With great thanks to Robert Holmstedt who sent it along. This is Michael V. Fox. 1987. Hebrew Studies 28:6-8. You all know by now of my loathing for endnotes1 I had no idea that Fox, or anyone, had ever so clearly and in such a sustained manner commented on this matter. I also look forward to following up on the (ironically located) endnotes in his footnote, particularly the references to Bowersock2. What makes this all the sweeter is that it comes from within our own field.
Thank you Prof. Fox. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Forever, thank you.
Please, read this, the best ever footnote and enjoy. Fox on Footnotes (PDF)
- I have stated my dislike before, a few times. [↩]
- “The art of the footnote,” The American Scholar, 1983/84. [↩]
[...] have now been shown the BEST ever footnote. BTW, does anyone have the citation for this [...]
[...] read this on the blog of Christian Brady who acknowledged Robert Holmstedt as his source. The footnote is by Michael V. [...]
This is lovely.
have you ever read al franken’s section on ‘how to lie with footnotes’ in “lies: and the lying liars who tell them”?
#1 is: if you want to lie using footnotes, “don’t have footnotes. footnotes are easy to reference. use endnotes. they are much harder to reference.”
By coincidence, a friend showed me this morning that Stephen King in Danse Macabre, claims to have written the “longest footnote in history” about writer Harlan Ellison’s involvement with Star Trek: The Movie. It’s worth taking a look: go to http://www.amazon.com/Danse-Macabre-Stephen-King/dp/B0057DBN42/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325875475&sr=1-1#reader_B0057DBN42 and search for “footnote”.
Tzvee
[...] came across this great post on the blog of Christian Brady, a professor of ancient Hebrew at Penn State, exalting footnotes [...]
[...] Source: Christian Brady at Targuman [...]
[...] 5. I think fellow scholars will agree: this just may be the best footnote ever. [...]
Have a look at the structure of Kuenen’s Hexateuch.
The best footnotes ever are found in George McDonald Fraser’s series of ‘Flashman’ novels. Illuminating and a fun read all in and of themselves. the last word n footnotes if you’ll pardon the pun.
When I checked the Amazon link, the Danse Macabre footnote was not visible. When I checked Google Books, I could read it there.
Personally, I like the footnotes of Terry Pratchett, but I’m one of *those*….
[...] Compellingly non-linear? Just plain annoying? Or for a more amusing musing on the footnote, click here. Or go read Got Medieval’s blog, the locus classicus for footnote humour. As for the note itself, [...]