From: John Behen <John.Behen@martinagency.com>
Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 11:49 AM
To: Mike Hughes <mike.hughes@martinagency.com>,
Subject: Unfinished Lists
From your blog:
“There is one list I can’t help feeling guilty about abandoning. When I was a senior English major in 1970, the world was going a little crazy. Protests, students taking over University, riots, Kent State, etc. Of course (of course!) we couldn’t take tests in that environment. So a skeptical but graceful professor in my “Modern British Novel” course, made us pledge that we read five specific novels. I took the pledge and immediately lost the reading list. I’ve been meaning for the past 43 years to see if I could find it to finish my assignment. I’m not sure, but I’m betting that’s not going to happen now.”
Nice try, but you aren’t getting out of this one.
Last week, we spoke to the Washington and Lee registrar…
…who talked to a lot of professors…
…and talked to a lot of retired professors…
…then talked to the daughter of your professor…
…who talked to your professor, her dad.
Here is the list, fresh from the 1970 presses:
1. The Good Soldier: A Tale of Passion, by Ford Madox Ford
2. Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad
3. Mrs. Dalloway, by Virginia Woolf
4. A Room with a View, by E. M. Forster
5. The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, by Laurence Sterne
We in ITS have the books ready for your iPad, coming your way shortly. Happy reading.
How cool is that? Wow.
@JohnB – I LOVE this post. Well done!
Awesome.
Oh my, how great is THAT?!
This will keep you going for a while!
I think it’s time to form a book club!
How amazingly kind; I think
. ” … there are shadows because there are hills. – Forster
That just made my heart lift. People can be so good.
Fantastic. Happy reading Mike.
Martin ITS is the best.
Mike – They made a movie of Mrs. Dalloway – watch that and you’re already nailing the list. Good luck!
Just when I think your blog can’t get any more moving or inspirational, Mike, I read this post. People are awesome. I’m officially handing in my Man Card and getting out my handkerchief.
After you finish this reading list Mike, we’ll have something else you need to finish, keeping you here for ages to come. We all know that you’re a man who finishes your projects no matter how many hours, days, weeks, months it takes.
Love and happy reading… We’ll even read to you if you’d perfer that.
Diane
We are all looking forward to your book reports, too!
Ingenious…I think I vaguely recall Heart of Darkness. Happy reading Mike!
Pingback: ADEPT™ Creative Project Management
I highly recommend Tristam Shandy. Terrible book! One of the few I’ve ever actually trashed. But useful in that reading it is like what they say about running: “It might not make you live longer, but it will feel like longer.”
Fabulous gift that your peeps tracked down this list.
But if you’re looking for something to read, I’d suggest Jonathan Tropper’s “This is Where I Leave You,” the single funniest book ever written about sitting shiva.
One of the many reasons why Martin is the best agency in the world.
This is almost the same list of books I actually did read in Modern British novel. Except I believe James Joyce’s Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man was read instead of Tristam Shandy. (In case you want a substitution). You will enjoy them all. Happy reading.
God bless you, Mr. Behen. You the man.
And to think, I was just wondering today what I should read next? Problem solved. And, by the way, what a great email.