[lit-ideas] Re: The Lost Thames
- From: Chris Bruce <bruce@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2006 13:19:25 +0100
On 7. Dez 2006, at 23:32, David Ritchie wrote:
... an epic of America without error ...
Is that one of those 'alternate history' things?
"This novel is the acme of fine writing," echoed the Oregon Sunday
Journal. "Not in years has a more gripping novel been turned out by
any publisher," wrote another.
Shouldn't that first accolade say something about *reaching* or being
*at* the culminating point of achievement or excellence? (I suppose
this could depend on whether one is a 'Platonist' or an
'existentialist' about matters such as 'acmes'.)
As to the second accolade - well, I'm not quite sure what it says. At
least I gather that there is a world of difference between being
'turned out' and being 'turned away' ....
Chris Bruce
grumpy, because the last two books
he bought on the recommendation of
reviews giving the highest praise turned
out to be ... well, less than worthy of the
highest praise,
in, Kiel, Germany
P.S.: A couple of 'blurbs' from the last book I read (which is not one
of the aforementioned which I bought):
'... perhaps the best and most complex thriller writer in Britain
today.'
'... a master of his craft.'
These are found on the back cover of the paperback version of a novel
first published in 1988, and reissued in 2003. The author is now
widely acknowledged as 'a [if not *the*] master of his craft' in
another genre.
From the 'Acknowledgements':
"When I started researching this book, one person whose brain I'd just
been picking begged me 'for God's sake, make it realistic.' ... I
showed [him] part of the first draft ..., and he telephoned the same
night. 'How the devil did you know that?' he demanded, citing one
particular passage (extant). 'I made it up,' I replied quite
truthfully. 'Oh no you didn't ...' he began, and then fell silent,
having said too much already ..."
Does anyone recognize the book - or care to take a guess?
CB
--
------------------------------------------------------------------
To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off,
digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html
Other related posts:
