Master Ultan's Library

DAVID STOCKHOFF · 16 Jul 2010, 14:52 · from 2010-July.txt.gz

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From: dstockhoff at verizon.net (DAVID STOCKHOFF)
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2010 07:52:47 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: (urth) Master Ultan's Library
In-Reply-To: <4C405BB9.4090500 at io.com>
Message-ID: <957647.46124.qm at web84107.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Perhaps. In other words, "you, the reader, who will one day find this book on a shelf and read it." But underwhelming. Why "delve into Ultan's library" when all you need to do is ask for a copy of the Autarch's latest picaresue novel?

Are we to assume that (1) Severian expects to place the book in the Library and ONLY there (2) that it will stay there for a long time (3) that it will be read at all, in HIS future? That he knows nothing of the Flood to come? Is that future revealed to him only during UotNS? 

Bummer. No one will read his book, since it will survive in neither past nor future, unless the Library itself travels through time, or its holdings do.

Who goes into the stacks? Who reads Ultan's books? Anyone other than librarians and seekers after the Book of Gold?

Does this really add up?

--- On Fri, 7/16/10, Adam Thornton <adam at io.com> wrote:

From: Adam Thornton <adam at io.com>
Subject: Re: (urth) Master Ultan's Library
To: "The Urth Mailing List" <urth at lists.urth.net>
Date: Friday, July 16, 2010, 9:16 AM

On 07/16/2010 08:04 AM, David Stockhoff wrote:
> Some of my favorite passages in Severian's narration involve commentary on literary style. In Shadow, he compares writing to execution of the condemned.
> 
> What do you all make of the following mention of Master Ultan's Library?
> 
> Similarly *you, who will some day delve in Master Ultan's library,* will require of me no long delays; personages who are permitted to speak only briefly yet do it well; certain dramatic pauses which shall signal to you that something of import is about to occur; excitement; and a sating quantity of blood.

I assumed Severian was just assuming his book would end up on the Library's shelves, and that is where the reader would most likely encounter it.

Adam
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