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Reviews (6)
Jul 17, 2019
Byzantine Ruins & A Long, Black Serpent
I first read this enthralling book several decades ago. It drove me to search out Bafa Golu in Turkey, to get myself there, and to swim a kilometre across the lake (bafa is the Turkish for lake) with my cameras in several layers of plastic just to visit the ruined monastic vestiges on an island in the middle of the lake. Originally, the monastery had occupied the summit of a small mountain but an earthquake had let in the sea. That I didn't give up the swim halfway is testament to the excitement engendered by Osbert Lancaster's prose and drawings - I suddenly realised that there was a metre-long black snake swimming not an arm's length away from me, and it had teeth. Once on the island, the ruins did not disappoint and the Ancient Greek I had learnt at school (i was a poor student) was quite adequate for deciphering the ancient inscriptions. Of course, I had also to swim back to the shore after taking photos and doing sketches of my own. That evening, I sat with local fishermen as they grilled fish on the shore and explained the horror of the black snake - "...uzun siyah yılan dişleriyle..." which set them all roaring with laughter. Apparently the monster had been an eel.
I had many adventures thanks to the book. This is a second copy. I do not know where the first went to, and perhaps I am now too old to go adventuring except through the wonderful pages of Mr Lancaster's erudite prose!
Jun 10, 2006
Fresh and Helpful
I have bought 'Standard Deviant' products before as teaching aids for my Chinese students learning Shakespeare. I found 'Macbeth' so good that I had no qualms - not even with the American accents - about also purchasing 'Romeo & Juliet.
The students use the DVD by themselves. It is exceptionally user-friendly and attractive. It has been a great help for me and has taken a great deal of work off my back.
I would certainly recommend any of the 'Standard Deviant' DVDs to teachers.
Nov 07, 2018
A Carthusian in Love
Carthusian monks are the Church's contemplatives par excellence. A monk (Carthusian authors are never named) meditates on how love alone can lead a man to such an austere, hidden life, a life hidden in God.
Beautifully written, this is a book to be savoured, a little at a time.