Sunday, November 4, 2007

This is how I know SP is in liebe.

Yesterday morning Sven called me while I was still in bed to talk about the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain's rendition of "Wuthering Heights." (see previous post).

We agreed it was the best rendition ever (especially the sound effects, including the bleating of a sheep), and talked about how Kate Bush has her fans but she's kind of obscure, given that the doesn't tour much (fear of airplanes).

"I played the song for Andrew. He really liked it, but he's never heard of it before," Sven said.

"You mean the song?"

"Yeah, or the book."

"..."

"Wait. He's never heard of Wuthering Heights?"

"Nope."

"Seriously? We all read it in college. I mean, I had a hard time understanding why I was supposed to like any of the characters and I generally hated the book, but C'MON. Everyone's heard of Wuthering Heights, if only from the equally irritating movie with Laurence Olivier!"

"Well, you know," said Sven, "Sometimes people just aren't exposed to some books--"

"Wait, wait,wait, wait, wait. This from the guy who sneers at people who haven't read The Epic of Gilgamesh, preferably in the original Sumerian? The guy who becomes irritated if someone can't draw a family tree of the Hapsburg Empire?"

"Well, you know."

Oh, Folks, he's got it BAD.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

No, he's heard of the book, as it turns out - he's just never read it.

Habsburg.

Anonymous said...

The Epic of Gilgamesh, bytheway, is very good, but I don't think it should be read without an accompanying volume which explains, like, all of Sumerican culture to you so you'll know why the fleece is so important.

JC said...

I notice there is NO snide remark about W.H.

Andrew, pick your china pattern now!

JC said...

The Golden Fleece was the pelt of a sacred ram sent by some minor goddess to rescue her children, and for all of his hard work, the ram is rewarded by being sacrificed and his pelt hung up. And there you have it. Couldn't just keep shearing him and knitting sacred sweaters and scarves; oh no..have to kill the poor thing. What is WRONG with people?

Anonymous said...

Nobody was talking about the golden fleece. But thanks for your gratuitous display of pedantry.

JC said...

Isn't using the term "pedantry" rather pedantic?

Andrew Nolan said...

China pattern picked out now!

I went one step further and made up a gift registry for the upcoming wedding ... www.gaylahvers.com/SvenNolan/