Category Archives: learning

The Secret History by Donna Tartt – an investigation into a novel about studying the humanities (and murder!)

Recently I read Tartt’s “The Secret History and was impressed by the handling of a bunch of pretentious teenagers studying Julian Morrow’s exclusive (and doubtless uppity) Greek Classics class. The Guardian well summarises the reasons that you should read this book right now, and so I will spend little time repeating the qualities of excellence thatContinue reading “The Secret History by Donna Tartt – an investigation into a novel about studying the humanities (and murder!)”

Jeffrey Williams: The Rise of the Academic Novel – A graphic guide / map

This post features a diagram I made using ‘Inspiration 9’ to describe the ways in which Jeffrey Williams divides and subdivides the Campus Novel and the Academic Novel. I read ‘ The Rise of the Academic Novel’ in American Literary History, Volume 24, Number 3, Fall 2012, pp. 561-589. I like William’s thorough approach andContinue reading “Jeffrey Williams: The Rise of the Academic Novel – A graphic guide / map”

Conference Paper from ‘Theorising the Popular’ Conference at Liverpool Hope

 This post is a copy of a paper which I gave at my very first conference this summer. It was part of the fourth international Theorizing the Popular Conference held at Liverpool Hope University(details here). I am pleased to have given my first paper and include it in full. As a result of being designedContinue reading “Conference Paper from ‘Theorising the Popular’ Conference at Liverpool Hope”

Scholar Gipsy : Matthew Arnold

I’ve been reading up on Matthew Arnold’s work as a school inspector, and came across some of his poetic works. Having only thought of Arnold as a cultural critic, I was surprised to find his poetry to be so highly regarded as well. Stefan Collini has praised Arnold as ranking amongst Browing and Tennyson asContinue reading “Scholar Gipsy : Matthew Arnold”

Nussbaum’s remarks at Colgate University

Thanks to Andy Daddio for this brilliant photo. Truly the Daddio of Scholarly Photography! When it comes to a defence of the liberal arts in Higher Education, Martha Nussbaum is a matriarch. While some have criticised her universalism, and tendency towards vague aspiration, she nonetheless retains a dominant position in the field of debate. Dr Nussbaum hold a BA fromContinue reading “Nussbaum’s remarks at Colgate University”

Rousseau’s Emile: on Infancy

I made this quote bank of the first chapter of Rousseau’s Emile : “Infancy”. Feel free to use this wherever and whenever you want.  The first drafts of Emile did not include infancy, but as William Boyd observes in Emile for Today (Heineman 1975) that the inclusion of the chapter in the revised edition revealsContinue reading “Rousseau’s Emile: on Infancy”