"fretfulporpentine, why are you digging out old threads? It is very DanB-like behaviour."

My first ever post and I get flamed for it!

I'm not sure. There is an arcane (yet fascinating) arguement in the film of Baroque and Restoration theatre as to whether the masques of Stuart England involved living bears. I think it can be reasonably suggested that since these plays were shown on the banks of the Thames by the bear pits - spectators would have expected to see live animals. There were a number of polar bear cubs in the London bear pits - and they are believed to have literally pulled the boy Prince Rupert along in a sleigh for a number of courtly masks. Other think actors in bear skins were more likely - for safety reasons. But I think that such people forget that specatators at bear pits were regularly mauled or killed. Indeed during the Commonwealth some of the London pits were pulled down opn this premise. Although obviously strong Calvinist inspired Puritanism didn't like such fun on a Sunday anyway...

So yeah. Sorry, no help.

My posts are riddled with typos:

Film - should be 'field'

Masks - should be Masques

welcome to the Forum fretfulporpentine

I'm glad you brought back this thread

My supervisor recommended David Lodge's books to me, as they're all about life in academia - I'm reading 'Changing Places', and its very funny and very true to academic life.

Lodge is good stuff, especially for those raised in an atmosphere of Catholic guilt. Automation and IT people, and anyone with a sense of humour, might enjoy 'Tin Men' by Michael Frayn, his first novel. First books are often the best - Tin Men; Under the Net (Iris Murdoch); Lucky Jim (Kingsley Amis); a depressing thought for embarking academics .

I've read book by David Lodge, can't remember which but I did really enjoy his style of writing. Must find some more of his!

I remember now (more like I looked it up), it's called Thinks....

Excellent book!

Thanks anyway chris. I asked an opera buff a while back and he didn't think it was likely, but I still like to think so...It would probably have made quite a racket though, but I read yesterday that they can be taught to talk.

I'm addicted to reading books about academia or with academics in, although I've yet to find one where instead of sleeping with each other (and/or the students) they have long-running feuds about room-use, photocopying and how the law department upstairs steal all our admin staff and are allowed to spend all their time in the pub. I'm writing about Amy Tan's new book in my thesis!

shanghaichica, I've read Saving Fish From Drowning. I liked it but it's totally different to all her other books.

Empress Orchid was really good, one of those stories that sticks in your mind for months afterwards.

Did anyone see the list of top ten unreadable books? I was suprised to see one of my favourites (Vernon God Little) at number one.

My favourite is the trilogy by Louis de Bernieres that starts with "The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts". Never read anything else quite like that (a mixture of South American mythology and English toilet humour). He's coming to give a talk at my uni in December; booked a ticket already!

Sue - I love all members of the Corvid family, especially the Nordic mythology surrounding them!

I shall now combine my two loves - Swedish and corvids:

Skatan = Magpie

Kråka = Crow

I went to see Tosca last week, and it was great apart from the rather unconvincing plummet at the end! Boooo!