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Saturday, September 11, 2010

Book Meme - Day 24

Day 24 - Best quote from a novel


I can't find the exact paragraph, so I will have to quote the first bit from memory.  This is certainly one of my favorite quotes of all time:


From Titus Alone by Mervyn Peake, 'I need a cynic for a friend'.  There's another sentence or two, but this is the bit that always sticks in my mind.


I am crazy about the Titus Groan books, also known as the Gormenghast Trilogy.  I first read Titus Groan when I was at school, and the other two a couple of years later when I was at university, and have reread them a couple of times since, the most recently a few years ago.  While looking up a link on the Internet for this post, I discovered that they are considered to be the forerunners of Mannerpunk, of which I had never heard.  Apparently it is a weird mixture of novels of manners and, well, a less steam-related version of Steampunk.  I know that Steampunk is very trendy right now, but I have been obsessed with it ever since I read The Difference Engine and Tim Powers a long time ago.


I shall have to take some time to absorb Mannerpunk.

1 comment:

2paw said...

Steampunk, I always think that is Victorian times with more industrialisation!! I have never read any of those books. I think I may have tried and given up.
My mind is always full of Shakespeare quotes: I do do all that does become a man, who dares do more is none- Be bloody bold and resolute-The quality of mercy is not strained, etc. That, and 'one of us' from Lord Jim!!