RANDOM JOTTINGS

Yes that is me today – and want to know why?  Here is the reason.

This utterly wonderful gorgeous book arrived last week on my return from holiday.  I have not had a chance to properly look at is as (a) I have been in Leicestershire and busy and (b) because I have spent my spare time with the wonderful Slater biography of Dickens.  I now have had a chance to sit down and stroke and gloat and drool over this new edition of the Oxford Companion to English Literature.

I have had an old edition on my shelves for over 20 years, next to my Oxford English Dictionary and my Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (actually that is rather old too, wonder if that is being updated…..) and has been constantly used because while I know Google and the internet is an excellent research tool, there is nothing so satisfying as looking something up in a good fat book.

The editor of this edition is Diana Birch and her introduction she says: 'Dame Margaret Drabble (former editor)remarked that the role of the work of reference is changing rapidly.  Her observation holds true and this edition represents a thorough revision of the companion in the light of the evolving needs of its reader……………I have kept sight of the purpose that has always shaped the Companion: to provide a lively and authoritative source of reference for general readers, scholars, students and journalist looking for a guide to English literature in its broadest context'

I foresee that I am going to spend many happy hours roaming through this Companion.  It is sitting on my table in the living room and is going to stay there a while as I keep dipping into it whenever I have time to spare.  Look in A and I discover that Asolando is Browning's last published poem; one Mary Astell wrote the simply marvellous title A Serious Proposal to the Ladies for the advancement of their True and Greatest Interest; Atalanta in Calydon is a poem written by Swinburne which tells the story of the hunting of the wild boar sent by Artemis to ravage Calydon in revenge for his neglect of her and that William Edmonstone Aytoun is the author of the lines that Robert Burns turned into Auld Lang Syne.  With this to hand, I can only say watch out teams on University Challenge, I am going to be able to answer many more of your questions…

As well as the Usual Suspects Entries, Dickens, Austen, Eliot et al there are new entries in this edition including Anais Nin, De Seuss, Thomas Kinsella, Yan Martell and many others which bring it slap bang up to date.  While the internet is a wonderful source of information and Googling seems to be the easiest method of finding out anything you want pretty damn quick, as I have already indicated, it is no replacement for a work of reference such as this Companion.  For a start you cannot stroke the pages, admire the typesetting and drool over the feel of the pages between your fingers.  

This is an investment book and all lovers of English Literature would be proud to have this on their shelves.  I know I am.

And I now turn to Oxford World Classics.  Whenever I wish to purchase a paperback of a classic novel, I tend to go for OUP – this was years ahead of them sending me anything to review, so I am not just saying this to keep them sweet (though of course I hope it helps….).  I have nothing against other editions, Penguin or otherwise, just my personal preference.  I was therefore a little bit dismayed to hear that this series was to be updated, I belong to the If it ain't broke, Don't fix it school, but I understand that it was felt they needed a new look and I pursed my lips in my usual way and felt cross. However, I have received some of these now and have to admit that they look pretty good and while I will never replace my older copies on my shelves these new ones are also attractive and eye catching, and selling books is what it is all about.  No point in having a book that nobody is attracted to and is going to buy, let's face it.

I doubt if Oxford University Press need the publicity for their publications as their reputation is their main selling point, so I am always grateful and delighted when they send me books.  A review by me probably won't sell any more copies but I do hope that my appreciation and happiness I take in receiving, reading and reviewing anything they sent to me, is sufficient thanks for their generosity.

PS: I should not say this I suppose in the same post, but I have just written to Cambridge University Press to see if they will send me books as well. 

I feel as if I have just wandered into Sainsburys waving a Tesco bag…..