> Even the most solid of things, and the most real, the best-loved and the
> well-known, are only hand-shadows on the wall. Empty space and points of
> light.
>
>
> *i like that.

i like it no end.

—
I think again over my small adventures, my fears, those small ones that
seemed so big, all those vital things I had to get and to reach, and yet
there is only one great thing: to live and see the great day that dawns,
and the light that fills the world.
~Old Innuit Song

If you can just appreciate each thing, one by one, then you will have pure
gratitude. Even though you observe just one flower, that one flower
includes everything.
~Shunryu Suzuki Roshi – *Branching Streams Flowing in the Dark

*There is no emotion that you cannot be rid of, because emotions are simply
thoughts and thoughts are just like the wind moving through the empty sky.
There is nothing to them.
~Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche –

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hmm . . . your post brought to mind a couple of Emily Dickinson quotations.“Nature is a haunted house–but Art–is a house that tries to be haunted.”

AND

But nature is a stranger yet;
The ones that cite her most
Have never passed her haunted house,
Nor simplified her ghost.

To pity those that know her not
Is helped by the regret
That those that know her, know her less
The nearer her they get.

>________________________________
> From: Ben Hennessy <ben@red-kettle.com>
>To: the_____@_____.com
>Sent: Monday, November 21, 2011 12:15 PM
>Subject: RE: [the-kraken] Re: Angelica, Ulysses, and macaroni
>
>
>
>Re books to re-read – Riddley, Boaz – all Captain Najorks, The Bat Tatoo,
>The 20-Elephant Restaurant, The Mouse and his Child…
>
>Death and Nightingale by Eugene McCabe, At Swim two Birds by Flann O Brien,
>A Clockwork Orange by Burgess, The French Lieutenant’s Woman by John Fowles,
>If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino, King Lear by yer man,
>any of Neil Gaiman’s graphic novels – The Passion, Sexing the Cherry both
>by Jeanette Winterson, the Outsider by Camus…
>
>A few years ago – while working on the staging of Riddley Walker I met Russ
>and he told me he doesn’t read current fiction – or living writers!!! I was
>telling him about Jeanette Winterson’s books and he told me that one time he
>was doing a signing or giving a reading or something and outside the venue
>there was a poster with a quote saying something along the lines of ‘Russell
>Hoban – The most imaginative writer in Britain’ – and seemingly Jeanette
>Winterson wrote on the poster saying – ‘except for me!!’ Russell said
>’that’s the only writing of hers that he ever read’!!!
>
>On an earlier topic – she had a good answer re magic realism on her website:
>
>Do you think of The Passion and Sexing the Cherry as Magic Realism?
>
>No. Anyway, like I said, I hate labels. The stories I like, whether it’s
>Ariosto, or Rabelais, or Shakespeare, or Cevantes, or Sterne, or Calvino,
>have always had a large dollop of the unlikely and the miraculous. Before I
>knew about books, I knew all the Bible and all the fairy stories. To me, a
>world without miracles is not the real world. So the old chestnut, write
>about what you know, has a special twist for me.
>
>Even the most solid of things, and the most real, the best-loved and the
>well-known, are only hand-shadows on the wall. Empty space and points of
>light.
>
>All bes
>
>ben
>
>From: the_____@_____.com [mailto:the_____@_____.com] On
>Behalf Of ottarsdottir
>Sent: 21 November 2011 15:37
>To: the_____@_____.com
>Subject: [the-kraken] Re: Angelica, Ulysses, and macaroni
>
>Yes, the very same, Ruthie. But I’m afraid you have the advantage of me.
>Come in to Zephyr some Tues, Wed, or Thur and remind me who you are, why
>don’t you sometime? I’d love to see you.
>
>— In the_____@_____.com <mailto:the-kraken%40yahoogroups.com> ,
>Ruthie Bosch &lt_____@_____.> wrote:
>>
>>
>> THE Eve Ness? Of Zephyr fame? Or Zephyr frame?
>>
>>
>> > To: the_____@_____.com <mailto:the-kraken%40yahoogroups.com>
>> > From: ottarsdottir@…
>> > Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:56:56 -0800
>> > Subject: [the-kraken] Re: Angelica, Ulysses, and macaroni
>> >
>> > Well, I’ve never managed to get beyond the first 50 pages of Ulysses,
>plus of course the salacious bits, but I do have two copies of it, just to
>make sure my friends know I’m a heavyweight. I’ve read Riddley half a dozen
>times and use the language all the time to these same friends, who flock to
>my salon in dwindling numbers with each “Trubba not.” Well, I say they
>flock, it’s more accurate to say they don’t flock, but it doesn’t make such
>a good story.
>> >
>> > I own no chalk 🙁
>> >
>> > I’m going to make a macaroni portrait of myself and send it to Dr.
>McMenamin and see if I can get memorialized in the papers just like the
>kraken!
>> >
>> > Having such a good time reading these posts!
>> >
>> > Eve
>> >
>> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > ————————————
>> >
>> > —————————————————
>> > The Kraken: The Russell Hoban Mailing List
>> > http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban
>> > For help contact the_____@_____.com
><mailto:the-kraken-owner%40yahoogroups.com>
>> > To unsubscribe, send mail to:
>> > the_____@_____.com
><mailto:the-kraken-unsubscribe%40yahoogroups.com>
>> > Yahoo! Groups Links
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>

 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Maybe Dr. McMenamin’s creative Kraken was the real inventor of Lego? 

> To: the_____@_____.com
> From: ott_____@_____.com
> Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:56:56 -0800
> Subject: [the-kraken] Re: Angelica, Ulysses, and macaroni
>
> Well, I’ve never managed to get beyond the first 50 pages of Ulysses, plus of course the salacious bits, but I do have two copies of it, just to make sure my friends know I’m a heavyweight. I’ve read Riddley half a dozen times and use the language all the time to these same friends, who flock to my salon in dwindling numbers with each “Trubba not.” Well, I say they flock, it’s more accurate to say they don’t flock, but it doesn’t make such a good story.
>
> I own no chalk 🙁
>
> I’m going to make a macaroni portrait of myself and send it to Dr. McMenamin and see if I can get memorialized in the papers just like the kraken!
>
> Having such a good time reading these posts!
>
> Eve
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> ————————————
>
> —————————————————
> The Kraken: The Russell Hoban Mailing List
> http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban
> For help contact the_____@_____.com
> To unsubscribe, send mail to:
> the_____@_____.com
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

For anybody with a few spare pennies! Fascinating story:http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-PAINTINGS-CATCHER-RYE-CHILDRENS-BOOK-AUTHOR-R-HOBAN-ENGLAND-/380371599956?pt=Art_Paintings&hash=item588fea0254#ht_1960wt_906

—

Tim Haillay email: t.h_____@_____.uk
Cataloguing Supervisor tel: 01273 873500
University of Sussex Library
Falmer
Brighton
BN1 9QL

Lovely post Ben, thanks. I’d never heard that before about Jeanette
Winterson, but can quite believe it ;-)Richard

On Mon, Nov 21, 2011 at 6:18 PM, Ruthie Bosch <oll_____@_____.com> wrote:

> **
>
>
>
> Maybe Dr. McMenamin’s creative Kraken was the real inventor of Lego?
>
>
> > To: the_____@_____.com
> > From: ott_____@_____.com
>
> > Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:56:56 -0800
> > Subject: [the-kraken] Re: Angelica, Ulysses, and macaroni
> >
> > Well, I’ve never managed to get beyond the first 50 pages of Ulysses,
> plus of course the salacious bits, but I do have two copies of it, just to
> make sure my friends know I’m a heavyweight. I’ve read Riddley half a dozen
> times and use the language all the time to these same friends, who flock to
> my salon in dwindling numbers with each “Trubba not.” Well, I say they
> flock, it’s more accurate to say they don’t flock, but it doesn’t make such
> a good story.
> >
> > I own no chalk 🙁
> >
> > I’m going to make a macaroni portrait of myself and send it to Dr.
> McMenamin and see if I can get memorialized in the papers just like the
> kraken!
> >
> > Having such a good time reading these posts!
> >
> > Eve
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
> > ————————————
>
> >
> > —————————————————
> > The Kraken: The Russell Hoban Mailing List
> > http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban
> > For help contact the_____@_____.com
> > To unsubscribe, send mail to:
> > the_____@_____.com
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>

p

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Blimey, well spotted Tim! The paintings are superb, and what a wonderful
story to go with them (even faintly Riddleyesque at points too e.g. “There
are no repairs or restorations to any of the 2.”)With the postage alone being �400 I doubt I could stump up, but what a
lovely idea to own something like this. Then again, it’d be much nicer to
put it on display somewhere so that other Hoban fans could see it. Does
anyone know any cultured philanthropists who might do such a thing?!

Fantasising,

Richard

On Tue, Nov 22, 2011 at 7:05 AM, Tim Haillay <T.H_____@_____.uk> wrote:

> **
>
>
> For anybody with a few spare pennies! Fascinating story:
>
>
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-PAINTINGS-CATCHER-RYE-CHILDRENS-BOOK-AUTHOR-R-HOBAN-ENGLAND-/380371599956?pt=Art_Paintings&hash=item588fea0254#ht_1960wt_906
>
> —
>
> Tim Haillay email: t.h_____@_____.uk
> Cataloguing Supervisor tel: 01273 873500
> University of Sussex Library
> Falmer
> Brighton
> BN1 9QL
>
>
>

—

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Happy Thanksgiving week news. Thank you, Tim, for spotting these paintings. 

>________________________________
> From: Richard Cooper <tho_____@_____.com>
>To: the_____@_____.com
>Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 2:29 AM
>Subject: Re: [the-kraken] Russ paintings on eBay
>
>Blimey, well spotted Tim! The paintings are superb, and what a wonderful
>story to go with them (even faintly Riddleyesque at points too e.g. “There
>are no repairs or restorations to any of the 2.”)
>
>With the postage alone being £400 I doubt I could stump up, but what a
>lovely idea to own something like this. Then again, it’d be much nicer to
>put it on display somewhere so that other Hoban fans could see it. Does
>anyone know any cultured philanthropists who might do such a thing?!
>
>Fantasising,
>
>Richard
>
>On Tue, Nov 22, 2011 at 7:05 AM, Tim Haillay <T.H_____@_____.uk> wrote:
>
>> **
>>
>>
>> For anybody with a few spare pennies! Fascinating story:
>>
>>
>> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-PAINTINGS-CATCHER-RYE-CHILDRENS-BOOK-AUTHOR-R-HOBAN-ENGLAND-/380371599956?pt=Art_Paintings&hash=item588fea0254#ht_1960wt_906
>>
>> —
>>
>> Tim Haillay email: t.h_____@_____.uk
>> Cataloguing Supervisor tel: 01273 873500
>> University of Sussex Library
>> Falmer
>> Brighton
>> BN1 9QL
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>–
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>————————————
>
>—————————————————
>The Kraken: The Russell Hoban Mailing List
>http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban
>For help contact the_____@_____.com
>To unsubscribe, send mail to:
>the_____@_____.com
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>

 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Somehow I can’t believe that he does, but maybe Russ marks Thanksgiving (not necessarily positively)…No, actually, I think that he’s more of a Bloomsday man, to pick up again on the Joycean theme, and will be at Davie Byrne’s for lunch!

Didn’t the said Winterson haunt the readings that Charles Dickens gave all over the country, and tout her books when he was offering signings of his own? (As a result, since he dressed her down more than once, I believe that he had a little-known book, Sour Grapes are not the Only Fruit.)A wonder that she wasn’t at Nomad Books in February 2005 (unless she hid in the Punch and Judy booth and got attacked by the crocodile – or ate some sausages by mistake, thinking that they were vegetarian, and found that she’d bitten off more than she could check in a long indigestible string)…

got me grinning my head off!
thank you.–
I think again over my small adventures, my fears, those small ones that
seemed so big, all those vital things I had to get and to reach, and yet
there is only one great thing: to live and see the great day that dawns,
and the light that fills the world.
~Old Innuit Song

If you can just appreciate each thing, one by one, then you will have pure
gratitude. Even though you observe just one flower, that one flower
includes everything.
~Shunryu Suzuki Roshi – *Branching Streams Flowing in the Dark

*There is no emotion that you cannot be rid of, because emotions are simply
thoughts and thoughts are just like the wind moving through the empty sky.
There is nothing to them.
~Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche –

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

“The puppet, Gross notes, is political (they were banned in Mussolini’s Italy) and demonic. He cites Sesame Street, Cervantes, Kafka, Russell Hoban and Philip Roth, and offers his own morbidly delightful list of ‘Fables for a Puppet Theatre’ (‘A mirror walks down a road’; ‘A crumb explores a table cloth’). As one eventually emerges from this hall of puppets, everything seems charged with potential life. I watched my pencil, uncertainly.”http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/nov/23/etcetera-steven-poole-nonfiction-reviews?newsfeed=true

The puppets, otherwise known as gremlins, obviously decided to truncate Kenneth Gross to ‘Ke’ to bring him down to size, in a playful way.The bit that I liked best was from the paragraph before, as I am always glad to see a nice reference to this man and his work:

He meditates on the puppets of Paul Klee (“They are astonished to find themselves as puppets”)

I couldn’t help wondering who, in the reviewer’s mind, is just Cervantes or Kafka, and who is not just Roth or Klee. And, for all that it is called Puppet: An Essay on Uncanny Life, it actually runs to 224pp., but does cost £16.00 full price (and Amazon prices have yet to drop very much).

— In the_____@_____.com, “Chris” &lt_____@_____.> wrote:
>
> “The puppet, Gross notes, is political (they were banned in Mussolini’s Italy) and demonic. He cites Sesame Street, Cervantes, Kafka, Russell Hoban and Philip Roth, and offers his own morbidly delightful list of ‘Fables for a Puppet Theatre’ (‘A mirror walks down a road’; ‘A crumb explores a table cloth’). As one eventually emerges from this hall of puppets, everything seems charged with potential life. I watched my pencil, uncertainly.”
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/nov/23/etcetera-steven-poole-nonfiction-reviews?newsfeed=true
>

Just to say I’ve deleted the message that came from Janis’s account with the link in it which Mike says was a virus. I’ve also deleted his message that said this, as it contained a copy of the link. Should you get a copy of either post in your email please delete it and do not click the link. Please also do not reply to that post on the forum as it will just reproduce the link on the site.Best

Richard

sorry – thought i’d wiped out the tail as i usually do… itchy figger
tringer.m

—
I think again over my small adventures, my fears, those small ones that
seemed so big, all those vital things I had to get and to reach, and yet
there is only one great thing: to live and see the great day that dawns,
and the light that fills the world.
~Old Innuit Song

If you can just appreciate each thing, one by one, then you will have pure
gratitude. Even though you observe just one flower, that one flower
includes everything.
~Shunryu Suzuki Roshi – *Branching Streams Flowing in the Dark

*There is no emotion that you cannot be rid of, because emotions are simply
thoughts and thoughts are just like the wind moving through the empty sky.
There is nothing to them.
~Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche –

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

No worries Mike!

On Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 5:12 PM, mike dickman <cro_____@_____.com> wrote:

> **
>
>
> sorry – thought i’d wiped out the tail as i usually do… itchy figger
> tringer.
>
> m
>
> —
> I think again over my small adventures, my fears, those small ones that
> seemed so big, all those vital things I had to get and to reach, and yet
> there is only one great thing: to live and see the great day that dawns,
> and the light that fills the world.
> ~Old Innuit Song
>
> If you can just appreciate each thing, one by one, then you will have pure
> gratitude. Even though you observe just one flower, that one flower
> includes everything.
> ~Shunryu Suzuki Roshi – *Branching Streams Flowing in the Dark
>
> *There is no emotion that you cannot be rid of, because emotions are simply
> thoughts and thoughts are just like the wind moving through the empty sky.
> There is nothing to them.
> ~Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche –
>
> Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>

—
Now live! www.cheeseonthegreen.com – a fine new Drupal website for a new
fine cheese shop

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Apologies for this. I’ve re-set my password for this e-mail account and I hope it won’t trouble the Kraken any further.-Janis

—–Original Message—–
From: gomyawncher <tho_____@_____.com>
To: the-kraken <the_____@_____.com>
Sent: Thu, Nov 24, 2011 6:18 am
Subject: [the-kraken] Virus

Just to say I’ve deleted the message that came from Janis’s account with the
link in it which Mike says was a virus. I’ve also deleted his message that said
this, as it contained a copy of the link. Should you get a copy of either post
in your email please delete it and do not click the link. Please also do not
reply to that post on the forum as it will just reproduce the link on the site.

Best

Richard

————————————

—————————————————
The Kraken: The Russell Hoban Mailing List
http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban
For help contact the_____@_____.com
To unsubscribe, send mail to:
the_____@_____.com
Yahoo! Groups Links

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

No worries Janis, I don’t think anyone thought you did it deliberately :-)It’s another of the wonders of Yahoo Groups… being able to post via email
is all very useful until your email gets hacked.

Best

Richard

On Thu, Nov 24, 2011 at 11:18 PM, Janis Van Court <Sta_____@_____.com> wrote:

> **
>
>
> Apologies for this. I’ve re-set my password for this e-mail account and I
> hope it won’t trouble the Kraken any further.
>
> -Janis
>
> —–Original Message—–
> From: gomyawncher <tho_____@_____.com>
> To: the-kraken <the_____@_____.com>
> Sent: Thu, Nov 24, 2011 6:18 am
> Subject: [the-kraken] Virus
>
> Just to say I’ve deleted the message that came from Janis’s account with
> the
> link in it which Mike says was a virus. I’ve also deleted his message that
> said
> this, as it contained a copy of the link. Should you get a copy of either
> post
> in your email please delete it and do not click the link. Please also do
> not
> reply to that post on the forum as it will just reproduce the link on the
> site.
>
> Best
>
> Richard
>
> ————————————
>
> —————————————————
> The Kraken: The Russell Hoban Mailing List
> http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban
> For help contact the_____@_____.com
> To unsubscribe, send mail to:
> the_____@_____.com
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>

—

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi all,Several of us have received direct emails from a Dr Benjamin Lange asking
if we can tell him how many grandchildren Russ has. None of us knows the
answer anyway, and we all felt that even if we did we wouldn’t share it,
but it appears from a bit of research that this guy is working on some kind
of thesis attempting to relate literary success to numbers of personal
relationships and size of families. So if he didn’t already seem dodgy, he
does now.

Therefore should anybody else get an email from him asking this question I
recommend you bin it.

Best

Richard

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Well, it could be worse, Richard – he could be trying to relate literary success to the number of malts ever possessed by the writer, and then our own efforts would have skewed the results, or, if you prefer, even the number of cheeses that he or she likes or eats regularly…Not being a parent myself (save to the Molly whose purring and pawing are attempts to put me off my typing, or to my bastard blog), the challenge that I face at this time every year is to recall, rather than write ‘Your family and you’, the names of the offspring – with parenthood, it’s one thing, as one might conceivably (pun intended!) know one’s own children by name and number, but, when they reproduce, and one doesn’t necessarily see them (nor any bastard children that even they may not know that they have fathered), the total could be beyond reckoning.

So (so?) I am reminded of the triangle of Fremder, his mother (was she a Helen? Molly doesn’t permit me to check, and I’m not going to another web-site to do so) and his Uncle Izzy – a neat and comforting paradigm, some might say, with the psychiatrist (her name long gone) making four.

I hope that I’m not infringing some aspect of Kraken protocol, or good manners, by writing this, but I have some good news to share.One of the (few) perks of working in a bookshop is that sometimes one gets to read forthcoming titles a month or two before publication. A proof copy of ‘Soonchild’ came my way, and, after allowing myself to be tantalised for a several weeks, I read it on Sunday.

It is an absolute beauty, with that deceptive ease about it that only comes with the total mastery of a craft – at every level, from humorous banter all the way to the big patterns of myth and archetype that he articulates and makes accessible with such fluency. Alexis Deacon’s somewhat creepy artwork partners the story perfectly. Everyone has a huge treat in store in 2012.

Alastair

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thanks, Alastair. Good to hear. I’m looking forward to reading it.Does anyone have a Russ health update? I presume not, since nothing’s been posted here for a while…

CB

— In the_____@_____.com, alastair bickley &lt_____@_____.> wrote:
>
> I hope that I’m not infringing some aspect of Kraken protocol, or good manners, by writing this, but I have some good news to share.
> Â
> One of the (few) perks of working in a bookshop is that sometimes one gets to read forthcoming titles a month or two before publication. A proof copy of ‘Soonchild’ came my way, and, after allowing myself to be tantalised for a several weeks, I read it on Sunday.
> Â
> It is an absolute beauty, with that deceptive ease about it that only comes with the total mastery of a craft – at every level, from humorous banter all the way to the big patterns of myth and archetype that he articulates and makes accessible with such fluency. Alexis Deacon’s somewhat creepy artwork partners the story perfectly. Everyone has a huge treat in store in 2012.Â
> Â
> Alastair
>
>
>
> Â
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Yes, thanks Alastair, that’s great :)I’ve heard nothing from Russ or his family about his health since he went
into hospital. I’m hoping no news is good news. If I hear anything I will
of course post it. I hope anyone else who may be in touch with the Hobans
will too.

Best

Richard

On Mon, Nov 28, 2011 at 10:18 PM, Chris <chr_____@_____.nz> wrote:

> **
>
>
> Thanks, Alastair. Good to hear. I’m looking forward to reading it.
>
> Does anyone have a Russ health update? I presume not, since nothing’s been
> posted here for a while…
>
> CB
>
> — In the_____@_____.com, alastair bickley &lt_____@_____.>
> wrote:
> >
> > I hope that I’m not infringing some aspect of Kraken protocol, or good
> manners,� by writing this, but I have some good news to share.
> > �
> > One of the (few) perks� of working in a bookshop is that sometimes
> one� gets to read forthcoming titles a month or two before publication. A
> proof copy of ‘Soonchild’ came my way, and, after allowing myself to be
> tantalised for a several weeks, I read it on Sunday.
> > �
> > It is an absolute beauty, with that deceptive ease about it� that only
> comes with the total mastery of a craft� – at� every level, from humorous
> banter all the way to the big patterns of myth and archetype that he
> articulates and makes accessible� with such fluency.� Alexis Deacon’s
> somewhat creepy artwork partners the story perfectly. Everyone has a huge
> treat in store in 2012.�
> > �
> > Alastair
> >
> >
> >
> > �
>
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>
>
>

—
Now live! www.cheeseonthegreen.com – a fine new Drupal website for a new
fine cheese shop

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Glad to hear Alastair likes Soonchild too.(The rest is “off-topic”):
I understand “Tintin” is already in the theaters in India. Is it in Europe, Australia, N.Z., or elsewhere? “Hugo” looks superb and next month we get “The War Horse.” Good season for kids’ flicks.

Also, if you have any children’s lit or YA lit news, please send it to me for our university blog at sdsuchildlit.blogspot.com.

Hope all us Americans had a good turkey or tofuturkey.
Alida Allison, Professor
Director, Center for the Study of Children’s Literature
Dept. of English and Comparative
Literature
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA 92182-6020
PH: (619) 594-5443
FAX: (619) 594-4998

INFO AND MORE:
sdsuchildlit.blogspot.com

Children’s Literature Program and
National Center for the Study of
Children’s Literature, SDSU:
childlit.sdsu.edu

Review of “An Essay on Uncanny Life” by Kenneth Grosshttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/books/review/puppet-an-essay-on-uncanny-life-by-kenneth-gross-book-review.html?_r=1

“Gross ranges from the shadows on the wall of Plato’s cave to the
Cookie Monster, with extended stops along the way, from a puppet
gallery in Rome to Joseph Cornell, Emily Dickinson and Philip Roth
(‘Sabbath’s Theater’), to Cervantes and Pinocchio, Punch and Pierrot,
to Pa­lermo, Bali and Osaka, to Russell Hoban, Kafka, Klee and Rilke.
He illuminates them, and they illuminate the puppets for us.”

Doesn’t go into any more Hoban detail, but sounds interesting.

Bes

Richard

Russ would certainly be proud to have been mentioned together with Punch, Rilke and Kafka. Don’t know about the Cookie Monster… :DHave good weekends, all,

Yvonne

Am 03.12.2011 um 11:00 schrieb Richard Cooper:

> Review of “An Essay on Uncanny Life” by Kenneth Gross
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/books/review/puppet-an-essay-on-uncanny-life-by-kenneth-gross-book-review.html?_r=1
>
> “Gross ranges from the shadows on the wall of Plato’s cave to the
> Cookie Monster, with extended stops along the way, from a puppet
> gallery in Rome to Joseph Cornell, Emily Dickinson and Philip Roth
> (‘Sabbath’s Theater’), to Cervantes and Pinocchio, Punch and Pierrot,
> to Pa­lermo, Bali and Osaka, to Russell Hoban, Kafka, Klee and Rilke.
> He illuminates them, and they illuminate the puppets for us.”
>
> Doesn’t go into any more Hoban detail, but sounds interesting.
>
> Bes
>
> Richard
>
>
> ————————————
>
> —————————————————
> The Kraken: The Russell Hoban Mailing List
> http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban
> For help contact the_____@_____.com
> To unsubscribe, send mail to:
> the_____@_____.com
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

Hi all,I’ve had an update today from Russ’s son Jake. It’s not quite as positive
as we’d all like, but it’s good to hear something. Basically, Russ is
hanging in there, although it’s hard to say if he’s better or not. On the
plus side, the hospital staff are great and he’s getting the best care he
could. He’s also getting plenty of family visits, and between them they’re
reading him his favourite books, which he enjoys.

Jake adds “Thanks to you and all Krakenites for the positive vibes!”

Please keep those vibes coming – here’s a reminder again of his agent’s c/o
address if you’d like to send Russ a get well card, letter or any kind of
message – I’m sure he’d appreciate it:

David Higham Associates
5 – 8 Lower John Street
Golden Square
London W1F 9HA

As stated before, if you happen to know Russ’s home address then send your
cards there – obviously we don’t post this on the group for privacy reasons.

Best

Richard

On Tue, Nov 15, 2011 at 11:34 AM, Ben Hennessy <ben@red-kettle.com> wrote:

> **
>
>
> Another of Russ’s great ‘hospital’ stories is The Ghost Horse of Genghis
> Khan – published in the Omnibus. If memory serves a writer becomes ill
> while
> writing about the young Genghis Khan (Temujin) being chased on horseback
> and
> in a perilous situation – and his son ‘dreams’ of the book and an ending
> where Temujin is saved – and ‘sleeptypes’ the ending – his father’s illness
> abating in his hospital reality as his son ‘saves’ Temujin in his ‘dream’
> reality.
>
> Best dream wishes to Russ
>
> ben
>
>
> From: the_____@_____.com [mailto:the_____@_____.com] On
> Behalf Of apsley88
> Sent: 09 November 2011 14:29
> To: the_____@_____.com
> Subject: [the-kraken] Re: Russ is in hospital
>
>
> Talking of hospital, and things to give Russ to wish him well, I am
> reminded
> of the lovely book Jim’s Lion, which I re-read last week:
>
> He needs our encouragement to find a don’t-run stone so that he can make
> contact with his seeker, which may – or may not – be a lion, like Jim’s.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>

—

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hey all,Just in case anyone’s not seen this lovely* little animation by David
Anderson and written/narrated by Russ, here’s a link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYiYeOM9tZ8

I think it’s from the mid-80s but am not sure off the top of my head. Some
of it sounds to me like Riddleyspeak, or rather a fable that Riddley’s
people might have told each other. Does anyone know more?

Bes

Richard

* actually quite creepy, as if a student David Lynch had done a promo video
for a Tom Waits song.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Yo.David Anderson also made “Deadsy” with Russ. I know I saw a documentary about the making of “Door”, somewhere along the way, probably at an animation festival. I’ll look, but maybe someone already knows?

Thanks Richard, so nice to hear Russ’s voice saying his own words.

Ruthie

 

> To: the_____@_____.com
> From: tho_____@_____.com
> Date: Thu, 8 Dec 2011 17:19:33 +0000
> Subject: [the-kraken] “Door”
>
> Hey all,
>
> Just in case anyone’s not seen this lovely* little animation by David
> Anderson and written/narrated by Russ, here’s a link:
>
> www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYiYeOM9tZ8
>
> I think it’s from the mid-80s but am not sure off the top of my head. Some
> of it sounds to me like Riddleyspeak, or rather a fable that Riddley’s
> people might have told each other. Does anyone know more?
>
> Bes
>
> Richard
>
> * actually quite creepy, as if a student David Lynch had done a promo video
> for a Tom Waits song.
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> ————————————
>
> —————————————————
> The Kraken: The Russell Hoban Mailing List
> http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban
> For help contact the_____@_____.com
> To unsubscribe, send mail to:
> the_____@_____.com
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I posted this on FB…it’s a fun little videoMichael

From: the_____@_____.com [mailto:the_____@_____.com] On Behalf Of Richard Cooper
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 12:20 PM
To: The Kraken
Subject: [the-kraken] “Door”

Hey all,

Just in case anyone’s not seen this lovely* little animation by David
Anderson and written/narrated by Russ, here’s a link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYiYeOM9tZ8

I think it’s from the mid-80s but am not sure off the top of my head. Some
of it sounds to me like Riddleyspeak, or rather a fable that Riddley’s
people might have told each other. Does anyone know more?

Bes

Richard

* actually quite creepy, as if a student David Lynch had done a promo video
for a Tom Waits song.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

———————————————————————-
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not review, copy or distribute this message. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the original message. Neither the sender nor the company for which he or she works accepts any liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I have a quote from ‘Door’ on my study wall. I might PDF it when I get a chance and add it to the Files section. I love it.I also have the documentary and the various Anderson films on a VHS cassette somewhere. Remember those?

It’s definitely Riddleyesque. As far as I can remember (from here to about the door), Russ wrote it specially, but it could easily be a small part of one of the multiple drafts of Riddley he scrapped…

CB

— In the_____@_____.com, “Piper, Michael” &lt_____@_____.> wrote:
>
> I posted this on FB…it’s a fun little video
>
> Michael
>
>
> From: the_____@_____.com [mailto:the_____@_____.com] On Behalf Of Richard Cooper
> Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 12:20 PM
> To: The Kraken
> Subject: [the-kraken] “Door”
>
>
>
> Hey all,
>
> Just in case anyone’s not seen this lovely* little animation by David
> Anderson and written/narrated by Russ, here’s a link:
>
> www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYiYeOM9tZ8
>
> I think it’s from the mid-80s but am not sure off the top of my head. Some
> of it sounds to me like Riddleyspeak, or rather a fable that Riddley’s
> people might have told each other. Does anyone know more?
>
> Bes
>
> Richard
>
> * actually quite creepy, as if a student David Lynch had done a promo video
> for a Tom Waits song.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> ———————————————————————-
> CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not review, copy or distribute this message. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the original message. Neither the sender nor the company for which he or she works accepts any liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email.
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Sir Awl has had an ocelot page on these gems for many moons here: http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban/door.htmlFor the record the music for both was written by Dirk Campbell, ex. Montgomery ‘Mont’ Campbell, bass player & French horn player with Egg & (occasionally) National Health…. who some of you may remember from some time way back!

Heineken used the globe sequences of Door for an ad campaign in the early 90s

T

—

Tim Haillay email: t.h_____@_____.uk
Cataloguing Supervisor tel: 01273 873500
University of Sussex Library
Falmer
Brighton
BN1 9QL

________________________________________
From: the_____@_____.com [the_____@_____.com] on behalf of Piper, Michael [mpi_____@_____.edu]
Sent: 08 December 2011 17:52
To: the_____@_____.com
Subject: RE: [the-kraken] “Door”

I posted this on FB…it’s a fun little video

Michael

From: the_____@_____.com [mailto:the_____@_____.com] On Behalf Of Richard Cooper
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 12:20 PM
To: The Kraken
Subject: [the-kraken] “Door”

Hey all,

Just in case anyone’s not seen this lovely* little animation by David
Anderson and written/narrated by Russ, here’s a link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYiYeOM9tZ8

I think it’s from the mid-80s but am not sure off the top of my head. Some
of it sounds to me like Riddleyspeak, or rather a fable that Riddley’s
people might have told each other. Does anyone know more?

Bes

Richard

* actually quite creepy, as if a student David Lynch had done a promo video
for a Tom Waits song.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

———————————————————————-
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not review, copy or distribute this message. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the original message. Neither the sender nor the company for which he or she works accepts any liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

————————————

—————————————————
The Kraken: The Russell Hoban Mailing List
http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban
For help contact the_____@_____.com
To unsubscribe, send mail to:
the_____@_____.com
Yahoo! Groups Links

Who wouldn’t, but have you been watching My Week with Marilyn, Tim, with your Sir Awl (she refers to Olivier, at one point, as Sir Olivier)? Plus, slurred together, as names become, Sir Awl just sounds like a drunken invitation to a a fight (or brawl)…I second anyone who says that Door is fun – screening it (as well as Olaf’s wizardy with the Belousov-Zhaborinsky reaction) was a good feature of the night at The Troubador at Hoban 2005

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXU0iHg1oC0&feature=relatedDeadsy.

—
the world of dew
is just a world of dew…
and yet…
~Issa

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I posted it on FB too, hoping to creep out all my friends on an otherwise featureless Friday morning. I love the Tom Waits comment.
Eve

Courtesy of a kind anonymous commenter on the SA4QE site:http://www.designweek.co.uk/home/blog/soonchild-a-magical-arctic-world/3032587.article

Looking good* *disturbing 😉

Best

Richard

yeah… interesting indeed…–
the world of dew
is just a world of dew…
and yet…
~Issa

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Dear all,I am very sorry to have to pass on the news that Russ has passed away.

The initial news came via Gollancz publisher’s Twitter account. I
queried it with them and they attributed the news to Russ’s agents,
David Higham Associates. That is about as official as I can get at the
moment without actually contacting David Higham, although that would
appear to be sadly academic by now.

There are scores of tributes coming in via Twitter including this one
from Walker Books, quoting Russ’s editor David Lloyd (you don’t have
to be on Twitter to view the link):

https://twitter.com/#!/BIGPictureBooks/statuses/146939347722186753

For the record this says as follows:

“Dear brilliant Russell. We took it in turns to read to him at the
end. His wife read Bassho. His son read Elmore Leonard. I read Robert
Louis Stephenson. The world will sound so different without him.

“Thank you Russell.

“Your words have been our delight.”

I am sure we will all agree with that.

I’ll post again if I hear anything more.

Once again, I’m sorry for being the bearer of sad tidings.

Love to all,

Richard

OM MANI PEME HUNG HRIHutterly bereft!

—
the world of dew
is just a world of dew…
and yet…
~Issa

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Now this sounds like a very fine way to pass on. Surrounded by people who love you, reading.But . . . but

 

>________________________________
> From: Richard Cooper <tho_____@_____.com>
>To: The Kraken <the_____@_____.com>
>Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 8:19 AM
>Subject: [the-kraken] Russell Hoban
>
>
>
>Dear all,
>
>I am very sorry to have to pass on the news that Russ has passed away.
>
>The initial news came via Gollancz publisher’s Twitter account. I
>queried it with them and they attributed the news to Russ’s agents,
>David Higham Associates. That is about as official as I can get at the
>moment without actually contacting David Higham, although that would
>appear to be sadly academic by now.
>
>There are scores of tributes coming in via Twitter including this one
>from Walker Books, quoting Russ’s editor David Lloyd (you don’t have
>to be on Twitter to view the link):
>
>https://twitter.com/#!/BIGPictureBooks/statuses/146939347722186753
>
>For the record this says as follows:
>
>”Dear brilliant Russell. We took it in turns to read to him at the
>end. His wife read Bassho. His son read Elmore Leonard. I read Robert
>Louis Stephenson. The world will sound so different without him.
>
>”Thank you Russell.
>
>”Your words have been our delight.”
>
>I am sure we will all agree with that.
>
>I’ll post again if I hear anything more.
>
>Once again, I’m sorry for being the bearer of sad tidings.
>
>Love to all,
>
>Richard
>
>
>
>

 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

So sorry to hear this wrenching, though not surprising, news. He was a particular light in the world, bright to the end. How we’ll miss him!

Thanks for making the initial posting, Richard.I’m still trying to collect myself after getting the confirmation this morning.

As I just posted on Twitter:

“I am that astonishment from which you write in those brief moments when you can write.”– The Head of Orpheus in Russell Hoban’s The Medusa Frequency

… Thanks for all the astonishment, Russ.

Dave

From the Guardian:Russell Hoban, cult author, dies aged 86
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/dec/14/russell-hoban-dies-86?CMP=twt_fd

I’m so sorry to hear this. Although I had no illusions about his state of health, this news is shocking. He will forever stay in my mind and heart. He left this world with his beloved books and his books will continue to light the dark.
Rest in peace, Russell. Thanks for all.
Still speechless
Olaf

No trubba, Dave. That’s a nice article from the Guardian too.

On Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 1:51 PM, Dave Awl <day_____@_____.com> wrote:

> **
>
>
> From the Guardian:
>
> Russell Hoban, cult author, dies aged 86
>
> http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/dec/14/russell-hoban-dies-86?CMP=twt_fd
>
>

—
Now live! www.cheeseonthegreen.com – a fine new Drupal website for a new
fine cheese shop

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thanks for posting the sad news Richard. I still need to find a way to think of a world without Russ’s voice, kindness, humour and sheer talent.
Very sad, YvonneAm 14.12.2011 um 14:55 schrieb Richard Cooper:

> No trubba, Dave. That’s a nice article from the Guardian too.
>
> On Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 1:51 PM, Dave Awl <day_____@_____.com> wrote:
>
>> **
>>
>>
>> From the Guardian:
>>
>> Russell Hoban, cult author, dies aged 86
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/dec/14/russell-hoban-dies-86?CMP=twt_fd
>>
>>
>
>
>
> —
> Now live! www.cheeseonthegreen.com – a fine new Drupal website for a new
> fine cheese shop
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> ————————————
>
> —————————————————
> The Kraken: The Russell Hoban Mailing List
> http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban
> For help contact the_____@_____.com
> To unsubscribe, send mail to:
> the_____@_____.com
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

Oh no. Oh dear.I am so thankful for everything he shared with us.

Graeme

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

My heart skipped a beat…So sorry to hear such sad news though glad I heard it from you Richard

His imaginative creations will live on – are alive – like his Hippogriff and
Riddley and Captain Najork and Joaz … – in all our imaginations now…

ben

From: the_____@_____.com [mailto:the_____@_____.com] On
Behalf Of Richard Cooper
Sent: 14 December 2011 13:19
To: The Kraken
Subject: [the-kraken] Russell Hoban

Dear all,

I am very sorry to have to pass on the news that Russ has passed away.

The initial news came via Gollancz publisher’s Twitter account. I
queried it with them and they attributed the news to Russ’s agents,
David Higham Associates. That is about as official as I can get at the
moment without actually contacting David Higham, although that would
appear to be sadly academic by now.

There are scores of tributes coming in via Twitter including this one
from Walker Books, quoting Russ’s editor David Lloyd (you don’t have
to be on Twitter to view the link):

https://twitter.com/# <https://twitter.com/>
!/BIGPictureBooks/statuses/146939347722186753

For the record this says as follows:

“Dear brilliant Russell. We took it in turns to read to him at the
end. His wife read Bassho. His son read Elmore Leonard. I read Robert
Louis Stephenson. The world will sound so different without him.

“Thank you Russell.

“Your words have been our delight.”

I am sure we will all agree with that.

I’ll post again if I hear anything more.

Once again, I’m sorry for being the bearer of sad tidings.

Love to all,

Richard

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

sad, so sad,,,________________________________
Från: Richard Cooper <tho_____@_____.com>
Till: The Kraken <the_____@_____.com>
Skickat: onsdag, 14 december 2011 14:19
Ämne: [the-kraken] Russell Hoban

Dear all,

I am very sorry to have to pass on the news that Russ has passed away.

The initial news came via Gollancz publisher’s Twitter account. I
queried it with them and they attributed the news to Russ’s agents,
David Higham Associates. That is about as official as I can get at the
moment without actually contacting David Higham, although that would
appear to be sadly academic by now.

There are scores of tributes coming in via Twitter including this one
from Walker Books, quoting Russ’s editor David Lloyd (you don’t have
to be on Twitter to view the link):

https://twitter.com/#!/BIGPictureBooks/statuses/146939347722186753

For the record this says as follows:

“Dear brilliant Russell. We took it in turns to read to him at the
end. His wife read Bassho. His son read Elmore Leonard. I read Robert
Louis Stephenson. The world will sound so different without him.

“Thank you Russell.

“Your words have been our delight.”

I am sure we will all agree with that.

I’ll post again if I hear anything more.

Once again, I’m sorry for being the bearer of sad tidings.

Love to all,

Richard

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Alas.I am so glad the Kraken were together and with him in London for his birthday back then.

aarga warga
Alida Allison, Professor
Director, Center for the Study of Children’s Literature
Dept. of English and Comparative
Literature
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA 92182-6020
PH: (619) 594-5443
FAX: (619) 594-4998

INFO AND MORE:
sdsuchildlit.blogspot.com

Children’s Literature Program and
National Center for the Study of
Children’s Literature, SDSU:
childlit.sdsu.edu

A sad day-= Fred =-

My Blog: Fred’s Place at http://tinyurl.com/5urlla
Books and Movies and Stuff

Gray marsh, black cloud . . .
Flapping away in autumn rain
Last old slow heron
— Anon. —

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]