"Alas, one cannot reply to an author exempt by making notes in the margin, notes he will never see!"L.P. Hartley, Simonetta Perkins
[A young lady here who is clearly in need of a blog! Published in 1925, an early work by the novelist who these days is surely mainly known for his novel which is the source of Joseph Losey and Harold Pinter's successful film adaptation, as well as one of the most celebrated opening lines of twentieth century literature. I'd read nothing else by him until today, and am definitely going to read more. The above line appears as early as the second page of this brief work, and is not really relevant to the main focus of the plot. But it did put me in mind of how the internet has changed the relationship between authors and readers. Unless of course you think that it hasn't. Certainly, by this point it appears to be a proverbial sentiment, whether one takes it to be a positive development or otherwise. Anyway, Happy New Year, assuming there's anyone reading this blog. I'm very lax in updating it I know. And I'm honestly never entirely sure whether I have any kind of readership. As ever, I am equally unsure if it matters overmuch. If these quotes and ramblings provide even a little pleasure or satisfaction to whoever stumbles across them, then I would think they have served their purpose, such as it is.]
