h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

bluesue, I've just borrowed a thick book of Auden's Collected Poems. I can't find Another Time in it. Could it go under another title - the poem I mean?

No, no, no, everyone knows it's <>... er... or not...

As far as this rebelliousness ingrained in the Groan family, I definitely agree with that, but one can still be rebellious and stay within a system. Fuschia managed to stay in her own little world and still be proud, disdainful, and rebellious. Even Lord Sepulchrave never went outside the confines of Gormenghast, in mind or in body. The owls of the Tower of Flint, after all, were as much a part of Gormenghast as the stone-cleaners or Nanny Slagg herself. Fuschia's mother (argh, forgot her name!) even forms a world within the world of Gormenghast, which is still a method of escape, though it is not one that actually escapes Gormenghast in any way. She has her birds and white cats, but her mind and (I believe) her heart, is still in the traditions and everyday rituals of Gormenghast. It seems to me that there were only two people who managed to escape Gormenghast, one in mind, one in body. Flay is one, who was kicked out into the forest for going against a rule of Gormenghast (and thought himself an exile, therefore escaping in his mind from the system, though in fact he crept back in, and was always an inherent part of the story and Gormenghast, therefore not escaping physically), and Titus, who managed to actually physically get out of there (but never fully recovered from his past). I can't think of anyone who fully escaped Gormenghast in mind and in body, though Keda might be an argument I could follow, or perhaps the Leaf-child, but I am not entirely sure the Leaf-child was ever a part of Gormenghast.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle the following novel has "whimsical chapter headings and Dickensian depth":
The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster. I'm curling up with it.

Pete McCarthy (alas no more)- the Road to McCarthy

I write poetry

`I never join anything unless it's coming apart (this is a meism)

Oh my!

I never knew people would be so eager!

It'll take me a little bit to add you officially to the page but consider all of you joined up. I've been battling with my first year and a half of uni but am back now, promise.

You have absolutely made my day, thankyou.

On book reviews: several centuries ago i used to run a column in the Post. I fully intend to start this back up and would welcome any reviews. I did write one on Gormenghast though. I'll see if i can find a link to the archive page.

Many hugs, Pearl x

I've added you all to the page, it should appear in your guide entries section (it won't have a pencil by it as you don't have editorial control). I hope everyone here is still around.

Thankyou all so much again.

Here's some to keep you all going

HURRAH! I just won 3rd place in a travel writing contest!!!! I'm so happy!!!

I'd be very interested to see your review of Gormenghast. Half the time I can't even get anyone to read any of the books, because they say the words are too long, the books are too long, everything's too long, can you leave us alone so that we can go read Harry Potter now? It's nice to talk to people who have read it.

Thank you very much for letting us join, and, of course, for the fortifying . Anyone for a slice of ?

Congratulations!!

I shall have a hunt for the archive number...