tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post7396299548137247031..comments2024-03-29T15:45:04.867+05:30Comments on Jabberwock: The rules of Limbo: Aubrey Menen's The Prevalence of WitchesJabberwockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-89511084428042943022014-01-22T08:36:07.659+05:302014-01-22T08:36:07.659+05:30Read Menen's "Prevalence of Witches"...Read Menen's "Prevalence of Witches" at age 15 some 65 years ago. These comments make me want to read them all over again.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-35455980663037484402013-03-11T12:10:16.906+05:302013-03-11T12:10:16.906+05:30Jai - I have finished 3/4ths of The Prevalence of ...Jai - I have finished 3/4ths of The Prevalence of Witches. It is so good, particularly those never ending discussions between Catullus, Bay, Swami and the narrator. My head was spinning last night and I had to stop reading it just at the point when Catullus has explained why world doesnt need genius and Swami has explained why he wants to be a partner in hat business. I was about to start Bay's response to that, but I thought its better to relax and read it later. And, besides the content, Menen is such an amazing prose writer...hopefully the three remaining novels in the collection will live up to my high expectations :) Thanks for introducing me to his writings...Pessimist Foolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06057153008708242962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-36006274784038914252010-09-10T13:59:01.996+05:302010-09-10T13:59:01.996+05:30The version of The Ramayana is subtitled "A M...The version of The Ramayana is subtitled "A Mischievous Retelling of the Hindu Classic". It was published in 1954, and as far as I know, has been banned in India. The book is currently out of print, but copies may be available in old bookshops in the US.<br /><br />I have read it about 45 years ago when I was a student. It begins with an introduction that goes somewhat like this:<br /><br />"Rama was a great prince of India, who lived his life according to the best advice given to him by his gurus, the Brahmins, and did whatever they told him to. He learnt his morals from the best moralists, and politics from the best politicians. As a result he was ruined, exiled, and lost his kingdom. His wife was stolen, and when he did get her back he had to nearly burn her alive to uphold the highest principles. Despite following his moral and political preceptors with devotion, he finally managed to recover his kingdom, his wife, and his common sense". <br /><br />It is a masterly political satire on how the Upper Classes, meaning the Brahmins, controlled and manipulated the people, made laws, dicated morals, controlled the temples, and terrified the king. Menen, in his retelling has taken full license to reinvent the entire narrative, and I recall that he had completely eliminated the character of Hanuman. Maybe a rereading of the book is called for to put it in the present context when the political scenario does seem somewhat like his Ayodhya of 2500 years ago.Vijaya Kumar Darhttp://http//chiriyakhana.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-35848589463064709352010-09-08T20:26:03.966+05:302010-09-08T20:26:03.966+05:30Anon 1: should really go and reread Catch 22, it&#...Anon 1: should really go and reread <i>Catch 22</i>, it's been so long. I remember that conversation vaguely.<br /><br />Anon 2: yes, I know about it and wouldn't mind getting my hands on it sometime, given all the controversy it stirred up. Could be fun.Jabberwockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-10372204627338321132010-09-08T16:45:28.843+05:302010-09-08T16:45:28.843+05:30There's an Aubrey Menen version of Ramayana! L...There's an Aubrey Menen version of Ramayana! Looking forward to your appraisal of that one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-1639878130559317272010-09-08T16:40:25.605+05:302010-09-08T16:40:25.605+05:30That conversation is so very Catch-22 like, albeit...That conversation is so very Catch-22 like, albeit on a less cynical note. For example, the conversation between the immoral old man and Nately, who takes America, patriotism, nationality etc. for granted and is flustered by the old man's impudent posture towards such holy cows.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com