torsdag den 3. september 2009

A Herring Seller´s Joke

[Murder? Oh, no, just your´s truly fixing her husband´s reading glasses]

I did not know before reading L.C. Tyler´s debut that he has lived in Denmark. He has, and he certainly remembers a thing or two.

In Tyler´s debut Elsie Thirkettle, the rather special literary agent, claims: “Danish sales won´t bring in much money. Scarcely worth my time to set the deal up. But they seem to think that that gloomy, brooding sod Fairfax will appeal to the Nordic reader.

And the author Ethelred Tressider answers: “I wonder what they will call it in Danish,” … “Hr Fairfax´ fornemmelser for Datoer, possibly.

Did you get the joke?

17 kommentarer:

Unknown sagde ...

Lol! The picture is funny, you're sure about fixing husband's glasses though?
Love your kitchen by the way!

Dorte H sagde ...

Lilly, do I have to answer that question? At least I am not under arrest ;)

It is not my kitchen, however, it is from the house we rented in Scotland. At home I might also be able to find a tiny screwdriver.

Uriah Robinson sagde ...

It is lucky those glasses weren't still on your husbands head.;o)

Dorte H sagde ...

Norman, I don´t know why people will be so concerned about my husband´s health ;)

I only READ and WRITE about crime.

Kerrie sagde ...

So good to hear that you don't commit murder

Dorte H sagde ...

Kerrie, it is much safer & less messy to lean back in a good chair and read about it :D

Søren sagde ...

tihi, go joke :-)

Dorte H sagde ...

Ja, det er jo lidt sjovt, at Tyler sådan hentyder til sin tid i Danmark. Ifølge ham selv er der også referencer til Danmark i hans andre bøger.

Len Tyler sagde ...

I doubt if many people outside Denmark will get the Peter Høeg joke, but it was always intended to be cryptic! Regarding "referencer til Danmark i hans andre bøger", Chris Sørensen, the narrator of Persistent Illusion is Danish. (Specifically he comes from Lolland, though I'm not sure if I actually mention that in the book.) In Ten Little Herrings one of the characters is a Danish diplomat. There are even one or two lines in Danish ...

Dorte H sagde ...

Len; I like cryptic! :D
It will be interesting to see how you keep up this Danish connection.

When did you live in Denmark, by the way?

Len Tyler sagde ...

I lived in Copenhagen from 1993 to 1997, when I was Director of the British Council/Cultural Attaché there. It's a great place to be! I wrote about Copenhagen earlier this year in the Telegraph - see http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/denmark/copenhagen/4799339/Copenhagen-My-kind-of-town.html

Dorte H sagde ...

Len: Thank you very much for the link with everything from hygge to smørrebrød :D
I admit that Copenhagen is not so bad if one has to live in a city, but I am a country person myself. I have just added a photo of our ´vintage vicarage´ to this post to show you what kind of environment I prefer.

Len Tyler sagde ...

What a lovely house! Very Danish and complete with flagpole. Sadly we never got to Thy when we were in Denmark, but it looks really beautiful.

Beth F sagde ...

I didn't get the joke, but I do love Denmark. Will be returning sometime in the next 18 months or so. And I will be picking your brain. I believe we will be in your part of the country (heading up north from Ribe this time).

Dorte H sagde ...

Beth, you are the first person to admit you didn´t understand :D
Tyler imitates Peter Høegh´s Miss Smilla so in English the title would be "Mr Fairfax´ Feeling for Dates."

It would be so wonderful if you come and see us, either in our old vicarage (typically Danish) or our cottage (next to the wild North Sea). You just have to go far enough North and you will run into us :D

Maxine Clarke sagde ...

Great set of comments, and thanks for explaining the joke ;-)

Dorte H sagde ...

Maxine, it seems to be a good idea to have a less formal post now and then. And as you can see, some of my readers even think my innocent photo is crime-related. (Don´t know what gave them that idea).