Steven Brust wrote: > > At 08:38 PM 2/11/2003 +0000, Mark Tiller wrote: > >Did anybody else notice that Issola was written with a certain nod > >towards television. One of the things struck me was the habit SKZB had > >in the book of putting a dramatic line or paragraph right at the end of > >a chapter as a TV Show would just before an ad break. > > It actually predates TV. The technique was more-or-less created by none > other than Alexandre Dumas. > > But I have *certainly* been influenced by television. Especially "The > Wild, Wild West," and "The Man From Uncle." And my sense of humor was > formed more by the Smothers Brothers than any other single influence that > comes to mind. Anyone care to enlighten a benighted 23-year-old as to who the Smothers Brothers are? Or point me to allusions to them in Steve's stuff? (Assuming I'll actually get the allusion...) Jose -- Jose Marquez jhereg69 at earthlink.net