This fabulous piece of cultural history has just hit the bookstands. I've read it. And it's as funny, as erudite, as informed and interesting as the woman herself.
All academics have publication envy, because your publication list is your penis. Or something. But Ms Pluvialis has done that extraordinary thing: publish a book for everyone before she publishes the one that's readable only to the three persons in the world who are specialists in your special branch of your special specialty (a fate to which I am almost certainly doomed). Academics have a tendency to cover their nakedness of spirit over that point by being condescending and sniffy about 'popular' books, as though they are some way down the intellectual food chain. But this is 100% pure bullshit. It is as difficult and nuanced a task to write for a general audience as it is to write for the cliquey clusterf**k which is the specialist branch of your academic field ... and way, way cooler.
Buy one.
2 comments:
I have to buy one. Xtin, are you aware of how much incredibly dull crap there is in blogworld? I am so glad our pal Pluvialis found me and made a comment, because now I have interesting people to read.
Heidi, you are such a sweetheart. Plus, I have not yet stopped laughing my ass off over your political post today. Ed is never going to recover from that comparison ...
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