I can’t disguise how pleased I am with this. The whole project has been exciting and gratifying, but I wasn’t prepared for how moved I would be to see my name on the same page as Auden’s — his poetry and thought have meant so much to me over the years. The juxtaposition is rather shocking, to be truthful; I keep thinking, I’m not worthy, I’m not worthy.
There’s still work to do — these are the first proofs, and there will be a few more stages — but the book should come out early next year. When I’m finished with my part of this project, I’ll be working on another critical edition of an Auden poem, For the Time Being: A Christmas Oratorio. That’s going to be fun. Hard work, but fun.
Text Patterns
August 9, 2010
Congratulations. It's a great accomplishment, no question.
Wow. Congratulations Dr. J. Your name deserves to be on the same page as Auden's if for no other reason than you have introduced a generation of Christian intellectuals and readers to his life and writing. Incidentally, we named our youngest daughter 'Auden', and so we continue to engage with him. We ran into some of his letters at the Huntington Library in Pasadena and stared, dumbfounded, through the glass to make out his scratchings while the crowds swirled around us. Gutenberg smootenberg, give us Auden's letters!
Congratulations, Alan. I loved your book on Auden. You've earned a place near the poet's name.
Congratulation, Dr. Jacobs! I hope it comes out soon.
Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou.
This Englishman (and Atlanticist) waits for this with bitter-tainted breath.