Thursday 22 October 2009

me/not me


‘Charles Boyle’s career as an owner, breeder and trainer of champion horses both in the U.S. and Canada was a long, colourful and distinguished tableau . . . Mr Charles Boyle began his Taekwondo training aged 17 under then Master Hee Il Cho . . . Charles Boyle was charged with the murder of his mother and the two young children of a neighbour on 31st May, 1924.’

This is the kind of thing you find when you google yourself. A name by itself is never enough (which is why, when I go to collect an undelivered parcel, I have to remember to take along my Taekwondo diploma); while more than one name may be too many. Some sorting out and narrowing down is needed, and in this week’s TLS J.C. performs a useful service: ‘CB editions now has a list that includes people who are not Mr Boyle: Christopher Reid (The Song of Lunch) is not he, nor is Francis Ponge (Unfinished Ode to Mud, translated by Beverley Bie Brahic), nor the German novelist Gert Hofmann (Lichtenberg & The Little Flower Girl, translated by Michael Hofmann) . . .’

3 comments:

The romantic query letter and the happy-ever-after said...

When I google my name I get something near to nothing, which suits me just fine. I enjoyed visiting your blog and will call again.
All the very best,
Simone

charles said...

Welcome, Simone. Maybe the trick is to have a name like Delphin Enjolras - there's only one of him, and thank you for introducing me to his work.
Charles

Shona said...

It's fun! I came second in the Young Handlers Competition at the Hereford Cattle Fair - I'm delighted to come anywhere at all in a young handlers competition!