As backstory, I mentioned in an earlier post my love of 18th-century writing.
A writer, whose work I requested, wrote today to say that there will be a delay--there's an exclusive with another agent--but had I read the piece from the 1720s called "Woman Triumphant: Or, the Excellency of the Female Sex, Asserted In Opposition to the Male--Dedicated to The Ladies--by A Lady of Quality"?
She attached the piece, which is scanned with postmarks, historical typesetting (the Ss look like Fs, and some of the lines are delightfully uneven), and gorgeous drop-caps. The file came through easily, and is small enough to forward.
I'm pleased as peach punch.
And I immediately wrote back to ask if she'd read my favorite, "Fantomina, Or: Love in a Maze." If you haven't read it, it's absolute genius: it's about what happens when a very smart Lady (love the 18th-century capitalization) disguises herself as multiple women so as to keep one man's attention. Witty, no? Well, it's darn relevant even to modern relationships. Anyone see that awful "Womanizer" Britney Spears video? Same concept. (Amazingly, one day while channel-surfing, I saw an interview where Spears comes up with the concept. It's all "um"s and "ah"s and "like"s, but it makes me wonder if she's been playing dumb all this time.)
Naturally, though, Fantomina's way better. Sorry, possibly-secret-genius Spears.
But writers, take note. This is a brilliant way to strike up conversation with an agent. It's a fair guess that we like reading, and like people who appreciate our (sometimes unusual) reading tastes.
If you've gone to the trouble to find out what we like to read, or find out something of interest to us, and recommend more of it--well, you're on our Good list. No coal for you. Do we always have time to send thoughtful replies to these nice-making emails? No. But we'll read them and appreciate them.
One more 18th-century plug--that movie, Cruel Intentions, is fun on its own. But when you really know Les Liaisons Dangereuses (which it's officially based on), and Samuel Richardson's Clarissa (said by some to be the very first novel--with remarkable similarities to LLD), the movie is much more fun. There's one point where Ryan Phillippe asked the name of one of his conquests, and she replies, "Clarissa." Oh! I loved that moment. (And he's not bad, either.)
6 comments:
What a lovely post - thank you! I am just reading "Pamela", Samuel Richardson's first epistolary novel. Although its required reading for one of my lit classes (18th-20th century British literature), whole new doors are opening. Dangerous Liasons was one of my first and favorite epistolary reads. Although, technically, Puskin's Onegin is not an epistolary novel, but in verse, the force that drives the story is a letter. I love letters.
thank you again for a wonderful post!
Thanks, Tatiana! It's always nice to hear from others who like work from this period.
Oh! I actually haven't read Onegin--what's it about?
If you send me your email, I can forward the "Woman Triumphant" piece, if you like...
Speaking of epistolary form, I most recently finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society...despite its convoluted title, I found it completely charming...and thanks for the reading recommendations. You do a great job of keeping your blog dynamic.
Thank you, Stef! I loved the Potato Peel Pie Society, too! (So much that I rushed out and bought a copy for my mom for Christmas last year.) It's going to be featured in a future post: books that are great to give as gifts.
my email is tatianalensky@gmail.com
(thank you - that'd be awesome)
Onegin: OMG its one of the greatest love stories EVER. (sorry, but this book just induces me go gush...)
in a nutshell: young lady in the country meets bored wealthy noble, while he is on a trip to the countryside in Russia. She falls for him, he rejects her, flirts with another, tragedy ensues, he must flee. Years later he returns....
Another book I am currently reading and goes with the badass thing, is The Scarlet Letter. I know, high school stuff. But re-reading it years later, I realize, Hester Prynne was a remarkable strong woman.
18th Century lit is just PACKED with gems. Unfortunately we've all had to read them at school when we were too young to appreciate...
Has anyone read Voltaire's CANDIDE? It's an absolute masterpiece!
Post a Comment