Wednesday 13 May 2009

Every day is cloudy and grey

I've got a lot of marking to do today, so I've rewarded myself with treats. Having managed 40 lengths in 27 minutes (backstroke), I had a cinnamon swirl. I'm listening exclusively to The Pastels because I have the office to myself and I damn well like Scottish indie lo-fi, I'm reading Moominpappa at Sea and I'm going to see Serious Money tonight.

Actually, Moominpappa at Sea isn't very comforting. My PhD is about failed masculinity in 1930s Welsh political novels, and many of the same themes are emerging in this Moomins book. Poor old Moominpappa finds that his existing model of masculinity and paternalism is all over - they don't need him to protect him, so he gets depressed. He thinks about starting a forest fire, then moves the whole family to a lighthouse (very phallic) on a remote island so that he can refound the family on conservative lines. Moominmama seems to know that it's a phase she'll endure and seek to mitigate - I'm sure he'll learn the error of his ways in the end.

I hope I haven't just ruined the Moomins for you. They're amongst my very favourites.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I must confess I haven't actually read any Moomin stories yet (just because they were so excessively expensive in Sweden and Finland - as is everything there). Have you tried her short stories, though? Ali Smith has helped promote Jansson in England and done a very good job. I adore her writing and you might like the climate of her vocabulary: I remember an icy story called Snow which carried me away. But even The Summer book shouldn't be too hot for a vole.
Oh no, do I find myself encouraging you to buy books? Alternatively, you can wait until I'm back and I'll lend you some of her collections.
The Moose Friend

Anonymous said...

ALSO: have you ever been to Sweden or Finland or is the Cinnamon-Swirl thing knowledge you carried over from a previous life? They make the most delicious cinnamon roles ever. I have had a go at a Swedish recipe I picked up from a friend in Stockholm with some good results. I'm still swirling...

Felix said...

had a swirl this morning as well... first in ages to reward me for my good running shape. dunno anything about the Moomins. and stop buying books! ;)

The Plashing Vole said...

Non-Germans are allowed to comment on this entry too!

I've been to Denmark (and had a day in Malmo) and would move there like a shot. I want to see the others, and particularly Norway.

Luckily for you book-pushers, I have nearly all the Moomins books and the Winter/Summer books. The Moomins comic strips from the Fifties are amazing. They're often so sad!