I did wind up cancelling my classes for today, and it was a good move: if I try, I can now speak short sentences audibly, but only in a very very low register and usually followed by fits of coughing. My mass email to my students also provoked some sweet messages in return, wishing me a speedy recovery and offering home remedies; if nothing else, this day off has given me time to catch my breath and remember just how lovely my students really are and how much I like them. At least some of them, some of the time.
So this is what I did with all that free time:
- Paid bills
- Washed dishes
- Ran to the grocery store and pharmacy
- Graded 10 papers
- Caught up on my bloglines subscriptions
- Finished the Berube book
- Drank lots of hot water with honey and lemon (I may start adding the whiskey soon)
- Ate Nilla wafers out of the box by the handfull
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commented at 12:48 AM~
great to hear you're feeling better. i hear you on the sore throat (sometimes, and when really acute, it's an event just to drink some water). any thoughts you'd like to share on your impression of berube's book? insights particularly helpful (or new) for those of us on the market? am thinking of making a purchase, myself, so am curious to check out some verdicts on it (may be too late for this year's market, but there's always next year (for better or worse).
thanks,
p.s.
did you catch the discussion at the valve over the summer on _theory's empire_? wondering where one might situate berube's book in relation to that discussion on the "fate/role of thery in the humanities"--discussion in which berube actually made one or two contributions, if i recall correctly (sorry for jaded hyberpole: isn't it quite the catch-phrase now, though?).
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What Now? commented at 6:10 PM~
LL, I'm glad you stayed home and took care of yourself. Hope you continue to mend.
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La Lecturess commented at 10:23 AM~
P.S.,
Sorry for getting to your query so late! As for The Employment of English, I highly recommend the first half, and at least one essay in the second half, as useful to anyone thinking about the profession and the condition in which it now finds itself.
I have to admit that I bought the book mainly because I found it on sale at a local academic bookstore, and in standing there in the aisle purusing it, I discovered that he did a serious take-down of some individuals and institutions I know--a take-down with which I completely agreed--and because I liked his style and what I saw of his perspective, I bought it.
Just about all of it is good, but I found Berube's discussion of how to incorporate progressive politics in one's work less relevant, not because I disagree with his politics, but because. . . I work on an very old period, and I don't do cultural studies, and so it simply doesn't apply to me directly.
However, his other arguments about cultural studies and its potential for becoming one of the greatest strengths of an English department are very, very interesting.
Hope that helps--if you're still checking back!
