William Morris

[WICKES]

Has anyone ever read any of his fiction? Is he any good? Harold Bloom includes 4 or 5 of his books in his western canon, so I guess he must be at least competent. He seems like a fascinating character, and I would like to read some of his stuff, but I have no idea where to start.

[Emil Miller]

Has anyone ever read any of his fiction? Is he any good? Harold Bloom includes 4 or 5 of his books in his western canon, so I guess he must be at least competent. He seems like a fascinating character, and I would like to read some of his stuff, but I have no idea where to start.

When very young, and therefore very naive, I read his News From Nowhere in which a young man attends a socialist meeting and later falls asleep to dream of a future Utopia where everyone lives according to their needs rather than their wants.
It's complete wishful thinking but if you have a few hours to spare, you might care to give it a try.

[stlukesguild]

Morris... like Walter Pater and John Ruskin... is one of those 19th century writers who is grossly underrated.

[Lokasenna]

Morris... like Walter Pater and John Ruskin... is one of those 19th century writers who is grossly underrated.

Agreed. Morris is wonderful. I've read a fair few of his works, though only a small amount of the total - the man was extremely productive. Obviously his Old Norse translations and derivative works are of specific interest to me, but it is his fantastical writings that appeal most to me - one can make a very strong case for Morris being the inventor of the modern fantasy novel.

News From Nowhere is an obvious starting point if you want to look at Morris's political views, but I'd take The Wood Beyond the World or The Well at the World's End over it any day of the week.

And, of course, Morris wasn't just a writer - he was a great polymath. The pub I frequent to waste my pittance of wage is handsomely decorated with Morris & Co wallpaper...

[stlukesguild]

And, of course, Morris wasn't just a writer - he was a great polymath. The pub I frequent to waste my pittance of wage is handsomely decorated with Morris & Co wallpaper...

I quite envy you. Mine is plastered with a vast array of wide-screen TVs broadcasting every sporting event known to mankind accompanied by a din "classic rock".

[Lokasenna]

And, of course, Morris wasn't just a writer - he was a great polymath. The pub I frequent to waste my pittance of wage is handsomely decorated with Morris & Co wallpaper...

I quite envy you. Mine is plastered with a vast array of wide-screen TVs broadcasting every sporting event known to mankind accompanied by a din "classic rock".

It's my kind of pub - no TVs, no music, several small seperate parlours, real fires, real ale, and the listed interior. Heck, they don't even have an electronic till - they use the antique one on the bar for storing the money, and rely on mental agility for working out the prices...

Some pictures of the interior, featuring Mr Morris's wonderful wallpaper: http://www.victoriainn-durhamcity.co.uk/pages/about_us.htm

[Emil Miller]

It's my kind of pub - no TVs, no music, several small seperate parlours, real fires, real ale, and the listed interior. Heck, they don't even have an electronic till - they use the antique one on the bar for storing the money, and rely on mental agility for working out the prices...

Some pictures of the interior, featuring Mr Morris's wonderful wallpaper: http://www.victoriainn-durhamcity.co.uk/pages/about_us.htm

That must qualify as the best pub in England; to think that in the past they were virtually all like that.
Now they are virtually all like St Lukes example, my local (which I never use) has a regular Elvis Presley night God help us!

In the latter part of the fifth century the barbarian hordes overwhelmed the last vestiges of the Roman Empire sinking Europe into what would come to be called the "Dark Ages." In defense, and under the influence of the Italian monk St. Benedict, monasteries spread throughout Europe. They provided islands of intellectualism as the world around them devolved into anarchy.

Plus ça change

[stlukesguild]

It's my kind of pub - no TVs, no music, several small seperate parlours, real fires, real ale, and the listed interior. Heck, they don't even have an electronic till - they use the antique one on the bar for storing the money, and rely on mental agility for working out the prices...

Some pictures of the interior, featuring Mr Morris's wonderful wallpaper: http://www.victoriainn-durhamcity.co...s/about_us.htm

Your pub is the real thing. What we have akin to this tend to be geared at upscale clientele who are seeking out a sort of artificial European experience. When I was younger, I frequented one of those true American "dives". Crap beer (the micro-breweries and imports hadn't caught on yet) but good cheap bar food:

http://observer.case.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/euc.jpg

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-0/c0.39.960.562/s480x480/294574_256808367754914_2049207019_n.jpg

It was noisy and crowded as all get out in the evenings with college students... until the state changed the drinking age from 18 to 21.

Now, if I'm going for food and booze, I head to a place called Fat Heads. Its one of those so-called "sports bars" with dozens of TVs and crowds of middle-aged clowns who come for the atmosphere. :ack2:

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/d2/56/e6/view-of-the-bar-nice.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_US2uPnRLukI/TBkNTONqUdI/AAAAAAAAAZY/WiFjPTqjaFA/s1600/fattaps.jpg

What it lacks in atmosphere, however, it makes up in the beer selection. As well as a great selection of bottled beers, there is an on-site micro-brewery that brews a good array of award-winning beers of every style on tap, and the chocolate cake accompanied by the voodoo monkey stout or Southern Tier Creme Brulee is to die for.

The best bar I frequent, however, is right up the block from me... perhaps a 10-minute walk. It's a German-style bar and restaurant (voted one of the best 20 bars in the US) with an excellent menu of German cuisine...

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/bd/f9/9f/der-braumeister.jpg

... and an even better selection of at least 100+ different beers... including some fabulous German brews on tap. Last time we were there we got absolutely smashed on a great spicy, wheat Dopplebach, Aventinus, on tap.

http://whiskeygoldmine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/aventinus-bottle-glass.jpg

The waitress offered us the last of the keg without charge. It still tasted great... but the alcohol level which is already a hefty 8.5% must have shot up at the bottom of the barrel. The only reason we don't visit more often is due to the fact that it is a bit pricey.

That must qualify as the best pub in England; to think that in the past they were virtually all like that.
Now they are virtually all like St Lukes example, my local (which I never use) has a regular Elvis Presley night God help us!

You can't fool us, Emil. You're probably there every week... religiously... dressed like the late fat Elvis and belting out, "a hunka, hunka burnin' love"!

http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/usa/images-5/fat-elvis-presley-impersonator.jpg

In the latter part of the fifth century the barbarian hordes overwhelmed the last vestiges of the Roman Empire sinking Europe into what would come to be called the "Dark Ages." In defense, and under the influence of the Italian monk St. Benedict, monasteries spread throughout Europe. They provided islands of intellectualism as the world around them devolved into anarchy.

As time passes, Hermann Hesse' Glass Bead Game seems more and more prophetic.

[Emil Miller]

[QUOTE=stlukesguild;1256999
You can't fool us, Emil. You're probably there every week... religiously... dressed like the late fat Elvis and belting out, "a hunka, hunka burnin' love"!

[/QUOTE]


:lol: Alright I'll come clean, that's me before I started putting on weight.

Incidentally, after drinking for many years in pubs and bars across Germany, I never once saw anyone drinking a dark beer.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Wow what a fantastic thread!! William Morris, Loka's fantastic pub, St Luke's cool beer selection and outdoor sunny exterior and Emil as Elvis! I'm in heaven!

[sandy14]

You may enjoy a visit to the William Morris Gallery. http://www.wmgallery.org.uk/
There's an exhibition that follows Morris's life and has examples of his work. In addition there are examples Kelmsgrove Press editions and a section which shows Morris' political life.

It's not a huge place, but iti is set in a lovely park so if you go on a summer's day you can have a stroll and a picnic.

[Emil Miller]

You may enjoy a visit to the William Morris Gallery. http://www.wmgallery.org.uk/
There's an exhibition that follows Morris's life and has examples of his work. In addition there are examples Kelmsgrove Press editions and a section which shows Morris' political life.

It's not a huge place, but iti is set in a lovely park so if you go on a summer's day you can have a stroll and a picnic.

So we've returned to William Morris via Elvis Presley; only on LitNet is one likely to find such a bizarre coupling. I honestly thought that StLukes had made up the so-called song referred to but on checking it out I discovered that it's real. I can't help wondering what William Morris would have made of this little gem:

Ooh, ooh, ooh,
I feel my temperature rising
Help me, I'm flaming
I must be a hundred and nine
Burning, burning, burning
And nothing can cool me
I just might turn into smoke
But I feel fine