I hope you'll pardon my digression in a discussion of Mark Twain and Andy Williams, but I think Slaughterhouse-Five is a delightful book. Sure Billy Pilgrim's wife and about 135,000 other people die in the novel, but Billy finds an effective way to come to terms with it--with an incredibly goofy effort to change the way his fellow earthlings (mistakenly?) think about such things. As Kurt Vonnegut would say, "I love that; it's so human." --Jim L. -----Original Message----- From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Hal Bush Sent: Saturday, August 18, 2018 7:02 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Welcome back to the semester! REMINDER: renew your degrees! John, I love the Andy Williams reference! as for the billiards claim, are = there witnesses?? Dr. Hal Bush Dept. of English Saint Louis University [log in to unmask] 314-977-3616 http://halbush.com author website: halbush.com ________________________________ From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of John R. Pascal <alph= [log in to unmask]> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 9:01:19 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Welcome back to the semester! REMINDER: renew your degrees! Excuse me, Dr Bush, It=3DE2=3D80=3D99s a good thing my dear parents are in heaven. Since they = =3D paid for my B.A. in English, I think they might raise an eyebrow or two =3D and wish a private word with you concerning the need to renew my degree. Also, I have taught Slaughterhouse-Five (not my choice) to my high =3D school juniors for several years. It was the summer reading for =3D September discussion. It made them needlessly more depressed beyond returning to school no =3D matter how many different times I tried to explain it and put it into =3D context as an important work in American literature.=3D20 =3D20 So much better to have shortened SL-5 book discussion and jump right =3D into the mighty Mississippi River with Huckleberry Finn, which they =3D absolutely love each year;=3D20 It certainly is our favorite time of year. I do play Andy Williams=3DE2=3D= 80=3D99=3D =3DE2=3D80=3D9CThe Most Wonderful Time of the Year=3DE2=3D80=3D9D every Se= ptember =3D on the first day of class and it gets even the most emotionally hardened = =3D of students to smile and grin. But hey, what do I know? I=3DE2=3D80=3D99m= =3D still learning myself. I do know that you graciously let me win a round of billiards against =3D you at Elmira last year. :D John Pascal > On Aug 17, 2018, at 5:30 PM, Hal Bush <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >=3D20 > Colleagues; I was reminded of this by another colleague, and =3D especially fo=3D3D > r the younger folks on this LIST: don't overlook the very crucial =3D need to =3D3D > RENEW your degree before the start of class. >=3D20 >=3D20 > >https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=3Dhttps-3A__www.mcsweeneys.n >et= _articles_how-2Dto-2Drenew-2Dyour-2Denglish-2Ddegree&d=3DDwIBAg&c=3DPk_HpaI= pE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=3Df7i-Uq4rMQU8-TBe45qVLg&m=3Ds0tUscpxPGJmaaUYK-uY8lYNHN1V= xNIwPlhPqZIte0k&s=3DeE2UoskW-tXy-PzSEWf5UiGSP6nXwremTg9eUDMV3Ac&e=3D >=3D20 >=3D20 > O yeah, one other thing -- just in case you meet one of those Vonnegut >= =3D stal=3D3D > kers at the welcome back cocktail party on campus: >=3D20 >=3D20 > =3D https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=3Dhttps-3A__www.mcsweeneys.net_a= rticles_what-2Dto-2Ddo-2Dwhen-2Dsomeone-2Dasks-2Dif-2Dyouve-2D-3D&d=3DDwIBA= g&c=3DPk_HpaIpE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=3Df7i-Uq4rMQU8-TBe45qVLg&m=3Ds0tUscpxPGJmaaU= YK-uY8lYNHN1VxNIwPlhPqZIte0k&s=3D_rkMzW0yVjoSZo9k-Vq0ujVft4voqLrR2kD6FiMX2l= M&e=3D e=3D3D > ver-read-vonnegut >=3D20 >=3D20 > cheers, my friends!! The earth has yet again returned us to our =3D favorite t=3D3D > ime of year... >=3D20 >=3D20 >=3D20 > Dr. Hal Bush >=3D20 > Dept. of English >=3D20 > Saint Louis University >=3D20 > [log in to unmask] >=3D20 > 314-977-3616 >=3D20 > >https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=3Dhttp-3A__halbush.com&d=3DD >wI= BAg&c=3DPk_HpaIpE_jAoEC9PLIWoQ&r=3Df7i-Uq4rMQU8-TBe45qVLg&m=3Ds0tUscpxPGJma= aUYK-uY8lYNHN1VxNIwPlhPqZIte0k&s=3DJ4F8tyqDtJk0M7ehsv3UdAgzuBFAJ9wba5dMqH7w= KCo&e=3D >=3D20 > author website: halbush.com