 |
[Introduction]
[Essays] [Sielaff's lessons] [Old methods, recent syntoms] [Negative evaluation rules] |
|
[Introduction]
[Essays] [Sielaff's lessons] [Old methods, recent syntoms] [Negative evaluation rules] |
We sat
there waiting and ziemlich gespannt, January, quite cold in Berlin, but, after all,
that was the reason we were there: Sielaff was still teaching, against all political odds.
"This book, on the other hand..." - he continued, picking another book from his pile - "... which is
titled 'Danemark
between 500 and 1200' has been
written by an Author that actually does happen to know danish... unfortunately (for him, on the other side
quite
fortunately for
those among us that want to appreciate books
like this on the fly) the same Author wrote - before this book - a
book titled 'Cactusses and other desert's plants' and, should that not be enough for you, he
wrote - a short time after having published
the book I am helding right now in my hand - another book titled
'Aquarium techniques
for home and profit'."I am sure
you begin to understand, now..." - he said - "...but let's continue, because
there is MUCH more to understand and reverse... here is another book: 'Danemark in the middle
ages' - and he fished a third
book from his pile - "that has been written by someone that definitely
knows danish, that only worked on danish
history of the middle ages, and that happens to be a recognized authority in such matters"
- he paused and
then throw the book disgusted on the "crap" side of his desk - "I know you wont like what I will
now say" - he added - "but it is quite important nevertheless: the Author wrote this book when he was
only THIRTY years old!" - in fact we were all still approaching thirty ourselves
and therefore more or less
speechless - "I fear you'll probably don't dig it right now, but believe me:
if you want to be really
sure someone knows anything about what he's writing about - especially in
complex sciences like early medieval history -, you
wait until he is AT LEAST fifty years old,
and even in that case you should by all means take GREAT care:
most of the so-called "experts"
are oft enough just releasing hot air bubbles. This has nothing to do with
danish history specifically, of course... it happens anywhere, anyhow, anyabout..."
"You see..." - continued Sielaff - "...the fact that the previous author worked a lot
on a single subject may be
relevant for the books he wrote / will have written at the END of his career.
But this does not guarantee
nothing at all about the books he may have written
at the beginning. And now we come to this article:
'About mediaeval danemark' which was written by an expert on danish medieval
history, who was fifty himself at the time of writing. The article appeared in november
1982 on a
university monthly collection..." - silence followed, we were trying to guess - "...ahem,
I repeat: it appeared in november on a monthly..." - more silence: we didn't know
what to say - "...ok: if you don't know it yet, then you better learn it right now:
monthly publications
are tricky - especially university ones. They actually HAVE
to publish their 12 issues year after year in order to survive...
and get public money for the following years... yet the quality
varies considerably, and though
it may be relatively easy to find some sound and interesting material for the first, say,
five or six months,
you'll have to scratch the bottom of the 'Topf'
to be able to fill and publish all 12 issues... therefore, my dear students, everything
published 'from september onwards' should be regarderd with suspect... mind you: it does not
MEAN that the stuff is crap, it is only LESS PROBABLE that you'll have some
outstanding work there..."
"And now we are approaching the real 'kern' of today's session." - Sielaff yawned - "Here you have another book:
History of Danemark through the middle ages." - He raised a hand holding a thick book
from his pile. - "This was written by a recognized expert of danish history, towards the end
of his life, building on many essays he wrote before on the same argument. It was published
by the most important danish editor, translated in German, English and French."
"Today's 'proseminar' is almost finished."