Swedish Public Radio on the Kosher Guide to Imaginary Animals
Jeff VanderMeer • April 22nd, 2008 @ 8:33 am • News
(Image accompanying the audio link, Swedish Public Radio)
So the exchange between Ann and Evil Monkey about kosher/non-kosher imaginary animals, after being featured on Boing Boing, Bookslut, and others, is talked about on Swedish public radio, according to Henrik från Kvällspasset, who says: “We liked it so much–we did a story on it on Swedish Public Radio. But we got stuck on Ewok-soup. Great site!” Here’s the audio link (in Swedish). A cool-looking site! Wish I could read it!
There’s some talk now of turning the Guide into a slightly lengthier chapbook.
April 22, 2008 at 10:28 am
I knew the smell of anthology was coming from somewhere…
April 22, 2008 at 10:31 am
Naw–maybe expand by a half-dozen entries and with permission include some of the commentary. It’s just a vague idea at the moment, although sparked by someone approaching us about it.
JV
April 22, 2008 at 11:01 am
A chapbook, eh? Well, I’d buy a copy, Jeff, but I hope you know what you’re doing.
If you think Evil Monkey is difficult now, just wait ’till he’s a ‘Published Author’!
April 22, 2008 at 12:48 pm
What? Another book project? Oy vey!!!!
April 22, 2008 at 7:50 pm
I can think of a couple of people I’d buy one for as a Hannukah present.
April 22, 2008 at 8:39 pm
You really may be on to something here, Jeff. Like Felix, I’d buy at least ten to gift around Hanukkah. Definitely has educational value, too. I’m sure children in sunday school would absolutely love it, albeit maybe a toned down edition. :)
April 22, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Yes, toned down a bit, if we can manage it. Either way, it might be a lot of fun, especially with old-time illos.
Jeff
April 22, 2008 at 9:36 pm
I like it as-is, no toning down. I’d buy a copy.
April 22, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Yeah, I agree. The young people can get their entertainment elsewhere.
I now envision it as expanded by about 7 creatures. It would have a different critter on each page. An old engraving-style illo of each beastie. Our banter about it. A paragraph below fully describing the beast.
In the back, we might include some of the conversation on this blog about the piece, if people give their permission.
April 22, 2008 at 11:18 pm
You already have my permission.
April 23, 2008 at 2:08 pm
And when can we expect the veggie version :-)?
April 23, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Heh, when they get around to answering my question about the mandrake, possibly?
I even found a list of fictional/mythical plants –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_plants
Most of the time all plants are kosher, but I doubt that Audrey Jr is kosher, seeing how it eats people.
April 24, 2008 at 8:59 am
Jami,
You are correct. Audrey II would definitely NOT be Kosher, since she eats meat. As for the mandrake? Not sure. What does the mandrake eat?
Ann V.
April 24, 2008 at 9:03 am
After doing a bit of research, it seems that mandrake is even mentioned in the book of Genesis. Used primarily by barren women who wish to conceive…..so, I guess you can consider it Kosher!
But, if you are referring to the animated, sentient version found in the movie Pan’s Labyrinth, that’s another issue.
April 24, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Well, Ann, I’m actually refering to the mythical one – that’s created by the ejactulate of a hanged man – that bleeds and screams – and who’s harvest requires the death of an innocent dog. And since part of the kosher laws are all about being kind to animals….
April 24, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Well… it seems mandrake does have quite the storied past. Never thought I’d ever search for “mandrake ejaculate” in Google! Yes, but the mandrake root (it being alive that is) in Pan’s Labyrinth was just a figment of the girl’s imagination, or that’s what my conclusion was…
April 25, 2008 at 6:48 am
Hence making the Pan’s mandrake an imaginary animal! Didn’t even think of that when I posted above.
April 25, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Pan’s Labyrinth can be interperted many ways. That being said, from what I’ve read, the mythical mandrake is actually suppose to be alive. Not in the way a plant is alive, but the way a person is alive, only not capable of human thought. At least that’s the way it reads to me. PL and Harry Potter basically do follow the original mythos of the mandrake. Only without the hanged man’s ejaculate. (Sorry I keep going on about that, but it’s so creepy to think about that I can’t help but repeat it. It’s like a bad car accident. You don’t want to look, but you have to.)
I recently read a book that might actually help flesh things out called Adventures In Unhistory. It’s good for the most part, but the way the guy wrote reminds me of those lecture scenes in Victorian-era set movies, where the man runs off on all sorts of subjects to sound more intellegent then he really is by confusing everyone. It’s probably a good thing the author died in 1993, or I’d be e-mailing him to calarify things for me. Anyway, there’s a section about the mandrake in there. Including how to make a fake one.
Anyway, there’s a chapter to consider for the new book – kosher imaginary plants to go with the kosher imaginary animals. Bigfoot garnished with mandrake and served with steamed Audrey Jr would definantly be treyf.