Ill-assorted links make a post

[tree_and_leaf]

I meant to link to this when I saw it in the Grauniad (I saw it and thought of carlanime!): The Rugby Football Union teams up with Mills and Boon to produce ruby themed romance novels. One is going to be called The Ruthless Billionaire's Virgin, which is awful even by M&B's standards...

There's going to be an Atheist Thought for the Afternoon on PM, from the bus campaign woman. However, the Controller of R 4 says there are no plans to widen the remit of Thought for the Day to include atheists.

Jane Williams is blogging Acts; quite interesting. (I found this while looking for the Howard Jacobson article on Jesus - the curse and blessing to the Grauniad using a different way to organise the website to the paper. Have apparently been missing out on interesting stuff due to my determination to avoid CiF on issues of faith...

Howard Jacobson on the Jewishness of Jesus. An interesting take on the matter; I was particularly struck by the bit about the resemblance between Jesus' voice and that of God in the Old Testament - And as for "He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it" - here we are back before the jealous, riddling exclusiveness of Yahweh himself.

Finally, a dreadfully tangled tragi-comic (but mostly comic) story of the man who ended up going to his ex's funeral as his son... accompanied by his actual father. As the chap's mother said, it had something rather Alan Bennetish about it. Though it's rather sad that the dead man apparently was never able to tell his family the truth about himself.

Comments

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

I'm looking forward to the Channel 4 series which Jacobson's essay accompanies. I'd already noticed the last story - however comic, I hope this sort of thing no longer has to happen.

[tree_and_leaf]

I am too, although I shall doubtless end up arguing with it (or squirming).

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

Ár grá Chríost, rugby-themed romance novels?

I'm impressed by the appalling title, I suppose. Or something like that, any road.

The sad thing is that, were there a market for them, I'd probably try my hand at an historical fencing-themed romance novel. The Provost's Lady: a tale of love, honour, and single-time defense, anyone?

[tree_and_leaf]

I like rugby, but it doesn't exactly scream romance...

I'd probably try my hand at an historical fencing-themed romance novel. The Provost's Lady: a tale of love, honour, and single-time defense, anyone?

Well, there seems to be a market for romances about Jacobites, at least in the States and Germany, so it's not that much of a reach? Though I think you have to work on making the title more blandly descriptive...

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

I like rugby, but it doesn't exactly scream romance...

Exactly. Somehow to me it's inextricably associated with an old roommate from college, who was a good guy, but not someone I think I could consider attractive in even the vague way in which I'm capable of appreciating male attractiveness, if that makes any sense.

Of course there is an attractive lass in my programme who used to play rugby, and whom I might consider asking out if it weren't too small of a programme to date within. So perhaps I'm being narrow-minded.

Well, there seems to be a market for romances about Jacobites, at least in the States and Germany, so it's not that much of a reach?

True. But somehow I'm less intimidated by the thought of writing about modern historical fencers, a group of people with whom I've got a little experience, and could probably manage to get more. Writing an historical makes me nervous, cos I've read so many bad ones, and I worry about getting the research right. I'd probably start waking up every night screaming "All major scholars now accept that Bonnie Prince Charlie did employ Klingon mercenaries, and had a green-skinned mistress from Orion! I've got to rewrite everything!"

Though I think you have to work on making the title more blandly descriptive...

Hmm... The Ruthless George Silver Scholar's Virgin Former Foil Fencer?

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

The Ruthless George Silver Scholar's Virgin Former Foil Fencer?

Is he also Spanish?

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

Is he also Spanish?

Hmm... I'd more expect a Spaniard to be a student of Carranza and Narvaez, although obviously in the 21st century anything is possible. ;-)

[tree_and_leaf]

Yep, the title is now M&B worthy!

"All major scholars now accept that Bonnie Prince Charlie did employ Klingon mercenaries, and had a green-skinned mistress from Orion! I've got to rewrite everything!"

Sounds like a crossover which needs to happen. *imagines Alan Breck crossing swords with Kahless*

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

Yep, the title is now M&B worthy!

Excellent! (Unless, of course, this means that now I've got to actually write the thing.;-)

Sounds like a crossover which needs to happen. *imagines Alan Breck crossing swords with Kahless*

Yes, I could see that. ;-)

[carlanime.livejournal.com]

At least the ruthless billionaire doesn't have a specified "exotic" background; bonus points for leaving that off. Although it's difficult to see how exactly rugby is meant to be romantic.

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

Although it's difficult to see how exactly rugby is meant to be romantic.

Because it's a contact sport, and therefore slashy? ;-)

[carlanime.livejournal.com]

But Mills and Boon are doing het romance rugby novels!

[wychwood]

Well, rugby players are supposed to be Proper Manly Men, right? And that's what M&B are all about. So it's not necessarily romantic, but it's got the appropriate Alpha Male quotient, which seems to be essential for category romance...

[carlanime.livejournal.com]

*nods* I guess that does make sense. It really, really doesn't appeal to me, somehow, but that's a whole other thing.

[wychwood]

Oh, it doesn't appeal to me in the least, IRL or in my fiction. Which is why I don't read M&B, or hang out with alpha males! But I think it quite likely that there's a reasonable market for this sort of crossover.

[ap-aelfwine.livejournal.com]

But Mills and Boon are doing het romance rugby novels!

Hobviously, yes. But presumably their readers enjoy the subtext? Or something like that? (I'm only guessing, cos I've never read any Mills and Boon.)

[tree_and_leaf]

Opportunity for perving over young men who are built like brick shithouses athletic and muscular?

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

I was going to urge you to come to Northumberland, as I was once shown where Jonny Wilkinson's house was, but I've forgotten its location and really don't know whether I should be encouraging the above perving...

[tree_and_leaf]

It's OK, I was never a Wilkinson fan, anyway.... ;)

[helflaed.livejournal.com]

Not to mention sweaty and covered in mud- but I didn't think M&B did published that sort of thing...

[very-improbable.livejournal.com]

It's a crying shame that last story isn't a movie yet...

[tree_and_leaf]

I was thinking more R4 Afternoon Play, but yes, very much so...

*wistful sigh*

[very-improbable.livejournal.com]

Ah, that's right, that exists.

Man, I love America, but I do envy y'all your radio plays.

[legionseagle.livejournal.com]

Look, thee and me are going to have to have words.

Please do not be describing a brilliantly crafted (yes, I'm sure it's all essentially true, but equally it's had its feathers fettled with olive oil and a touch of mam's nail scissors on the rough bits) Mancunian story, with all the authentic Mancunian detailing ("Lord of All Hopefullness? I'll tell tha, what I was hoping was that Lord would let church fall in on us, and be buggered to that Tower of Siloam business) in terms of Alan Bennett, who while a great comic writer is nevertheless very much from from the Other Side.

If you aren't careful, you'll end up saying "he was from Kashmir so I thought it was worth mentioning what Rushdie would have made of the situation."

Anyway, Lancashire families never do tell each other the truth about themselves. I've not mentioned to my mother I'm not a virgin, for example, and I've been living with my partner for the last 13 years. As she's not as green as she may be cabbage-looking, I assume she's cottoned on.

[tree_and_leaf]

I am fully conscious of the difference between Lancashire (half my family's from Rochdale, after all) and that lot on t'other side of the Pennines, but it was the mother who mentioned Alan Bennet in the first place...

I've not mentioned to my mother I'm not a virgin, for example,

Frankly, I'm always rather alarmed by people who do tell their mothers things like that!

[wychwood]

Wow, that Jacobson article is really kind of... distasteful to me. I mean, yes, he makes some good points, and things like the blood libel were and are horrendously wrong, but he's either ignoring quite a number of key Gospel passages or claiming the ability to distinguish between the "real" Jesus and his teachings and some after-market Christian revision thereof.

the slippery metaphor of personal salvation and the blasphemy of his being the Son of God - with neither of which concept Jesus himself had the slightest bit to do - well, Matthew 16 would seem to contradict that,

"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

Unless Jesus is supposed to be lying to them, or somehow misleading them? I mean, that's pretty unambiguous, surely.

And again - Jacobson argues that the Jews had no reason to kill Jesus, but the Gospels say that he was too popular, had too many followers, and was risking a run-in with the Roman civil authorities that the Jewish authorities (quite rightly, I think) felt would have serious negative consequences for the Jewish people as a whole.

Argh. I don't know. It *is* an interesting article, but it would be better if he explained where he was getting his arguments from, and ideally tried not to contradict the sources he's using to support his argument. However, I suppose that would be less Excitingly Controversial for his TV series.

[owl]

Not to mention the whole 'almost getting stoned for blasphemy' bit, also.

[tree_and_leaf]

It's an odd article, certainly. I don't know why Jacobsen concluded that the Jewish authorities had no reason to want to kill Jesus, because it seems quite clear from the Gospels that they did (authorithes rarely like subversive prophets anyway, even before you add in the complications of the Occupying Power).

His attitude to the historicity of the Gospels is, as you say, peculiar - he wants to deny the authenticity of the claims to divinity, but then he talks at length of how Christ reminds him of God, which points in the other way (the prophets didn't talk about themselves in the same way, after all). I suppose it underlines how offensive Jesus' claim to be the Son of God is to Jews, even those who are otherwise quite sympathetic to him and his teaching.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I saw my first atheist bus advert this lunchtime. It was on a Stagecoach bus, which struck me as ironic.

Actually, I think "The Ruthless Billionaire's Virgin" is quite restrained by M&B standards! Though I wait in vain for "The Billionaire Oxford Academic's Virgin Bridge's Lovechild".

[tree_and_leaf]

It was on a Stagecoach bus, which struck me as ironic.

Goodness, yes, the company line seems to be slipping...

[caulkhead.livejournal.com]

Virgin Bridge?

I know M&B are branching out, but I'm not sure they're ready for objectophilia yet.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

His hands caressed her delicate keystone. 'Take me!' she gasped, as he penetrated her most secret arches.

[tree_and_leaf]

*hides, while giggling*

[owl]

The Ruthless Billionaire's Virgin sounds like one of the ones we might come up with on ankaret's journal.

[tree_and_leaf]

Someone should write a random romance title generator. Come to think of it, maybe someone has, and sold it to M&B...

[owl]

You could be on to something here...

[scionofgrace.livejournal.com]

Jacobsen's article seems a bit confused. Yes, Jesus was very Jewish (I've been fortunate to belong to a church that brings this up all the time), but he seems to think (as I've heard before from others) that Paul created a new, Gentile Church, wrenching Christianity away from Judaism. As I understand Paul, wasn't he more concerned with simply erasing the difference between Gentile and Jew? He was a Pharisee, after all.

Someone else has already pointed out that Jesus repeatedly claimed to be God's son. Can I add also that part where he said, "Before Abraham was, I am"? The Jews totally got the reference, which is why they almost stoned him right there.

Hm. I guess I thought it was obvious...

[tree_and_leaf]

I suspect Jacobsen has got himself hopelessly confused about what value he gives to the Gospels as historical sources (it's probably also relevant that he's not at all observant himself, but you would think that "Before Abraham was, I am" was a bit obvious....)

I thought the article was very flawed, but still quite thought provoking.

[owl]

And things like, oh, 'I am the good shepherd'--who else is called a shepherd in the OT?

It's always been quite obvious to me that he was Jewish--and Paul as well, actually. (And it's interesting that you can still say that after a 2000 year gap.)

I've friended you, btw, as it seems like we ave a lot of interests in common.