Difference between revisions of "The M.D."
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'''The M.D.: A Horror Story''' (1991) is [[Thomas M. Disch]]'s second ''Supernatural Minnesota'' novel. Sharing some of its setting and time period with ''[[The Businessman]]''—but with different background details, and more speculative elements in a near-future part of the story—it describes the rise and fall of Billy Michaels, a medical doctor with horribly dangerous magic powers over health and disease. | '''The M.D.: A Horror Story''' (1991) is [[Thomas M. Disch]]'s second ''Supernatural Minnesota'' novel. Sharing some of its setting and time period with ''[[The Businessman]]''—but with different background details, and more speculative elements in a near-future part of the story—it describes the rise and fall of Billy Michaels, a medical doctor with horribly dangerous magic powers over health and disease. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Major characters == | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Epigram == | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Chapter 1 == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Sister Mary Symphorosa === | ||
| + | Named after a [[wikipedia:Symphorosa|2nd century martyr]]. Disch wrote in "My Life as a Child" that this character and her crusade against Santa Claus were based on a nun who taught him in kindergarten at St. Paul's Convent School in Fairmont, Minnesota, where there was also a Sister Fidelis.<ref>{{cite Disch child}}</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | === When meat isn't properly preserved === | ||
| + | This passage foreshadows two important events later in the book, one involving contaminated meat, the other about an effective way to preserve corpses. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Chapter 2 == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Mrs. Obstschmecker === | ||
| + | Her last name in German means "fruit-taster." Of the real-life inspiration for this character, Disch wrote that "Grandma Disch was resurrected to play the role of Grandma Obstschmecker"<ref>{{cite Disch child}}</ref>. However, whereas his own grandmother punished one of her daughters for marrying a divorced man by never speaking to her again, Mrs. O. is somewhat more forgiving (or at least less assertive) and expresses her disapproval only passive-aggressively. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === the entire length of Calumet === | ||
| + | The same [[The Businessman#a corner lot on Calumet Avenue|fictional street]] where Joy-Ann Anker lives in ''[[The Businessman]]''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Chapter 3 == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Nabisco Hill === | ||
| + | Actually a neighborhood in Chicago. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === when they got Dutch Elm disease === | ||
| + | See [[The Businessman#elms you used to see shading Calumet Avenue in the days before the blight|''The Businessman'']]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Chapter 5 == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Father Windakiewiczowa === | ||
| + | See [[The Businessman#Father Windakiewiczowa|''The Businessman'']]. | ||
== Further reading == | == Further reading == | ||
Revision as of 17:50, 11 September 2017
(this page under construction)
The M.D.: A Horror Story (1991) is Thomas M. Disch's second Supernatural Minnesota novel. Sharing some of its setting and time period with The Businessman—but with different background details, and more speculative elements in a near-future part of the story—it describes the rise and fall of Billy Michaels, a medical doctor with horribly dangerous magic powers over health and disease.
Major characters
Epigram
Chapter 1
Sister Mary Symphorosa
Named after a 2nd century martyr. Disch wrote in "My Life as a Child" that this character and her crusade against Santa Claus were based on a nun who taught him in kindergarten at St. Paul's Convent School in Fairmont, Minnesota, where there was also a Sister Fidelis.[1]
When meat isn't properly preserved
This passage foreshadows two important events later in the book, one involving contaminated meat, the other about an effective way to preserve corpses.
Chapter 2
Mrs. Obstschmecker
Her last name in German means "fruit-taster." Of the real-life inspiration for this character, Disch wrote that "Grandma Disch was resurrected to play the role of Grandma Obstschmecker"[2]. However, whereas his own grandmother punished one of her daughters for marrying a divorced man by never speaking to her again, Mrs. O. is somewhat more forgiving (or at least less assertive) and expresses her disapproval only passive-aggressively.
the entire length of Calumet
The same fictional street where Joy-Ann Anker lives in The Businessman.
Chapter 3
Nabisco Hill
Actually a neighborhood in Chicago.
when they got Dutch Elm disease
See The Businessman.
Chapter 5
Father Windakiewiczowa
See The Businessman.
Further reading
- University of Minnesota Press page for their edition
- Matthew Davis's page for the book - lists all the known editions and translations
- Review and discussion by Ron Hogan on tor.com
Footnotes
- ↑ Disch, Thomas M. "My Life as a Child". In Something about the Author Autobiography Series, ed. Joyce Nakamura, vol. 15 (1993). Gale. ISBN 0810344645
- ↑ Disch, Thomas M. "My Life as a Child". In Something about the Author Autobiography Series, ed. Joyce Nakamura, vol. 15 (1993). Gale. ISBN 0810344645