Friday, May 13, 2011

Reading all the books: A Comprehensive Summer

Dear Gentle Readers:

My first year of my PhD wrapped up swimmingly.  I took courses in topics ranging from Marxist ideology critique to medieval nationhood.  I learned that medieval maps tended to face east because that's where Paradise is and that Derrida gets ambivalent when his cat sees him naked.  I have written on Donne, Kant, Zizek, Lacan, Althusser, Spenser, Augustine, Higden, Trevisa, Chaucer, Jameson, and John Speed.   I have many good ideas for my dissertation.  But most of all, I had a blast.

I am sorry that I did not bring you along for the ride.  I was overwhelmed and decided that blogging was the last thing I needed.  Now, though, I start the next phase of my program: The Comprehensive Exams.  I will be reading a fairly extensive list of some of the top hits in English Lit, and I have decided to pick up blogging again.  I can't promise you genius, but maybe I can introduce you to some awesome works.  So for the next 4 months, enjoy the ride; it will be a crazy one.

Your Humblest Author.

1 comment:

  1. You don't know how much I envy you. I have tried twice to get into the UofT grad program, but alas. NO FEAR. I am on my way to London for my master's instead and from there I WILL MAKE MY WAY BACK TO UOFT!!!

    Haha, also Spenser is awesome, but Donne is my early modern hero.

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