Reading Experience Database
1450-1945

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Record 11827

Reading Experience:

Evidence:
'I started to read a book called "Ishtar". It's not very good but I was very vague as to who Ishtar was - apparently the Babylonian goddess of love, war and fertility. Persepone, Artemis and Freya all in one. Normally Iwould not have bothered with it but a remark in Durrell's "Black Book" had set me wondering about Ishtar, vis - "From music we demand our whole life if it is to move us; every modulation of dream, despair, love, yearning. It is the past and the future going down into the tomb; the descent of Ishtar among the soiled roses; the entry into the chamber of the Cosmos; the first kicking in the womb and the last elegant spasm of cessation, lull, status". "Ishtar" by E.S. Stevens is badly written and rater trite, but quite interesting. I like stories about "digs" and I am rather interested in Baghdad though I know very little about that part of the world.'
Century: 1900-1945
Date: Between 1 Jun 1942 and 30 Jun 1942
Country: England
Time: n/a
Place: n/a
   
Type of Experience (Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
Type of Experience (Listener):
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Reader/Listener/Reading Group:

Reader: anon
Age Adult (18-100+)
Gender Female
Date of Birth n/a
Socio-economic group: Unknown/NA
Occupation: Housewife
Religion: unknown
Country of origin: England
Country of experience: England
Listeners present if any:
(e.g. family, servants, friends, workmates)
n/a
Additional comments: n/a

 

Text Being Read:

Author: E S Stevens
Title: Ishtar
Genre: Fiction
Form of Text: Print: Book
Publication details: n/a
Provenance: unknown

 

Source Information:

Record ID: 11827  
Source - Manuscript Other
  Author: File Report 1332, July 1942, BOOKS AND THE PUBLIC, p. 20, in Mass Observation Online (access to this site is restricted to purchasing institutions, please see http://www.amdigital.co.uk/collections/Mass-Observation-Online for details). http://www.massobservation.amdigital.co.uk ,

Citation: File Report 1332, July 1942, BOOKS AND THE PUBLIC, p. 20, in Mass Observation Online (access to this site is restricted to purchasing institutions, please see http://www.amdigital.co.uk/collections/Mass-Observation-Online for details). http://www.massobservation.amdigital.co.uk , http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/reading/recorddetails2.php?id=11827, accessed: 28 March 2024

Additional comments:

 

 

Reading Experience Database version 2.0.  Page updated: 27th Apr 2016  3:15pm (GMT)