Living in Salem, I appreciate Hal's understanding of Hawthorne's humor, and
his rejection of the dour scholars who study him. One of my favorite
professors is a Miltonist, who couldn't stand the Christian ascetics who
studied him. Of course my professor is Scottish & more in tune with Robbie
Burns when it came to a drink & poetry.

Now that's a group we can hang with.

ABE
On Monday, August 19, 2013, Hal Bush wrote:

> True story-- and I mentioned this to a few folks in Elmira--but I initially
> tried to get grounded in the Hawthorne group, due to my huge ingest and
> admiration of the Salem stylist.  I was passionate for Hawthorne!
>
> Well... I was disabused of my thinking upon my contact with the conferences
> on NH.  This will sound absolutely stereotyped:  but in fact the group
> seemed to me, back twenty years ago, rather muted, dour, humorless (though
> in fact NH can be pretty funny) and, in short, not so much fun.  I, being
> the fun guy that I am, immediately gravitated away from the
> Hawthornians.... and alas, here I am now among this group called the
> Twainiacs.
>
> I really do think there is something to Bruce's comment:  it's the funnest
> group to have a conference with!  If not please tell me which group is, cuz
> I want to go to their meetings.
>
> -hb
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 19, 2013 at 9:28 AM, Ben Wise <[log in to unmask]<javascript:;>>
> wrote:
>
> > I prefer the Emily Dickinson conference where everyone stays home.
> >
> > Ben
> >
> > --
> Prof. Harold K. Bush
> Professor of English
> 3800 Lindell
> Saint Louis University
> St. Louis, MO  63108
> 314-977-3616 (w); 314-771-6795 (h)
> <www.slu.edu/x23809.xml>
>