abbey just last year and I was pleasantly surprised at just how delightful it was.
Henry! Henry! Henry! Henry!
This is unrelated to your post, but I buy a decent amount of books mentioned on Substack (with a mediocre success rate of actually reading them or enjoying them if I do) but I got The Course of the Heart after it was mentioned here and devoured it in two sittings. Really good stuff and to my tastes (already looking to get more of his work) so thanks for the rec in addition to your great essays.
oh this is great to hear! I just finished his book The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again and really, really liked it, if you're looking for another recommendation. It's a little bit more straightforward than The Course of the Heart (but not in a bad way).
In the late 80s, i stole "kindest regards" from a wonderful academic, Sanford Elberg, of UC-Berkeley (dean of the grad school from the McCarthy/HUAC hearings to the kidnapping of Patty Hearst). Because i knew him well, it seemed so appropriate as the closing of a delightful old man, which i want to be.
I also think Richard Rorty would be pleased with your essay about *northanger abbey* as indicative of his claim that novels do philosophy better than it does it itself these days.
I should say I myself have nothing against somebody who signs emails "best"… but I can't imagine anybody objecting to "kindest regards"!
possibly "best" just means he went to grad school...
I tend to sign my emails "thank you" which feels much more justifiably annoying.
i previously believed “best”, “sincerely”, and “thanks” were all neutral and equivalent. but i guess i was missing a lot of subtleties.
Really enjoyed this :)
thank you!