Where in the World is William Shakespeare?

'09 Literary Tour Extravaganza
Next Stop: Next Stop New Yawk - Fuhgeddaboudit

Hey folks. Padfoot and Prongs here bringing you what we hope will be a new fun weekly (possibly bi-weekly depending on brain capacity) post about the wide world of literary places to visit. Both Padfoot and Prongs have an intense desire to one day take a road-trip across the country (and maybe one day other countries) to see some of the places that inspired some of the great works of literature that we love. In preparation for that, and as a treat for all of you, we have decided to start putting up a post once a week featuring different states and some of their literary tourist points. Now we realize we might not hit all of the books and reference points that every one out there would like to see, but we are going to do our best to get some of the main ones. If you have any suggestions please feel free to throw them out there.
Each week we will be doing a new state until hopefully we get all 50. (Prongs - I'm pretty much convinced nothing cool ever happened in Idaho but I guess we will see. Sorry if you are from there.)

Alright so if you couldn't tell by the title, this week we are doing the great state of New York!! Not only is New York Prong's alma mater , but it is also home to some of the most prominent writers of our time. Joining Prongs on the list are Walt Whitman, Jonathan Lethem, Henry James, William S. Burroughs, and F.Scott Fitzgerald along with countless others.
So where would we stop on our literary tour? We can thank New York times for pretty much doing the work for us on this post. Here you can find a pretty amazing compilation of some of the best works that came out of literary history, and find where they are referring to on the map of Manhattan. #9 is Ellison, with a reference to Invisible Man, and for any King fans out there, #42 is spoken about in the Dark Tower series. However here are the ones we would most be interested in stopping at:

#81 Washington Square Station - Reference: William Burroughs, Naked Lunch

The beat generation is possibly on of the most interesting movements in recent literary history, and it all started in NYC. I'm sure you all know who the 'Beats' are but just in case you need a refresher, some names include Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs.

"I can feel the heat closing in, feel them out there making their moves, setting up their devil-doll stool pigeons, crooning over my spoon and dropper I throw away at Washington Square station, vault and turnstile and two flights down the iron stairs, catch an uptown A train."

#42 727 and 5th Avenue - Reference: Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany's

Alright so while possibly known better for the movie, this short novel by Capote still came first and it is important for everyone to remember the roots of the things we love. The Tiffany's store still stands today, and sometime you see those crazy die hards out front trying to live vicariously through Audrey Hepburn.

"Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. "

#38 Central Park - Reference: J.D. Salinger, Catcher in the Rye

While Holden Caulfield may possibly be one of the most annoying, immature characters in literary history... at least he was being whiny somewhere cool. The best part (to us) about Catcher in the Rye is hearing all of his expereiences across NYC.

"Hey Horwitz," I said. "You ever pass by the lagoon in Central Park? Down by Central Park South? "Yeah, what about it?" "Well, you know the ducks that swim around in it? In the springtime and all? Do you happen to know where they go in the wintertime, by chance

And of course no stop in New York would be complete with out the strand. While not necessarily the site of one of the most significant moments in literary history, it is still a mustttt for any book lovers. With over '18 miles' of books, it is basically our Mecca.

Alright folks so if you are still hanging in there after this incredibly long post then congratulations! We hope you have enjoyed yourself on this weeks post please make sure to grab all of your belongings before leaving. Make sure to stop by next week when ever visit our homeland, Ohio!

-mischief managed-

Where in the World is William Shakespeare?

'09 Literary Tour Extravaganza
Next Stop: Next Stop New Yawk - Fuhgeddaboudit

Hey folks. Padfoot and Prongs here bringing you what we hope will be a new fun weekly (possibly bi-weekly depending on brain capacity) post about the wide world of literary places to visit. Both Padfoot and Prongs have an intense desire to one day take a road-trip across the country (and maybe one day other countries) to see some of the places that inspired some of the great works of literature that we love. In preparation for that, and as a treat for all of you, we have decided to start putting up a post once a week featuring different states and some of their literary tourist points. Now we realize we might not hit all of the books and reference points that every one out there would like to see, but we are going to do our best to get some of the main ones. If you have any suggestions please feel free to throw them out there.
Each week we will be doing a new state until hopefully we get all 50. (Prongs - I'm pretty much convinced nothing cool ever happened in Idaho but I guess we will see. Sorry if you are from there.)

Alright so if you couldn't tell by the title, this week we are doing the great state of New York!! Not only is New York Prong's alma mater , but it is also home to some of the most prominent writers of our time. Joining Prongs on the list are Walt Whitman, Jonathan Lethem, Henry James, William S. Burroughs, and F.Scott Fitzgerald along with countless others.
So where would we stop on our literary tour? We can thank New York times for pretty much doing the work for us on this post. Here you can find a pretty amazing compilation of some of the best works that came out of literary history, and find where they are referring to on the map of Manhattan. #9 is Ellison, with a reference to Invisible Man, and for any King fans out there, #42 is spoken about in the Dark Tower series. However here are the ones we would most be interested in stopping at:

#81 Washington Square Station - Reference: William Burroughs, Naked Lunch

The beat generation is possibly on of the most interesting movements in recent literary history, and it all started in NYC. I'm sure you all know who the 'Beats' are but just in case you need a refresher, some names include Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs.

"I can feel the heat closing in, feel them out there making their moves, setting up their devil-doll stool pigeons, crooning over my spoon and dropper I throw away at Washington Square station, vault and turnstile and two flights down the iron stairs, catch an uptown A train."

#42 727 and 5th Avenue - Reference: Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany's

Alright so while possibly known better for the movie, this short novel by Capote still came first and it is important for everyone to remember the roots of the things we love. The Tiffany's store still stands today, and sometime you see those crazy die hards out front trying to live vicariously through Audrey Hepburn.

"Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. "

#38 Central Park - Reference: J.D. Salinger, Catcher in the Rye

While Holden Caulfield may possibly be one of the most annoying, immature characters in literary history... at least he was being whiny somewhere cool. The best part (to us) about Catcher in the Rye is hearing all of his expereiences across NYC.

"Hey Horwitz," I said. "You ever pass by the lagoon in Central Park? Down by Central Park South? "Yeah, what about it?" "Well, you know the ducks that swim around in it? In the springtime and all? Do you happen to know where they go in the wintertime, by chance

And of course no stop in New York would be complete with out the strand. While not necessarily the site of one of the most significant moments in literary history, it is still a mustttt for any book lovers. With over '18 miles' of books, it is basically our Mecca.

Alright folks so if you are still hanging in there after this incredibly long post then congratulations! We hope you have enjoyed yourself on this weeks post please make sure to grab all of your belongings before leaving. Make sure to stop by next week when ever visit our homeland, Ohio!

-mischief managed-

Padfoot - Sixth Review - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
(a.k.a 20,000 Seconds Wasted on This Book)
By Jules Verne

So If you could not tell, I am a little disappointed by my recent reading of the Jules Verne novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Apparently I was ignorant to the real plot of the story, because going into it I assumed the whole thing would be an adventure story of a couple of hairy men in a submarine fighting off a giant squid. Sure, you get some of that, but only A FEW PAGES. The rest of this excruciatingly long novel is mainly about a Professor of marine biology; all this guy does is list classes, species, genders, hair color, should I go on?

The beginning of the novel does this cute thing where it tricks you into thinking this will be a good story. I cannot, however, put a number on the amount of times you are given lists, categories, useless descriptions of things nobody cares about. For example, while submarinin' round the world, the sub's captain, Captain Nemo (who is supposed to be a "villian" in the story, but is really just a cute old man who wants to be a hermit) takes the Professor underwater on an excursion where they find ATLANTIS!!!! Exciting right?! NO. JUST NO.

Here's a timid example so you don't get too scared:

"These various types of shrubbery were as big as trees in the temperate zones; in the damp shade between them, there were clustered actual bushes of moving flowers, hedges of zoophytes in which there grew stony coral striped with twisting furrows, yellowish sea anemone from the genus Caryophylia with translucent tentacles, plus anemone with grassy tufts from the genus Zoantharia; and to complete the illusion, minnows flitted from branch to branch like a swarm of hummingbirds, while there rose underfoot, like a covey of snipe, yellow fish from the genus Lepisocanthus with bristling jaws and sharp scales, flying gurnards, and pinecone fish."

All I can say is, if Verne would've cut out half the story, you would get a fun adventure on the high seas. But he didn't, so we are left with 300 pages of complete crap, and about 70 pages of great story-telling. So there you go, if you are on a classics binge like me, then read it, it's not the worst thing in the world. But if you were actually excited to read this, your life is over.

Should I mention I have never seen the movie adaptation? I should have done my research beforehand.
I feel robbed. That's the end of my overly-dramatic rant. Look for some happy things next time! :)

-mischief managed-