Reading Christopher Isherwood this evening (cooler, thankgod), on Mortmere's recommendation.
In the introduction, writing in 1954 about returning to postwar Berlin, Isherwood notes that Berlin is a city of "intensely dramatic doubleness," yet:
"...you heard the usual talk about business and sport, the new car, the new apartment, the new lover. 'My God,' I exclaimed to one of my acquaintances, after he had been holding forth on such topics for an hour or more, 'one would think you lived in Minneapolis!'"
. . . . O RLY?
[I couldn't decide which of these photos to use as my daily photo, so I put them both up. Do you have a preference?]
Of course, Minneapolis has changed so much now that would be a compliment... ? :)
ReplyDeleteAnd Minneapolis is loaded with Germans...so it shouldn't be surprising that the same types of folks occupy both places.
I like the top photo. But then I'm something of a romantic.
ReplyDeleteBink: Actually, he goes on to say he said this and it was received as a compliment--he meant that the Germans were unflappable.
ReplyDeleteI think all humans are like that, though--we don't really sustain great horror or great joy long before we settle back into talking about our jobs, houses, pets, whatever. It's surely an evolutionary advantage to be that way!
Nancy: Thanks. That was my first choice too--and then I thought, naw, it's too romantic! But hey, what's wrong with that?
Since there are no hard and fast rules to the 365 game (the way I'm playing it), I'll just keep them both--to reflect my Piscean doubleness.
Both.
ReplyDeleteAnd arent the Berlin Novels wonderful?
Yes, I'm enjoying the first one (Mr Norris) a lot so far.
ReplyDelete