Friday, June 5, 2009

Paradise Lost

I know what you're going to say. "Who really cares?" But I can't resist.
I posted a piece the other day about Milton's Paradise Lost - you know the poem we used to study in high school about Satan and God and Jesus and Adam and Eve. At least I thought that was what it was about. I was puzzled. This Paradise Lost seemed to be about Greeks and Turks and Armenians. Then a friend pointed out that this was a new Paradise Lost just written last year - about the Armenian genocide! And it's written by a different Milton. Giles.
So here's the scenario. Giles and his publisher are sitting around the office.
"Hey Giles - I got this great idea last night. Let's call your book "Paradise Lost" - you know, like John Milton's Paradise Lost of 1667 - people will see it in the book store, and the brain will go 'I know that book - let me see - seems long ago.' And they'll reach for it."
I've read 2 reviews of this Armenian Paradise Lost. Neither review pondered the choice of title. I suppose John Milton isn't around anymore to protest. "Hey, man - you can't use that title! I got it first!" There's probably a copyright law, and Milton's title has long ago expired.
So there it is. A little thing. But a kind of fun thing.
After hearing from my friend, I rushed forth and erased the embarrassing post. But both "Paradise Lost" books will be known to me forever. The plots, I mean. The Satan/God "Paradise Lost" of 1667 and the Armenian genocide "Paradise Lost" of 2008.
I will never read either of them of course. Life is way too short.

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