<p>In the mode of such humorists Bill Bryson and David Sedaris, C.W. Smith's essays in A Throttled Peacock - Observations on the Old World take a droll and ironic look at the antics of Europeans at home and Americans abroad in this off-beat memoir that gently mocks both traveler and host. In an Oxford University lecture hall, a local mayor wearing a flamboyant ceremonial necklace sets off Smith's wry meditation on the English love of tradition; in Geneva he learns that a companion with whom you travel 24/7 can be your best friend and your worst enemy; in an ancient French village he learns that pride can lead to hubris when he and his wife introduce multi-national tourists to Texas chili. With an underlying theme of misperception and the surprise of upended expectations, these essays form a singular vision that entertains even as they slyly instruct. As one reader reports, "One glory lies in experiencing a deepening emotional and intellectual perspective as both narrator and reader discover more about the people and places. This shifting perception keeps the tales dynamic, almost like detective stories that present a mystery that becomes ever more complex before we reach a resolution."</p>

A Throttled Peacock: Observations On the Old World

C. W. Smith

DeGolyer Library SMU

2011 Southwestern Methodists University First Edition Hardcover

Loving U.: The Story of a Love Affair (and Some Lover's Quarrels) with a University: A Memoir

Marshall, Terry

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the DeGolyer Library SMU publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by DeGolyer Library SMU

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the DeGolyer Library SMU publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

A Throttled Peacock: Observations On the Old World

Loving U.: The Story of a Love Affair (and Some Lover's Quarrels) with a University: A Memoir