Good Blog: Advertising for Love
Jun292009
You have to go see this wonderful blog, written by Pam Epstein who’s writing her dissertation on marriage, drawing on personal ads from mid-nineteenth and early twentieth century newspapers. The ads are fascinating–there’s a novel in just about every one of them–and the discussion is great, too. I really liked her insights in comparing the personal ads to Governor Sanford’s e-mails. You should go look.
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10 Comments to 'Good Blog: Advertising for Love'
On June 29, 2009 at 6:12 pm Eva said...
That blog needs to come with an addiction warning.
On June 29, 2009 at 6:18 pm JulieB said...
Wow! I have a few papers from the time thanks to my uncle who is an avid collector. He had a mind like a steel trap for trivia, and I’ve consulted him more than once for odd knowledge for a bigger story I’ve been working on. These smack of the writing of the timess. I’ll have to check out the personals of what I have. I definately have a theory on the Cherry and red blanket.
On June 30, 2009 at 11:14 am Melissa Blue said...
Wow, regarding the e-mails, but I can’t help but think of his wife reading them. If she can bring herself to read them.
On June 30, 2009 at 12:25 pm Sure thing said...
How very interesting. I just got lost there for twenty minutes. And I still have other job websites to browse. Damn and blast!
On June 30, 2009 at 3:57 pm Kira said...
Reminds me of Jack Finney’s “Time and Again” – have you read that, Jenny? You’d like it.
On June 30, 2009 at 4:04 pm Jenny said...
I loved Time and Again. It’s been years since I’ve read it, but I read it several times back then.
On June 30, 2009 at 4:26 pm robena grant said...
Interesting website, and yes you could make up an entire story out of one of those short personal ads.
I recently ordered The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Haven’t started it yet as I’m wading through something else, but the entire novel is made up of a series of letters. A female author is looking for her next book subject and exchanges letters with a member of the GLandPPS and then subsequent members and the story is told through those letters. Not sure what I’ll think when I finally tackle it. : ) Has anyone read it?
On July 1, 2009 at 7:45 am Pam said...
Jenny – thanks for posting the link! I’m glad you’re enjoying my blog!
On July 1, 2009 at 9:30 am Jenny said...
My pleasure. I had such a good time there. Thank you, Pam!
On July 1, 2009 at 5:45 pm RfP said...
“The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society… Has anyone read it?”
I have. I found it enjoyable, but a mite contrived–but that’s the challenge of the form, isn’t it. Also, to be fair, my favorite epistolary work is 84 Charing Cross Road, which is nonfiction and thus an unfair standard of authenticity