From dtart at bigpond.net.au Sat Dec 11 19:32:28 2010 From: dtart at bigpond.net.au (Denise Tart & David Green) Date: Sun, 12 Dec 2010 14:32:28 +1100 Subject: [ilds] For Islomanes Message-ID: Given the zero response to my recent learned posting, I thought the ilds list may be interested in a program that featured on Australia's Radio National this morning concerning islands. Part of the program features some commentaries on islomania. In the opening chapter of Reflections on a Marine Venus Durrell makes the claim that 'This book is by intention a sort of anatomy of islomania..' The program make the comment that islomanes are questing beasts. they are not born on islands. That they 'have a nostalgia for a place that never was' and come to islands by choice. Gideon backs this up 'that conspicuous ill luck which, as Gideon used to say, always afflicts islomanes when they have discovered the island of their desire. ' If we accept that Gideon is an alter ego for Durrell, which for the most part I do, then we must give these comments due consideration as, due to professional and other circumstances Durrell firstly, sought out three beloved islands and was forced to leave three beloved islands and, following the Cyprus fracas, never returned to them at homes, only ever as visitor. The following is a prologue to the above mentioned program:- "There are more islands for sale today than at any other time in recorded history. But the dream of an island paradise is often a myth. Rather than idyllic, they are frequently the settings for border conflict, prisons and broken dreams. The reality of island living is much more like hard work". http://www.abc.net.au/rn/backgroundbriefing/stories/2010/3087118.htm Reporter, Ian Townsend By the way, I subscribe to islomania myself as Durrell expresses it on page 1 of Reflections. Unfortunately I live on the world's largest island and it sure doesn't feel like one. Yes, the sea is clean and blue and close, but behind is a vast expanse of land, so vast and empty that only Russians and Canadians would understand. David Green 16 William Street Marrickville NSW 2204 AUSTRALIA -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.uvic.ca/pipermail/ilds/attachments/20101212/eac597a1/attachment.html