Odd Bits
Idols of Perversity
In the course of reading around the edges of the book topic I’m exploring[1], I was surprised to come across a discussion of a book I found useful while writing my dissertation: Idols of Perversity: Fantasies of Feminine Evil in Fin-de-Siècle Culture by literary scholar Bram Dijkstra. I found the way the author used Dijkstra’s…
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Pure Invention
Those of you who also read my newsletter may remember that for the last few months I have been exploring the question of Japanese pop culture and the United States. It has been fascinating and frustrating. I know a lot more than I did when I began my quest in early February, but I still…
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In Celebration of Independent Bookstores
Here is my annual Public Service Announcement: Today is Independent Bookstore Day in the United States, assuming you are reading this on the day it comes out. It’s a nationwide party for book lovers. Here in Chicago, local independent bookstores are once again hosting their bookstore crawl in celebration. I’m lucky enough to have three…
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