Korncrake!
The Website of Herr Professor Doktor Boethius P. von Korncrake

This afternoon, when I returned from a lengthy and sausage-intensive lunch, I found my chief assistants, Manfred and Helmut, atwitter. They had just received the improbably thick program of the 42nd Annual International Congress on Medieval Studies. “Herr Professor von Korncrake,” squeaked Helmut, brandishing the monstrosity in my face, “look, here is the session in […]

Read: I’ve Got a von Korncrake in Kalamazoo »

“Guten Morgen, Herr Prof. Dr. von Korncrake,” said my chief research assistants, Manfred and Helmut, as I entered the office this morning. “Guten Morgen, gentlemen,” i replied, removing my coat and hat and handing them to Helmut. “Have you seen the news, Herr Professor?” asked Manfred excitedly, “the Berlin wall was stolen this morning!” “Manfred, […]

Read: Berlin Wall Stolen? »

Last Tuesday afternoon, as I was trying to slip out four hours early, the director of our division, Herr Prof. Dr. Kleimann, ambushed me in the hallway. “Herr Prof. von Korncrake,” he asked, “I understand from your assistants that you are an afficionado of the comedic cinema?” “Yes, Herr Direktor,” I said, forcing a cheery […]

Read: Music and Lyrics »

I had just come back from my morning constitutional around the Marktplatz when Silke, the department secretary, a tasty bit of blonde Topfenstrudel, met me at the door with the news that I had a visitor. “Who is it, Silke?” “It is one of your former students,” she said in that lilting-gutteral voice that German […]

Read: Jealousy »

I was sitting in my office the other day having just returned from a very satisfying lunch with my chief research assistants, Manfred and Helmut, or as I like to refer to them, Tweedletoady and Tweedlegrovel, when the deputy chief our our division, Frau Prof. Dr. Beatrice Glaeßner, poked her inartfully dyed head into my […]

Read: The Unbearable Lightness of von Korncrake »

Several people have inquired about the provenance of my name, “von Korncrake.” Most of these interlocutors have noted that the bird known in the British Isles as the “corncrake” (Latin crex crex, named onomatopoeically after its distinctive call) is known in German as the the Wachtelkönig (“King of Quails”) not the “Korncrake”. Presumeably this is […]

Read: The Name “von Korncrake” »

When my good friend Manolo the Shoeblogger asked me to write the introduction to his delightful new work, The Consolation of the Shoes, I was surprised. “But my dear Manolo,” I protested, “You have so many friends who are so much more famous than I.” “Yes, Herr Professor, but none know the Manolo as you […]

Read: The Consolation of the Shoes »

Last night, at the behest of my chief research assistants, Helmut and Manfred, I attended the cinema. It all started after lunch, during the early afternoon cigarette break. “Herr Professor Doktor von Korncrake,” said Manfred, as he and Helmut stood at the door to my office, their attitudes properly deferrential, “you should perhaps go see […]

Read: Blades of Glory »

This blog shall contain my musings about pop culture, movies, novels, television shows, music, and anything else that attracts my attention. Although I am a professional semiotician, and a highly trained academic, I shall attempt to insure that what is written here will be neither stuffy, nor exceptionally obscure. Of course, this does not mean […]

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