Thinking about the three things I learned yesterday, courtesy of Levine Breaking News - a mysterious right-wing, LA-based, showbiz-obsessed website that sends me, unsolicited, 'breaking story' email updates several times a day. The first: Odontophobia is the fear of teeth. Good to know, but surely raises some questions. Whose teeth? What about that lady on the catafalque in the Poe story? Berenice: I think that was her name. Everyone seemed to love her teeth. And what exactly is a catafalque, by the way? I'm an English professor, but I have to admit, I'm not sure. Or was it Ligeia?

LRB 27 August 2009 | PDF Download