Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

muriel_volestrangler

(102,693 posts)
Sun May 31, 2020, 11:00 AM May 2020

"The book of my enemy has been remaindered"

A lovely mock-heroic poem by Clive James, switching between that style and the contemporary, with much gloating and self-deception.

https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v05/n10/clive-james/the-book-of-my-enemy-has-been-remaindered (if that free link no longer works, you can probably find it somewhere else):

The book of my enemy has been remaindered
And I am pleased.
In vast quantities it has been remaindered.
Like a van-load of counterfeit that has been seized
And sits in piles in a police warehouse,
My enemy’s much-praised effort sits in piles
In the kind of bookshop where remaindering occurs.
...
Soon now a book of mine could be remaindered also,
Though not to the monumental extent
In which the chastisement of remaindering has been meted out
To the book of my enemy,
Since in the case of my own book it will be due
To a miscalculated print run, a marketing error –
Nothing to do with merit.
...

2 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
"The book of my enemy has been remaindered" (Original Post) muriel_volestrangler May 2020 OP
One of my favorites. DavidDvorkin May 2020 #1
Awesome! hermetic May 2020 #2

hermetic

(8,663 posts)
2. Awesome!
Sun May 31, 2020, 01:51 PM
May 2020

(Link still works)
Chill the champagne and polish the crystal goblets!
The book of my enemy has been remaindered
And I am glad.


That day will come and I dearly hope I will be around to share the champagne.

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Writing»"The book of my enemy has...