A Newsletter of the Faculty of English 99 WestWest RoadRoad Volume 10, 2010 Chairing the English Faculty
his is an opportunity to preen that reaching an audience outside the during the past four years, and a relief and to moan, so let me begin academy seems to count as ‘impact’; we now that they are over, to return to Twith the latter. Several black have to provide evidence that we have Sophocles, Shakespeare and Henry words sent shudders down my spine changed people’s lives, or as it is now James, to talk about them with sharp- during my four years as Chair but called, ‘behaviours’. It is particularly minded students, to let great writing the blackest was ‘impact’. About this disheartening to find the argument re-tune one’s sense of language and its time last year the Faculty was invited rejected that the greatest impact we capacities. And clean out the garbage. (a euphemism) to take part in a pilot in English have on the world beyond scheme for assessing the impact of the academy is through the students On some brighter notes: there is research in English ‘on the economy, we teach, and that this teaching is nothing like being Chair for learning society, public policy or services, vitally nourished (or ‘underpinned’, who all your colleagues actually are, all culture, the environment or quality to use the jargon) by our research. 80 or more of those active in teaching of life’. I have spent a fair amount of That doesn’t count, we are told. To for the Faculty, what they do, where time in routine drudgery but this was say that we feel out of kilter with the their expertise and passions lie. The something else. Anyone innocent of ethos, principles and public policies new Faculty building has made a such developments over the last two that increasingly dominate treatment difference, to be sure. It is harder than decades should know that ‘research’ of the arts and humanities would be it was in the old days to go for years has become an increasingly important an understatement. And we are the without ever meeting the notorious element in the funding arrangements lucky ones (probably) –– in English, Professor X or the legendary Dr Y. It for all Universities; that this research in Cambridge –– compared to smaller has been particularly heartening –– undergoes elaborate assessment at outfits and subjects such as our unique with no disrespect to more senior and intervals slightly longer than those Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse, familiar figures –– to see the arrival between the Olympics or the World and Celtic, because of the (current) and the development of many younger Cup, but subject to a similarly endless popularity of our subject amongst colleagues; by comparison with most cycle of speculation, expectation, benighted young school-leavers not yet others, the Faculty’s age-profile is hysteria and recrimination; and that ready to devote themselves to subjects happily youthful. It would be invidious preparations for the next one, a mere more obviously conducive to ‘economic to name names but I will say that there four years away but already absorbing benefits’. But of course there are ways has been a welcome readiness to get vast quantities of time, energy and of getting that changed. involved in Faculty outreach activities, anxiety, entail a new requirement to to contribute to the University’s prove the beneficial ‘impact’ of (a A more minor moan. Of the lesser Festival of Ideas, to create the proportion of) our research on the injuries inflicted by the office of Cambridge Authors’ web-site (www. world outside the academy. Chair nowadays, the most lowering english.cam.ac.uk/cambridgeauthors/), is the effect on your own writing, and so on. Finally, the past four For those eager to gauge the and perhaps even thinking, of the years have certainly been made more enthusiasm with which this last has language of modern bureaucracy, bearable, and at times even fun, by our been greeted by those of us working all the prioritizing, operational wonderfully experienced, long-serving on new editions or interpretations of implications, outcome indicators, (I was going to say long-suffering) Euripides, Spinoza, William Blake or impact beneficiaries, incremental assistant staff, our dynamic new(ish) Christina Rossetti, such as we expect significance, and levels of robustness. Librarian and her staff, and the two to provide ‘Book at Bedtime’ listening I have become particularly allergic to wise, patient Administrators with if not actual reading for top business the vacuous phrase ‘going forward’, whom I have cordially wept –– with executives and government ministers, particularly in a climate where we are grief, chagrin, relief and occasional joy. I refer you to the already classic essay resisting pressures to go backward in the TLS (13 November 2009) by my down a dark alley with a firing squad Faculty colleague Stefan Collini. Not at the end of it. It has been a lifeline Adrian Poole
www.english.cam.ac.uk concluding report that in his opinion it in a range of faculties and departments MPhil in is now ‘the best one-year postgraduate across the arts, humanities, and degree on audio-visual media in the social and historical sciences. The country’. English Faculty currently provides two Screen, Media, modules, both concerned, evidently, Students are admitted to the with literature and media: one on and Cultures programme from a variety of academic ‘Sacrifice in Film and Literature since backgrounds. Some have already World War Two’, taught by Alex he University’s MPhil in Screen studied the history and theory of Houen, and one, which I teach, on Media and Cultures began media, most haven’t. The Michaelmas ‘Naturalism in Literature and Film’. Tas a collaboration among Term core course on ‘Critical Both arise out of the recognition that researchers in disciplines across the Approaches’ provides an introduction it doesn’t make sense to teach the arts, humanities, and social and to the basic ideas, methods, and literature of the last hundred years historical sciences who discovered that historiographical concerns which have or so in isolation from those media they had an interest in common: the shaped the interdisciplinary study of which have most decisively shaped saturation of cultures around the world screen media as it is today. The focus the ‘screenscape’ we all now variously by screen media of all kinds, from film throughout is at once on the medium- inhabit, poets included. through television and video to the specific ‘language’ of the filmic, gameboy console and the internet chat- televisual, or new media ‘text’, and on ‘Sacrifice’ examines how writers and room. What might careful historical and theoretical enquiry, drawing upon a variety of methods and forms of knowledge, have to tell us about life today in the middle of that saturation? Based since 2006 in the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages, and taking advantage of expertise from as far afield as Sociology, Social Anthropology, and the Judge Business School, the programme is interdisciplinary not only in ambition, but in its very structure.
The MPhil has proved as stimulating and productive an academic experience as I’ve had in more than thirty years’ teaching at universities in Britain and the United States. From the outset, it became apparent that successful applicants (from China, Russia, Serbia, France, and the West Indies, as well as the US and the UK) had chosen the course because it offered them, through its combination of interdisciplinary breadth and intensive one-to-one supervision, something they could not find anywhere else a broader understanding of the cultures film-makers have drawn on notions in the world. That sense of taking in which that language has become of sacrifice when depicting political part in a new intellectual adventure embedded, and which it has done its conflict, particularly the Vietnam has consistently generated, in their part to shape. The organization of War, the Cold War, the ‘Troubles’ in research and writing, approaches to classes reflects this emphasis on ideas Northern Ireland, and the so-called screen media that would not have been possible under more traditional ‘film and methods; but students have none War on Terror. Much has been written studies’ or ‘media studies’ disciplinary the less to develop a broad knowledge about substitution and exchange as models. Each year around 40% of of the history of screen media from being at the heart of sacrifice – whether those graduating from the programme 1895 to the present. in terms of a victim standing for a have continued to the PhD, either in community, or of mortals giving life Cambridge or elsewhere. Professor Lent term involves something of a to the immortal. One of the main aims Colin MacCabe, External Examiner Diaspora, as students choose two of the course is to consider how such during its first four years, said in his optional modules from what’s on offer exchanges bear on particular
2 aspects of literary and filmic figuration on seats in front of the pavilion, the (including realism, lyric, symbolism, Remembering soothing sight of green and white and the sublime). This raises another displayed before us. Although hardly question: if a documentary can an enthusiast by temperament, Frank play a role in turning a person into Frank was a cricket-lover, always reading the a martyr; if an poetic elegy can be scores in the sports pages and watching instrumental in wrapping mortalities Kermode the TV highlights. He had played in political idealism, do we need to regularly while a lecturer at Reading see these kinds of aesthetic works as rank Kermode (who died in in the 1950s (‘I was never any good’), performing something of the labour Cambridge on August 17, 2010) and one of the times his hangdog of sacrifice? If so, in what ways does was one of the most well-known look would hang most doggishly was F when we talked about the fact that I that labour vary according to medium and highly-respected literary critics still played and he didn’t (‘Of course, and genre? Classes generally involve of our times. He was King Edward you’re young…’; 90 could say that to close comparison: Seamus Heaney’s VII professor of English Literature 62). North with Steve McQueen’s Hunger; at Cambridge from 1974-82, and Amos Oz’s Elsewhere, Perhaps with Fellow of King’s College 1974-88. We talked a bit about cricket when I James Miller’s Death in Gaza; Don Before coming to Cambridge, he held professorships at Harvard (where he would go round in the evenings (‘Yes, DeLillo’s novel Falling Man with Paul come round: I can still drink’), but Greengrass’s United 93. Students have was Charles Eliot Norton Professor of Poetry in 1977-8), UCL, Bristol, and mostly we talked about literature, written essays for the module on topics which is to say mostly I tried to get ranging from British WWII propaganda Manchester Universities. Some of his earliest publications established him as him to talk. I was, am, too ill-read through Vietnam War films to a formidable academic, including The to be rewarding company for him Palestinian martyrs’ videos. Romantic Image (1957) and the Arden on many of these occasions, which edition of Shakespeare’s The Tempest I always regretted, though there In Easter Term, everyone hurries (1954). During his prolific early years, are worse failings than not being as ‘home’ to MML to research and write he published widely, for example on well read as Frank Kermode. His a 15,000-word dissertation which Donne, Milton, and Wallace Stevens, range was astonishing, across genres draws together and builds upon the and was a frequent contributor to the and languages, and some favourites critical approaches developed on the New Statesman and Spectator. Later, (Donne, Stevens, Roth) were very vivid Michaelmas Term core course, and in 1973 with John Hollander, he edited in his memory right up to the end. the sorts of specialist interdisciplinary The Oxford Anthology of English He gracefully concealed his shock at enquiry undertaken during the Lent Literature. Kermode was also editor the extent of my unreading, part of a Term modules. The programme lasts of several series, such as the Modern deep courtesy that somehow enabled for nine months in total. Masters and Fontana Masterguides. rather than obstructed playfulness He was one of the founders (with and teasing. We would chat about the For some time now, the state has Karl Miller) of the London Review of current review he was always writing proved increasingly reluctant to fund Books in 1979. He published books (‘Mary-Kay keeps me under the lash’), graduate studies in the arts, humanities, on contemporary literary theory as well and I could feel what a desolating and social and historical sciences. Our as on ‘classics’, his final publication defeat it was when, late in his illness, primary fund-raising aim is therefore being a book entitled, Concerning E.M. he had to acknowledge that he wasn’t the provision of studentships for those Forster (2009). going to be able to review the last book he had been sent. It was a selection wishing to enter the programme. of the letters of Louis MacNeice, and But the programme itself can claim The following appreciation of Frank of course one immediately thinks how to have changed the face of the Kermode by Stefan Collini first appeared in The London Review of good it would have been to have had University, not least by means of the Books, 23 September 2010. one of his quietly perceptive, deftly fortnightly research seminar it now modulated assessments of a writer sponsors, which brings scholars, film- Stefan Collini writes: ‘Yes, I’d like whom he had read when he was an makers, and even the odd executive to that very much. That really would be undergraduate at Liverpool in the late Cambridge to tell us what they know, something to look forward to.’ Frank 1930s and still partly admired. For and has become a focus for all those was already weakened and wasted decades Frank had set the benchmark in the University with an interest in by throat cancer, but my suggestion for the review-essayist’s trade: it will be and passion for screen media. When it that we go to watch some cricket at a long time before we stop wondering, comes to walls and notice-boards, at Fenner’s did seem genuinely to appeal faced with a new book, how he would least, we have made our mark. to him. There wasn’t much to look have handled it. forward to by this point. On the David Trotter appointed day the weather was kind, Eliot famously said that in literary and after only a little too much fussing criticism the only method was to be Photo courtesy of Daniel Wolpert on my part we were finally installed very intelligent. Frank had none of
3 Eliot’s chilly hauteur, nor his taste for uncannily sharp recall when it came provocation for its own sake, but he to a line of poetry that had been in Talking in the was, in his attentive, conversable prose, contention 40 or 50 years ago. a wonderful illustration of Eliot’s mot. A Kermode essay seems somehow I was by no means one of Frank’s Library? to set up camp inside the work he closest or oldest friends; ours was a is discussing, to be at ease with its late-blooming relationship, and all quiddity, often appreciative, yet also the dearer to me for that – there’s an Surely not! noticing where the handiwork had been inescapable poignancy and sense of hilst great care is taken in the ill-judged or botched. Reading him, lost opportunity in establishing a close Library to ensure that the one’s attention is directed to the subject friendship with someone already in right atmosphere for serious matter not the critical performance, W their eighties. I could occasionally study is promoted, it is true to say that but it is impossible not to be aware see traces of the iron and the acid that there have been a number of changes of the presence of a responsive, deep- opponents had complained of decades in the last few years. The dynamically feeling man who is remarkably learned ago, but overwhelmingly I encountered changing information environment we and constantly alert to all the ways a quality it sounds too anodyne to live in has an impact on the library literature can mean. Although in describe as sweetness, and too gullible service and we need to respond to it in conversation he would talk about the to see as a winning diffidence, but such a way that we bring added value particular book he had under review, which communicated a reticent warmth and enhanced support for students and he said little about his own writing I was very drawn to. I’m sorry now academics alike. or about the process by which his that we allowed English male shyness camped-up groaning over the difficulty to stop us speaking more freely about of the task was invariable succeeded by some of the things that mattered to the appearance a week or two later of a us most (not that he, ambivalent shapely piece of limpid thoughtfulness. Manxman, would easily submit to the indignity of being lumped with ‘the He would sometimes talk about his English’), but that courtesy of his could own past, reticently, sardonically. sometimes make too much directness Key moments in his life would be seem intrusive. elided with a deliberately restrained or oblique phrase (‘My private life Our afternoon at the cricket was was becoming disorderly’), and terms not a complete success. The batting like ‘disaster’ and ‘fiasco’ peppered became dull as the game headed for all reminiscence. I teased him about a draw; Frank could follow the flight having been a serial professor, having of the ball less well than either of us held half the named chairs of English in the country, sometimes in quick had anticipated; and his body started succession (‘There were reasons; I don’t to become too uncomfortable, so we say good reasons’). He looked back decided to leave early. He got to his with particular nostalgia to his time feet rather unsteadily, and as we began as the Lord Northcliffe Professor at to head for the exit (how he would University College London in the late have twinkled at the ambiguities of that 1960s and early 1970s. So why did phrase) he slipped his arm in mine – for Many librarians are conscious of the he then move to Cambridge? ‘Vanity, support, but easily and affectionately, need to engage with students early I expect; ignorance. Terrible mistake, so we processed round the boundary on and to speed up the transition obviously.’ He was an accomplished like a stately Italian couple out for process from school to university. The moaner, or mock-moaner, and his their passeggiata. He knew he would introduction in the Faculty Library of time as professor at Cambridge was never again go to a cricket match; he an IT Training Suite with interactive practised ground (‘Some of those was doing most things for the last time technologies allows us to train people on the Faculty board were now, silently grieving about transience relatively small groups of students, unspeakable’). He would also recur and loss. I still find it hard to say what encourage hands-on searching, allow to some of the celebrated critical spats I felt as he companionably slipped his them to ‘try out’ resources and services he had been involved in, unyielding arm through mine: ‘pleased’ seems and to discuss their findings with us about the iniquities of Helen Gardner, feeble, ‘proud’ seems absurdly self- and each other, as well as giving them generous about Empson though still important. Perhaps simply ‘moved’? time to adjust to the hybrid print and irritated (‘Later in his life he made a Whatever it was it proved too strong electronic information world. On the great to-do about “matters of fact” in for me quite to cope with, because after other side of the coin it also reduces the literature, but he so often got things delivering him back at his flat I found many queries that we might otherwise wrong’). He had the usual nominal that, even before I got home, I had have resulting in a more confident aphasia that comes with age, but started to cry. student body. This very
4 Poster design by Geoff Shipp
new IT suite has also been used by relations and peer support. ‘Poem of and local bookshops, public libraries academics in their own teaching, some the Week’ allows for promotion of and so on together in the Library for noting that it ‘helpfully emphasizes resources; as do displays on Cambridge one afternoon a year. The object of the the close integration between book- or Shakespeare or study skills. The event is to promote the ‘wares’ of those based learning and IT resources’ Faculty Library has a Facebook page present along with a programme of as well as being ‘part of the well- which brings relevant, sometimes presentations, all of which are focused established learning environment that light-hearted information to those on enhancing the research experience is the Faculty Library’. (Quotes from interested enough to join the site. The of the local academic community. anonymous survey responses) plasma screen above the issue desk Drawing in 70-80 postgraduates, with amusing quotes, amongst other academic visitors and academics from In Cambridge the Faculty Libraries useful titbits of information, strikes the Faculty, the occasion is marked have a real advantage in being able a chord with many as they wait to by plenty of talking, interaction and to focus their library services on have their books returned. All of these demonstrations. It seems obvious to one main area of academic study. things, small in themselves, encourages me that the Library space can be used This permits the personalization of interaction and vibrancy and for such activities, and ultimately the library service which, in turn, together creates a friendly, supportive encourages better use of the facilities. environment. the aim is to encourage better use of Selling Faculty Library bags, pens, the magnificent array of print and paper and so on is, in one sense, a Traditionally the Faculty Library has electronic resources that are available marketing gimmick, but it is also focused on providing resources and within the University. providing a useful service. Tea@three services for undergraduates, but we for students in the Librarian’s office now also focus some of our attention Is there talking in the Library? Yes! during Lent and Easter Terms seems on postgraduates and academics. Now to sit easily with English students (the becoming an annual event, ‘Food for Elizabeth Tilley cake is nice!), but also reaps enormous Thought’ brings publishers, service Faculty Librarian benefits for library staff/student providers, subject specialists, librarians November 2010
5 his September, as can be seen from the poster above, the TCambridge English Faculty hosted (and to a large degree funded) a conference on the ways in which Lawrence Sterne’s humorous strategies in Tristram Shandy had been taken up by later writers – of both philosophy and literature – in Germany, England and America. The invited speakers included academics from Italy, Spain, England, and (the largest number being from) Germany. The idea for a conference in Cambridge arose during October, 2007, when a group of scholars met at Jena (funded by Jena and Weimar Universities), and considered trying to set up a regular meeting every three years, alternating between Jena and Cambridge, with substantially the same participants, but always with a couple of new speakers. We wanted to continue addressing the relationship between philosophy and literature in the German and English languages. That year of 2007, our focus had been on Friedrich Schlegel and Friedrich Nietzsche, but at our next meeting we decided to do something focussed in English literature. One of the organisers suggested Sterne’s Tristram Shandy, since it had quite an enthusiastic reception, not only in Germany, but in France and in other parts of Europe International Conference in the 1760s. The speakers addressed themselves to the subject as described International Conference of the Faculty Speakers: in the following paragraphs. of English, University of Cambridge -- The term ‘Shandyan humour’ was Kolleg Friedrich Nietzsche, Weimar -- Christoph Bode (Munich) coined by the German Romantic Institut für Philosophie, Friedrich- Bärbel Frischmann (Erfurt) novelist and literary theorist Jean Schiller-Universität Jena Duncan Large (Swansea) Wolfgang G. Müller (Jena) Paul Richter. Like many thinkers in Javier Pardo (Salamanca) England, Germany, and elsewhere on the European continent, Jean Paul drew SHANDYAN HUMOUR IN ANGLO- Tommaso Pierini (Pisa) Julian Roberts (Munich) inspiration from Laurence Sterne’s GERMAN LITERATURE AND Claus-Artur Scheier (Braunschweig) Tristram Shandy – a work whose huge PHILOSOPHY Rüdiger Schmidt-Grépály (Weimar) impact on subsequent literature and Klaus Vieweg (Jena) philosophy has yet to be fully explored. Faculty of English, James Vigus (Munich) University of Cambridge Kathleen Wheeler (Cambridge) Sterne’s imitators, translators, 2-4 September, 2010 Prof. Klaus Vieweg admirers, and critics often noted the (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena), mildness of Shandyan humour, in Begin: Thursday 2 September, 16:00. [email protected] contrast to the satirical corrosiveness End: Saturday 4 September, 13:00. Dr. James Vigus of (Romantic) irony. Yet this form (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität of humour also appeared attractively Munich), [email protected] (to some, repulsively) subversive – “Democritus, who laughed ten times Dr. Kathleen M. Wheeler whether through the ‘devilish’ spirit of more than I...” - Laurence Sterne, (Darwin College, Cambridge), contradiction that Coleridge discerned Tristram Shandy [email protected] in Sterne, or through an amusingly
6 open-minded approach to bodies and Morgen der industriellen Revolution. Location, Evocation, Inspiration: Dr sexual experience. Throughout the Von Sterne zu De Quincey”, and Paul Chirico. An illustrated talk on long eighteenth century, ‘humour’ “Rückwärtsflug zum Himmel‘ - Sternes the life and legacy of the early 19th remains in part a biological category Über-Humor und der Shandyismus bei century poet, John Clare. The lecture and an essential but problematic and Jean Paul und T. G. von Hippel”. will discuss Clare’s extraordinary life in comic part of human life. the context of the recent establishment A conference dinner on the first of an educational, environmental and If Shandyan humour is alternately evening at the home of one of the cultural centre at his birthplace in the whimsical and concrete, generalizing organisers worked wonders for putting village of Helpston, Peterborough. and pointed, this flexibility often everyone at ease and making sure (October 23, 2010). makes it a vehicle for sceptical insight. acquaintance would begin to ripen No dogmatic perspective is safe from into friendship. By the end of the New Cambridge Writers – an evening the smile – which may develop into meeting, it was felt to have gone so performance by some of our brightest uncontrollable laughter – of Shandyan well that, before we broke up, we made student writers, arranged by the humour. Tristram Shandy’s readers plans for our next meeting, either in English Library for the Festival of Ideas could interpret it as a philosophical 2012 or 2013, depending on funding. (October 23, 2010). novel, for Walter Shandy’s stubborn We also discussed various topics for rationalism, like Tristram’s rambling that occasion, one of the most likely All-day Wordsworth Reading for the associations, reveals more about being “Literature as Philosophy and Festival of Ideas (October 26, 2010). human nature (as the title of one Philosophy as Literature”, which German Sterne-translation suggested) would fit in well with the period most Rotten English: Dr Christopher than many a systematic thesis. With of us work in, namely German, English Warnes. Read and discuss short its witty portrayal of human hobby- and American Romanticism. extracts from texts from Africa, the horses, Sterne’s novel even invites Caribbean and South Asia which do comparison with David Hume’s overtly KM Wheeler things with English you might never sceptical Treatise of Human Nature. have heard before. Hear dub poetry from Jamaica by Mutabaruka, ‘English as she is, spoke and wrote’ from India, The conference aims to analyse Events 2010 part of ‘A Novel in Rotton English’ the forms of humour pioneered by from Nigeria and much more, with Dr Laurence Sterne, to pursue those Special Faculty lectures and other Chris Warnes. (October 27, 2010). forms in their full range in subsequent literary events, include the following: writing, and to enquire whether the Leslie Stephen Lecture by Colm European ‘Sterne-Manie’ enriched or 4 Clark Lectures by Prof Clive Scott: Tóibín, Princeton University: The Dark attenuated its model. And we will “Translation and the Resurrection of Sixteenth Century (November 1, 2010). ask, does (Shandyan) humour still Reading” (January-February 2010). teach and delight? Can it function as a Grenzgänger between philosophical Graham Storey Lecture by Anne and literary discourse today? Enright (March 1, 2010). Appointments The talks ranged widely, some of them delivered in English, some in German. Reading by award-winning Dr Ildiko Csengei was appointed to a The titles of the English talks were Zimbabwean Author: Brian Chikwava, College Lectureship at Newnham “Style and Syntax as Catalysts of from his first novel Harare North with effect from 1 October 2010. Sterne’s Humour”, “‘—And who (March 3, 2010). are you? said he.— Don’t puzzle me; said I’: The incongruity of personal Two performances of ‘Unfolding King Dr Joe Moshenska was appointed to a identity in Sterne and Hume”, “Karl Lear’, in the Judith E Wilson Drama College Lectureship at Trinity Marx´s Shandyan Humour: Skorpion Studio (March 8, 2010). with effect from 1 January 2011 und Felix and its Aftermath”, “’tis impossible for you to guess”: Narrating 4th annual Miscellaneous Theatre Dr Peter Gizzi was appointed to a the Past, Narrating Futures—Random Festival, in the Judith E Wilson Drama Reflections on When and Why the Judith E. Wilson Poetry Fellowship for studio (March 11-12, 2010). Unpredictable Can be Funny”, six months with effect from 10 January “The Crafty Art of Textual Pirating: 2011. Melville and Sterne”, and “Sentiment, Prof Tracy Davis: ‘Acting Black, 1824’, Reflection and Freedom”. The performed in the Judith E Wilson German talks included “Tristram Drama Studio (April 25, 2010). Dr Oliver Wort was appointed to Shandy und die Methode von Hegels a British Academy Postdoctoral Phänomenologie des Geistes”, Festival of Ideas: How to Read Poems Fellowship for three years with effect “Humor am Vorabend und am (October 20-29, 2010). from 1 January 2011.
7 new book, The Selfish Society: How an academic list in the humanities and Alumnae/i News We Forgot to Love One Another and social sciences. Made Money Instead (Simon and The following reports of news Shuster). David Nobbs (St John’s 1958) has have been received. Information many novels out, the most recent being for inclusion in next year’s edition Anthony Haynes (Trinity 1979) has Obstacles to Young Love (Harper is always welcome, and should be been appointed Visiting Professor Collins); he has co-written the TV addressed to The Editor, 9 West Road, at Hiroshima University, and just series ‘Reggie Perrin’ for BBC1. Faculty of English, 9 West Road, published Writing Successful Academic Cambridge CB3 9DP. Books (CUP). David Punter (Fitzwilliam 1967) Email: [email protected] reports his 2009 book Rapture: Margaret Heffernan (n/a) has published Literature, Addiction, Secrecy (Sussex Will Adams (Fitzwilliam 1971) has several books since 2004, including, Academic Press). recently published The Illustrated most recently, Wilful Blindness and Railway Children, a centenary edition Women on Top. Francis Quinn (King’s 1982) has written Law for Journalists (Pearson). with contemporary Edwardian Photos. Bridget Ann Henisch (Newnham 1950, Catherine Arnold (Girton 1979) nee Wilsher) has recently brought out Tessa Romnon (Clare 1992) reports on reports on her latest book, City of The Medieval Cook (Boydell), only the an anthology of theoretical and critical Sin, London and its Vices (Simon and latest of a number of books on food. essays she co-edited, African Athena: Shuster). New Agendas (OUP). Nicholas Herbert (Lord Hemingford, Malcom Ballin (Selwyn 1954) Clare 1953) reported his book, Adrian Runswick (Jesus 1945) published, in 2008, Irish Periodical Successive Journeys: A Family in Four completed his PhD on “Suffering in Culture: 1937-72: Genre in Ireland, Continents. Tragedy” at age 82! Wales and Scotland (Palgrave). Anthony Hirst (Emmanuel 1963) R.A.L. Roper (St John’s 1939) reports Adrian Bristow (Queens 1944) wrote edited an edition of C.P. Cavafy’s publications by Studio Music of of his recent book, Adventures on a poetry in Greek for Oxford World’s “Sonata for Euphonium and Piano” Narrow Boat (Imogen). Classics, and has publications in and “A String of Tones” for Tuba Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies. Norman Buller (St Catherine’s 1950) Quartet. David Jasper (Jesus 1969) has brought out three poetry collections Paul Smith (Queens’ 1975) reports that been appointed to a Professorship with Waterloo Press (Hove) in 2005, he is now director of the British Consul at Ronmin University of China in 2007, and 2009. in Afghanistan. Beijing and has just published The Susan Chappell (Clare 1977) had Sacred Body: Asceticism in Religion, Jonathan Smith (St John’s 1960) writes a number of poems published with Literature, Art and Culture (Baylor of numerous novels published since the Forward Press, won a prize in University Press). 1976, and twenty radio plays for the the Bedford Open (National) Poetry BBC, as well as a memoir. He was Competition, and is working now on Gerald MacLean (Jesus 1970) has song-settings of Shakespeare’s songs. published many books, most recently head of English at Tonbridge School in Looking East: English Writing and 2002. Robert Cockcroft (St John’s 1958) the Ottoman Empire before 1800 reports on his book Persuading Margaret M. Smith (Clare Hall 1978) (Palgrave), and The Rise of Oriental is associate editor of the Oxford People: An Introduction to Rhetoric Travel: English Visitors to the Ottoman nd Companion to the Book (OUP). (2 edition, Palgrave); he was also Empire 1580-1720 (Palgrave). affiliated to a Royal Navy warship, Mark Thompson (Corpus Christi HMS Nottingham, as ship’s poet from John Mitchell (Queens’ 1946) 1978) has published The White War. 1986 until this year, and has a series published his Selected Poems last year, Life and Death on the Italian Front, of poems coming out in The Naval and was president of the Chartered 1915-19 (Faber & Faber). Review. Institute of Linguists, 2004-07. D.R. Thorpe (Selwyn 1962) writes Will Eaves (King’s 1986) has published Peter Molloy (Magdalene 1974) several books since 2001; he also has has published The Lost World of of numerous publications, his latest two books of poetry, Small Hours Communism (Random House) and has being Supermac: The Life of Harold (2006) and Sound Houses (2011). produced a number of award-winning Macmillan, out this year. television documentaries for the BBC. Paul Foster (Christ’s 1956) has edited John Ure (Magdalene 1953) says his one of the Otter Memorial Papers on Hilary Neal (Clare 1978) has been twelfth non-fiction book, Shooting William Collins (2009), which includes running a second-hand bookshop Leave: Spying out Central Asia in the a long review of early biographical for seventeen years, and recently Great Game, was published last year data, several critical essays, and the brought out Dorothy Holman—A Life (Constable). text of Collins’ poems from Langhorne (Topsham Museum Society). Donald Wesling (Trinity Hall 1960) (1765). Nigel Newton (Selwyn 1973) reports had his Joys and Sorrows of Imaginary Sue Gerhardt (Newnham 1971, nee that Bloomsbury Publishing (which Persons (on literary emotions) Aspinall) has recently brought out a he founded in 1986) began, in 2008, published in 2008 (Rodopi).