'HIS COMBATIVE HUMOUR WAS HOW HE PROJECTED HIS ACUTE INTELLIGENCE'

摘要

In Isi's interview for the professorship at Edinburgh, he faced a panel, not just of architects, but of various social scientists. His response to this confrontation was to slide down in his chair behind the table, as though defending a gun emplacement. 'Mr Metzstein,' the vice chancellor began, 'You distinguish yourself as a candidate, firstly because you do not appear to have appropriate qualifications for this post, and secondly because you have not actually applied for it.'To which Isi shot back, 'I have always been a better conscript than a volunteer.'