Saki (H. H. Monroe, early 20th C.) is one of my favorite short story writers. While they aren't all perfect, many of his stories are witty, occasionally fierce gems. I'd recommend the stories "Tobermory" and "Sredni Vashtar." Both are in the collection The Chronicals of Clovis.

Where do you think my Devilbunny (everyone's future Lord and Master) got his name from? Yes, he's named after Clovis from the Saki stories.

Jilli if you haven't read Frankenstein you should. I love it to peices. Although I've never gotten into Dracula.

We are mirror opposites, it seems. Frankenstein has never (in the semi-distant past, I'll admit) held my attention, while I re-read Dracula once a year.

Re everyone who followed my bloviating posts with moans about being not smart enough for the Buffistas (Teppy, I'm looking at you):

Shit, I've been reading along feeling like the stupidest stupidhead in Stupidville compared to all y'all and the things you read and genuinely enjoy that I can't begin to wrap my brain around. Dammit, someone here has to own up to being an actual smartyhead!

And I'd like to nominate P-C, on account of he made me feel the stupidest with his Quentin Compson love and all. I have never been able to read more than six pages of Faulkner, ever; he makes my head pound with my total intellectual inadequacy and lack of anything, and people who read him willingly, for pleasure, are like unto demigods to me.

So, official verdict: We're all unfit for Buffistahood, except for P-C (and probably Nutty. And also ita. Other exceptions to be added as necessary, but basically we're all unworthy, which at least levels the posting field and should make us all feel exactly no more or less insecure than anyone else about our intellectual cred.)

but basically we're all unworthy,

No, no, no - this has to be wrong. More of an all-worthingness team, really.

Also, when are you coming home and why aren't you home already?

Yes, he's named after Clovis from the Saki stories.

Really?!?! I figured he was named after some early medieval king or other. I hardly ever run into someone who reads Saki for fun. Isn't he delicious? He has this sort of dark thread under the wit, which pops up in things like "Sredni Vashtar" and that story about Pan the title of which is escaping me at the moment. When I first went online, back in the days of BBSs, my first user name was Tobermory.

Hec, Darth and I had a lovely long natter about Travesties at my first RTP-ista f2f. I believe he was in an NC production of it. It's one of my favorite plays, and introduced me to Dada. (What can I say, I've had a sheltered life.) Have you read or seen Arcadia? Lovely language. And I love Stoppard's way of layering his plot threads.

Have you read or seen Arcadia? Lovely language. And I love Stoppard's way of layering his plot threads.

Nay. Though Stoppard's The Real Thing is playing locally this fall. More imporantly though ACT is doing The Black Rider with the Waits score and Marianne Faithful in it. Mmmmmmmmm, darkalicious. But I do love Stoppard's layering, and language and embodying-ideas.

More Stoppard/Real Thing trivia: When I lived in Boston, I saw Jeremy Irons and Glenn Close get out of a cab together in Harvard Square while they were doing the American premiere of that play.

Real Thing trivia: When I lived in Boston, I saw Jeremy Irons and Glenn Close get out of a cab together in Harvard Square while they were doing the American premiere of that play.

I bet that was a kick-ass version of the play. I wish I'd seen them playing Henry and Annie. I'd have loved to see them do the bit in Act 2, scene 5, where they're discussing the idea of writers and what makes good writing.

re: Childcraft.

We had, what I believe to be, a 70s version (rainbow colors on the side). It was pretty well used, but mostly the younger kid stuff as we had lost interest as we got older. I found a 1945 printing of them that is kinda art deco looking and I love. It was $25 at an antique store.

Jilli-- we do seem to be opposites.

I was trying to think of something else to recommend but the only thing that comes to mind is "A Rose for Emily" which is a short story. I think it's Faulkner, I'm not sure.

Dammit, someone here has to own up to being an actual smartyhead!

I will. I think most of us here are, but most of us are also painfully aware of our perceived shortcomings in areas that matter to us. But isn't that really the point? That if one loves something and that field matters to one (particularly in a field as vast and far-reaching as Western Lit is, not to mention literature the world over), that one feels like a grasshopper at the base of a mountain - overwhelmed by the immensity of the task, but eager to try.

Have you read or seen Arcadia? Lovely language.

Mmm. I love Arcadia, and hope to direct it someday. I enjoy most of Stoppard's work, with the notable exception of The Invention Of Love (which puts me a direct odds with Betsy, among others). The Fringe show I'm directing has sort of a Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead feel, and it's quite fun.