From bredwine1968 at earthlink.net Sun Feb 1 11:24:44 2015 From: bredwine1968 at earthlink.net (Bruce Redwine) Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2015 11:24:44 -0800 Subject: [ilds] Michael V. Diboll Message-ID: <37833B96-6671-497D-88B6-05B26D957444@earthlink.net> I?ve about finished reading Diboll?s Lawrence Durrell?s Alexandria Quartet in Its Egyptian Contexts (2004) and am quite impressed with the book, although it has major flaws (stylistic, grammatical, scholarly). Diboll?s main argument provides a historical background to the Quartet and does great justice to Durrell?s depth of understanding re the British and Egyptian socio-political situation. His analysis of the Wafd (the nationalist/liberal party in Egypt, 1919-52) and the David Mountolive-Leila Hosnani ?allegory? is persuasive. I?m less enthusiastic about Diboll?s analogy between Durrell?s ?African Darkenss? and Conrad?s ?Heart of Darkness,? but this is a matter of interpretation and preference. I like the way Diboll deals with Said?s ?Orientalism? in reference to the Quartet. I?d also like to see the book reissued as a revised edition. The argument, however, is repetitious and needs to be reduced by perhaps a quarter or more. I highly recommend the book. It certainly deserves recognition and a wide audience. Bruce -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From james.d.gifford at gmail.com Sun Feb 1 14:30:28 2015 From: james.d.gifford at gmail.com (James Gifford) Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2015 14:30:28 -0800 Subject: [ilds] Michael V. Diboll In-Reply-To: <37833B96-6671-497D-88B6-05B26D957444@earthlink.net> References: <37833B96-6671-497D-88B6-05B26D957444@earthlink.net> Message-ID: <54CEA904.9020909@gmail.com> Hi Bruce, Indeed, I read the book when Mike was preparing it for publication. The challenge with a press like Edwin Mellen is that it sees the author as the ideal editor..., which is almost never viable. It also means the book is hard to get outside of libraries since the cost is high: http://www.mellenpress.com/mellenpress.cfm?bookid=6100&pc=9 Diboll and Haag had a spirited dispute over the book in 2006 if anyone wants to see the topics under discussion, but unfortunately, it was the year before we migrated the list to its current home at UVic, so there's no searchable institutional archive for it. The ILDS has talked about producing a repository of materials. If it's out of print, perhaps Mike would be interested in doing a revised edition (are you on the list still, Mike?). All best, James On 2015-02-01 11:24 AM, Bruce Redwine wrote: > I?ve about finished reading Diboll?s /Lawrence Durrell?s /Alexandria > Quartet/in Its Egyptian Contexts/ (2004) and am quite impressed with the > book, although it has major flaws (stylistic, grammatical, scholarly). > Diboll?s main argument provides a historical background to the > /Quartet/ and does great justice to Durrell?s depth of understanding re > the British and Egyptian socio-political situation. His analysis of the > /Wafd/ (the nationalist/liberal party in Egypt, 1919-52) and the David > Mountolive-Leila Hosnani ?allegory? is persuasive. I?m less > enthusiastic about Diboll?s analogy between Durrell?s ?African Darkenss? > and Conrad?s ?Heart of Darkness,? but this is a matter of interpretation > and preference. I like the way Diboll deals with Said?s ?Orientalism? > in reference to the /Quartet./ I?d also like to see the book reissued > as a revised edition. The argument, however, is repetitious and needs > to be reduced by perhaps a quarter or more. I highly recommend the > book. It certainly deserves recognition and a wide audience. > > Bruce > > > _______________________________________________ > ILDS mailing list > ILDS at lists.uvic.ca > https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/ilds > From bredwine1968 at earthlink.net Sun Feb 1 14:59:35 2015 From: bredwine1968 at earthlink.net (Bruce Redwine) Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2015 14:59:35 -0800 Subject: [ilds] Michael V. Diboll In-Reply-To: <54CEA904.9020909@gmail.com> References: <37833B96-6671-497D-88B6-05B26D957444@earthlink.net> <54CEA904.9020909@gmail.com> Message-ID: <72C8F089-49E0-4094-95CE-1F11A8A7E472@earthlink.net> James, Yes, I recall Haag and Diboll (along with Pine) getting into a row over the Wafd and its use as ?allegory? in the Quartet. My memory is sketchy, probably inaccurate, but if I may put forth ? where Diboll sees an allegorical connection between the Wafd and the Hosnani family, Haag sees the Coptic Hosnanis as a screen for the wealthy Jews of Alexandria, namely, the Menasce family, via the Claude Vincendon link. But now that I?ve read Diboll, I think he?s made a very strong case for his own analysis. Haag will have to counter or adjust his argument, in my opinion. Diboll?s book, however, sorely needs a good editor. It?s always dangerous to rely solely on one?s own judgments. I believe Haag credits Claude as Durrell editor. After her death, his work suffered from not having her expert attention. Bruce > On Feb 1, 2015, at 2:30 PM, James Gifford wrote: > > Hi Bruce, > > Indeed, I read the book when Mike was preparing it for publication. The challenge with a press like Edwin Mellen is that it sees the author as the ideal editor..., which is almost never viable. It also means the book is hard to get outside of libraries since the cost is high: > > http://www.mellenpress.com/mellenpress.cfm?bookid=6100&pc=9 > > Diboll and Haag had a spirited dispute over the book in 2006 if anyone wants to see the topics under discussion, but unfortunately, it was the year before we migrated the list to its current home at UVic, so there's no searchable institutional archive for it. > > The ILDS has talked about producing a repository of materials. If it's out of print, perhaps Mike would be interested in doing a revised edition (are you on the list still, Mike?). > > All best, > James > > On 2015-02-01 11:24 AM, Bruce Redwine wrote: >> I?ve about finished reading Diboll?s /Lawrence Durrell?s /Alexandria >> Quartet/in Its Egyptian Contexts/ (2004) and am quite impressed with the >> book, although it has major flaws (stylistic, grammatical, scholarly). >> Diboll?s main argument provides a historical background to the >> /Quartet/ and does great justice to Durrell?s depth of understanding re >> the British and Egyptian socio-political situation. His analysis of the >> /Wafd/ (the nationalist/liberal party in Egypt, 1919-52) and the David >> Mountolive-Leila Hosnani ?allegory? is persuasive. I?m less >> enthusiastic about Diboll?s analogy between Durrell?s ?African Darkenss? >> and Conrad?s ?Heart of Darkness,? but this is a matter of interpretation >> and preference. I like the way Diboll deals with Said?s ?Orientalism? >> in reference to the /Quartet./ I?d also like to see the book reissued >> as a revised edition. The argument, however, is repetitious and needs >> to be reduced by perhaps a quarter or more. I highly recommend the >> book. It certainly deserves recognition and a wide audience. >> >> Bruce >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> ILDS mailing list >> ILDS at lists.uvic.ca >> https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/ilds >> > _______________________________________________ > ILDS mailing list > ILDS at lists.uvic.ca > https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/ilds -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From james.d.gifford at gmail.com Sun Feb 1 15:18:02 2015 From: james.d.gifford at gmail.com (James Gifford) Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2015 15:18:02 -0800 Subject: [ilds] Michael V. Diboll In-Reply-To: <72C8F089-49E0-4094-95CE-1F11A8A7E472@earthlink.net> References: <37833B96-6671-497D-88B6-05B26D957444@earthlink.net> <54CEA904.9020909@gmail.com> <72C8F089-49E0-4094-95CE-1F11A8A7E472@earthlink.net> Message-ID: <54CEB42A.3010904@gmail.com> Hi Bruce, Indeed, it was spirited... I've been looking through my old email files to confirm. As for editing, I can only agree, but my hairy eyeball is pointed quite firmly to the press in this instance -- we all need good editors. For the distinction they diverged on, with the Hosnanis standing in for the Wafd versus the Menasce family, I can only say I'd need to reread Mike's book to have a meaningful comment, now 10 years since I read it last. That said, I do think some of his comments on Nasser and Suez will be shifted a bit by the Egyptian contents of the forthcoming /From the Elephant's Back/ -- but I'm in a dead sprint to meet deadlines, so I won't be turning back to Diboll's book this term! If Mike's not still on the list, I likely have his current email, if you were looking to get in touch with him. All best, James On 2015-02-01 2:59 PM, Bruce Redwine wrote: > James, > > Yes, I recall Haag and Diboll (along with Pine) getting into a row over > the /Wafd/ and its use as ?allegory? in the /Quartet./ My memory is > sketchy, probably inaccurate, but if I may put forth ? where Diboll sees > an allegorical connection between the /Wafd/ and the Hosnani family, > Haag sees the Coptic Hosnanis as a screen for the wealthy Jews of > Alexandria, namely, the Menasce family, via the Claude Vincendon link. > But now that I?ve read Diboll, I think he?s made a very strong case > for his own analysis. Haag will have to counter or adjust his argument, > in my opinion. > > Diboll?s book, however, sorely needs a good editor. It?s always > dangerous to rely solely on one?s own judgments. I believe Haag credits > Claude as Durrell editor. After her death, his work suffered from not > having her expert attention. > > > Bruce > > > > >> On Feb 1, 2015, at 2:30 PM, James Gifford > > wrote: >> >> Hi Bruce, >> >> Indeed, I read the book when Mike was preparing it for publication. >> The challenge with a press like Edwin Mellen is that it sees the >> author as the ideal editor..., which is almost never viable. It also >> means the book is hard to get outside of libraries since the cost is high: >> >> http://www.mellenpress.com/mellenpress.cfm?bookid=6100&pc=9 >> >> Diboll and Haag had a spirited dispute over the book in 2006 if anyone >> wants to see the topics under discussion, but unfortunately, it was >> the year before we migrated the list to its current home at UVic, so >> there's no searchable institutional archive for it. >> >> The ILDS has talked about producing a repository of materials. If it's >> out of print, perhaps Mike would be interested in doing a revised >> edition (are you on the list still, Mike?). >> >> All best, >> James >> >> On 2015-02-01 11:24 AM, Bruce Redwine wrote: >>> I?ve about finished reading Diboll?s /Lawrence Durrell?s /Alexandria >>> Quartet/in Its Egyptian Contexts/ (2004) and am quite impressed with the >>> book, although it has major flaws (stylistic, grammatical, scholarly). >>> Diboll?s main argument provides a historical background to the >>> /Quartet/ and does great justice to Durrell?s depth of understanding re >>> the British and Egyptian socio-political situation. His analysis of the >>> /Wafd/ (the nationalist/liberal party in Egypt, 1919-52) and the David >>> Mountolive-Leila Hosnani ?allegory? is persuasive. I?m less >>> enthusiastic about Diboll?s analogy between Durrell?s ?African Darkenss? >>> and Conrad?s ?Heart of Darkness,? but this is a matter of interpretation >>> and preference. I like the way Diboll deals with Said?s ?Orientalism? >>> in reference to the /Quartet./ I?d also like to see the book reissued >>> as a revised edition. The argument, however, is repetitious and needs >>> to be reduced by perhaps a quarter or more. I highly recommend the >>> book. It certainly deserves recognition and a wide audience. >>> >>> Bruce >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> ILDS mailing list >>> ILDS at lists.uvic.ca >>> https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/ilds >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> ILDS mailing list >> ILDS at lists.uvic.ca >> https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/ilds > > > > _______________________________________________ > ILDS mailing list > ILDS at lists.uvic.ca > https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/ilds > From sumantranag at gmail.com Sun Feb 1 19:35:08 2015 From: sumantranag at gmail.com (Sumantra Nag) Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2015 09:05:08 +0530 Subject: [ilds] ILDS Digest, Vol 94, Issue 1 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thank you Bruce for drawing attention to this book which should provide a valuable perspective. Sumantra Sent from my Asus Zenfone On 2 Feb 2015 01:36, wrote: > Send ILDS mailing list submissions to > ilds at lists.uvic.ca > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/ilds > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > ilds-request at lists.uvic.ca > > You can reach the person managing the list at > ilds-owner at lists.uvic.ca > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of ILDS digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Michael V. Diboll (Bruce Redwine) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2015 11:24:44 -0800 > From: Bruce Redwine > To: Durrell list > Cc: Bruce Redwine > Subject: [ilds] Michael V. Diboll > Message-ID: <37833B96-6671-497D-88B6-05B26D957444 at earthlink.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > I?ve about finished reading Diboll?s Lawrence Durrell?s Alexandria Quartet > in Its Egyptian Contexts (2004) and am quite impressed with the book, > although it has major flaws (stylistic, grammatical, scholarly). Diboll?s > main argument provides a historical background to the Quartet and does > great justice to Durrell?s depth of understanding re the British and > Egyptian socio-political situation. His analysis of the Wafd (the > nationalist/liberal party in Egypt, 1919-52) and the David Mountolive-Leila > Hosnani ?allegory? is persuasive. I?m less enthusiastic about Diboll?s > analogy between Durrell?s ?African Darkenss? and Conrad?s ?Heart of > Darkness,? but this is a matter of interpretation and preference. I like > the way Diboll deals with Said?s ?Orientalism? in reference to the > Quartet. I?d also like to see the book reissued as a revised edition. The > argument, however, is repetitious and needs to be reduced by perhaps a > quarter or more. I highly recommend the book. It certain! > ly deserves recognition and a wide audience. > > Bruce > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: < > http://lists.uvic.ca/pipermail/ilds/attachments/20150201/79ab4bbf/attachment-0001.html > > > > ------------------------------ > > Subject: Digest Footer > > _______________________________________________ > ILDS mailing list > ILDS at lists.uvic.ca > https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/ilds > > > ------------------------------ > > End of ILDS Digest, Vol 94, Issue 1 > *********************************** > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: