My New Book: Theory for Classics

I was surprised to find that the cover for my new book, Theory for Classics, Routledge: 2008, is already posted. This is one of the things I did during my sabbatical in Jerusalem. It's available for pre-order.
This is the official blurb:
This student's guide is a clear and concise handbook to the key connections between Classical Studies and critical theory in the 20th century. Louise Hitchcock looks at the way classics has been engaged across a number of disciplines.
Beginning with four foundational figures - Freud, Marx, Nietzsche and Saussure - Hitchcock goes on to provide guided introductions of the major theoretical thinkers of the past century, from Adorno to Williams. Each entry offers biographical, theoretical and bibliographical information along with a discussion of each figure's relevance to Classical Studies and suggestions for future research.
Brisk, thoughtful, provocative, and engaging, this will be an essential first volume for anyone interested in the intersection between theory and classical studies today.

2 Week Interlude

I'm coming to the end of a 2 week teaching break. It started fun with a tour of the Yarra Valley Wineries with some of my colleagues. A visitor, Haim Gitler, Curator of Numismatics at the Israel Museum of Jerusalem came to Melbourne to give some lectures. He had a free day and wanted to do something, so this gave us a great excuse to visit some wineries! In the top photo, Haim and I are in front and in the back, from left to right: Brian, KO, Kevin, and Roger. Touring wineries is just about my favorite thing to do in Australia and we finished the day at the Domain Chandon winery (aka Mecca).
The rest of the time was unremarkable: grading about 50 papers - most of them on ushabti figurines, doing my US taxes so the IRS doesn't hunt me down, and drafting a grant proposal. The fun isn't over yet - I still have to do my Australian taxes. Moving here means I get to have double my fun.
There is hope on the horizon: we are going to California in November for 3 weeks and I have managed to score tickets for the Rage Against the Machine concert in January.

KROQ/Weather/Voting

My favorite radio station, KROQ has finally joined the 21st c. and started streaming live 24/7 over the internet, bringing Los Angeles another step closer to Melbourne. Now, if we could just stream Mexican food and some warmer weather over the internet (it turned cold again!), life here would be just about perfect, except for the long drive to the House of Blues. 3 days ago on Thursday was the warmest Aug day on record here - I think it got up to about 20 C (68 F), but Friday was about 10 C (50 C). I think I could retire if I had a dollar for everytime I've heard: "all four seasons in 1 day." I'm not used to 4 in a year, let alone 4 in a day. I finally sent in my voter registration form to "enjoy" my "right" to compulsory voting. I don't like either major party here. The only choice is whether to spoil the ballot or pay the fine. Oh, well a 4 inch steak and a bottle of sparkling shiraz at the pub across the street goes a long way to compensate.