I discovered a new author. The joy is akin to that of Columbus on discovering a new continent, even a wrong one! This guy, Howard Jacobson, has been writing essays/columns for some newspaper in England, but I had never heard of him, being only a resident of a former colony of the Empire. Now I have not only heard of him, but read him, and enjoyed it. How do you do, Mr. Jacobson?
The title of the book is so funny. So are most of the contents, essays about various things, people, events. But, instead of going on and on about his use of language, words, etc., I will give you two quotes (for now) and rest my case. Both are from an essay titled "Alida Valli and the Eroticism of the Raincoat". This refers to an actress who played a small role in a film called The Third Man.
"..I believed it (the film called The Third Man) depicted something eternal about women: they were disillusioned and unhappy, and they never looked better than when disillusioned and unhappy in a raincoat.."
" Though Alida Valli does not have a lot to do but look beautifully unhappy in a raincoat, it is not for nothing that she is given the film's final say- that is, if you can have a say without saying anything.."
Eerily Wodehousian. And this guy is presumably alive.
The title of the book is so funny. So are most of the contents, essays about various things, people, events. But, instead of going on and on about his use of language, words, etc., I will give you two quotes (for now) and rest my case. Both are from an essay titled "Alida Valli and the Eroticism of the Raincoat". This refers to an actress who played a small role in a film called The Third Man.
"..I believed it (the film called The Third Man) depicted something eternal about women: they were disillusioned and unhappy, and they never looked better than when disillusioned and unhappy in a raincoat.."
" Though Alida Valli does not have a lot to do but look beautifully unhappy in a raincoat, it is not for nothing that she is given the film's final say- that is, if you can have a say without saying anything.."
Eerily Wodehousian. And this guy is presumably alive.
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