Friday Tea: Katabasis, landlines, and Nargothrond
it’s a real mixed bag this week
I was lucky enough to snag R.F. Kuang’s Katabasis right after it landed on the library shelves. I’m a sucker for nerdy fiction with esoteric footnotes (e.g. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell), but I didn’t enjoy Katabasis as much as Babel. Perhaps it’s because academia is such a depressing workplace in a fascist regime? It’s still an excellent novel, but if you’ve been traumatized by the tenure process or tossed to the wolves by your provost, it might not be an enjoyable read.
Our house has a landline now. My son just turned 7, and we wanted him to be able to chat with friends and relatives without handing him a cell phone. It also provides a measure of safety; he can call for emergency help without needing to unlock our cell phones. We’re still working on phone etiquette, but it’s been really fun to see him dial the grandparents on “his” phone. Plus, learning how to use old school devices is a bonus these days!
I was delighted to discover this week that Flying Moose of Nargothrond still exists in all its early-aughts glory. Tolkien nerds, you’re welcome.
I just gave Katabasis to my husband because his doctoral advisor put him through hell (before getting out of teaching because that advisor was not interested in teaching). He's enjoying it so far, so maybe it's fictional trauma bonding? 😅 I, too, adore a good fictional footnote.
"The Flying Moose of Nargothrond" incidentally also makes for an incredible rock band name.