My father is reading the novel right now. Before I go on, let me point out that Al Blixt is not a fiction reader. He’ll listen to audiobooks when he’s doing something else, but he finds written novels too – linear. He’s a guy who likes to flip open a book to a random page and start reading. Which makes him far more likely to purchase a biography than a novel.
Confession: I, too, have this habit. I have to fight it when I’m reading fiction, and for the most part I’m successful. But only the first time through. After that, if I’m peckish and need something to glance at while the stew is boiling, I’ll pick up a novel I’ve read and open it at random.
Anyway, he’s got a copy of my book, and I’m touched that he’s trying to read the chapters in sequence.
But wait, you say! Where did he lay his hands on a copy? The MV is still two months away from publication!
Answer: He got it on ebay.
For those not running in publishing circles, there are these things called ARCs – Advance Reader Copies (also known as galleys). As the name implies, these are sent to reviewers months in advance – I got my copy in late November. They look like trade paperbacks, or at least mine does. There are a few typos still, as they’re printed before the final proofing is done. But the typesetting, cover, interior art – everything is there.
However, not everyone who is sent a copy is inclined to read whatever the book is. And in the modern world, they think, "Hell, someone will pay money for this thing!" So they list it in ebay. I’ve noticed a lot of pre-publication novels available as ARCs or galleys, listed as such.
So my pater picked up a copy for fifteen bucks, plus shipping. And every couple of pages he’s got a question for me. I already mentioned one, a few posts back. Well, Saturday night he was in town for a family barbeque, and he hit me with another. What was the difference between a farsetto (doublet) and a gonella? He asked because Pietro is wearing a farsetto in the early chapters, and his father is wearing the gonella. He was having trouble visualizing how the farsetto showed off Pietro’s backside.
The simple explanation is this – Dante’s gonella is like a graduation gown, Pietro’s farsetto is like a jacket that’s long and pointed in front, shorter in back. Thus showing off the male posterior. Remember, men wore tights (okay, hose), and the whole goal was showing off the legs. As time crept along, the younger crowd became more and more scandalous by showing off more and more of their thighs until, yes, there was just a hint of cheek. It was the height of fashion in the fourteenth century, very stylish. And the older set, like Dante, were disgusted by the "immoral" clothing being worn by "these kids today."
My 99th post, and I’m discussing Renaissance asses. Terrific. Thanks, dad.
Cheers,
DB
