Susan Cachel

 Before eating snails in Paris, 2007.

Michael's grandfather, Marston Moffatt, had been a missionary in India.  Michael said that this probably led to his professional interests in Indian culture and civilization.  Michael's grandparents were very proper and Victorian-like in their behavior.  Marston later became obsessed with reading all of the Tarzan novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs.  He had a complete collection of the first editions of these books, which would now be worth a fabulous amount of money.  Michael's grandmother, however, was not happy about this obsession.  Michael would frequently quote his grandmother as saying:  "When Marston was courting me, we used to read poetry together.  But now all he wants to do is read books by that horrible Mr. Burroughs."       

   Michael himself loved to read the Tarzan books, and especially loved the movie "Greystoke:  The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes," with Christopher Lambert in the lead role.  Michael wrote an article about the movie that incorporated many of the ways in which Tarzan had permeated American popular culture.  I do not know if he ever succeeded in having it published.   

   Susan Cachel