Susan Sontag's Volcano Lover: A Romance (1992) takes a long gaze at the intrigues, aesthetics and mores of British high society during the French Revolution and Napoleonic period. The story largely revolves around Emma, Lady Hamilton, Mount Vesuvius, and Emma's men, a circle including Sir William Hamilton, who died in 1803, and Horatio Nelson (Lord Nelson), killed at Tafalgar in 1805.
Meanwhile, Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull continues to erupt, just as it did in 1821, not long after the period Sontag covers. Not the final days of Pompeii, exactly, but something spectacular still. Ah, human nature and Nature, such a volatile mix, now as then and probably always.
Today's Rune: Possessions.
4 comments:
I am waiting, I think, for the asteroid, get rid of all of everything at the same time. And hopefully the only two survivors are the same gender.
And today's the anniversary of Mount Saint Helens erupting I believe. The earth still has the power to kick our ass. We'd do well to remember that.
An old friend of mine is the cargo manager for the midwest for Aer Lingus, and the volcano is making his life a living hell.
I really should read some Susan Sontag. I still associate her with "Crash" Davis' tirade in Bull Durham:
"Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the pussy, the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days."
I've always been amused that the person who is famous for that line, with the Lee Harvey Oswald quote, is also famous for playing Kennedy conspiracist Jim Garrison.
Aha, thanks all for the comments! Mount Saint Helens, yeah -- definitely. Bull Durham, ha! This one came after the movie -- maybe she took the criticism to heart?
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