Thursday, January 01, 2009

Have a Good One

Happy New Year. I have failed to post since Christmas Day. The season stunned me into silence. Two people I know died. Harold Pinter and I were friendly enough in a remote kind of way until he threatened to kick me in the balls. Apparently I wasn't showing him enough respect. It's difficult to know how much is enough. As far as his literary status is concerned, Nige got it about right. Other than that, I think I was pretty respectful but, as one or two Xmas guests may have noticed, I can turn sullen at short notice. The other death was that of Sam Huntington. A man of immense wisdom and learning, Sam was very good company on beaches. Thin, bespectacled and grinning, on a few occasions he sat in the sand on Martha's Vineyard with me and one or two others. He reminded me of a hyper-intelligent Olive Oyl. He was one of those Americans who periodically make me want to leave the blasted heath that is Blighty. Oh and I gave up on W.G.Sebald's Austerlitz. It just seemed too easy. Two thirds of the way through I resolved to fling the book aside if the phrase 'said Austerlitz' cropped up once more. A minute later, I flung the book aside.

4 comments:

  1. Happy New Year oh wise one.

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  2. Happy New Year to you, Bryan. I just put up my 2009 calendar -- great photo of Italy and other beautiful spots in the world that I'm not likely to see until the U.S. economy gets healthy again.

    You've sat on the beach at Martha's Vineyard? Hmm. Which one? We had a friend with a house in Chilmark; years ago we used to go to the nude beach near there. Somehow, though, I just can't picture Mr. Appleyard on a nude beach. Black Dog Tavern having a pint, yes. Nude beach, no.

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  3. Back at ya, Cap'n/ I've stayed near Chilmark, Susan. I had three holidays on MV. Nancy and Sam Huntington were always involved.Nude beach, as you say, no.

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  4. Mr. Appleyard, I have been enjoying your blog very much since discovering it. I have posted a link to it on my blog if you do not mind. Hoping you have a happy new year.

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