This thread will soon be veering off-topic, so I won't pursue
it at length, but--
Miker to me:
> > I'd offer up Julian Barnes as one of the
greatest
> > living prose stylists. I've not (yet) read
his
> > '[Dan] Kavanaugh' crime books--any
opinions
>
>************
>I read Arthur and George and thought it was
terrible.
Not much I can say in response to that. I think over-ripe
bananas are terrible.
> I'll never read anything else by him.
Certainly your right; however, for the record and IMO, ARTHUR
& GEORGE is neither his best book not a "typical" Barnes
novel.
FLAUBERT'S PARROT is probably his best novel, but it's fairly
highbrow.
To my mind, his cycle of stories A HISTORY OF THE WORLD
IN 10.5 CHAPTERS is probably his most brilliant and
characteristic work. I am also partial to STARING AT THE SUN,
and his collections of stories, especially CROSS CHANNEL. I
don't much like his "political" stuff, and I find his
"domestic" novels charming but light.
Straining to bring this note back on topic, I will note that
the French, who have demonstrated a deep love for the kinds
of books and films discussed here, have showered Barnes with
Awards: he is the only writer to have won both the Prix M餩cis
and the Prix F魩na, and in 2004 he became a Commandeur de
l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (I believe the first
non-Frenchman to be admitted?)
Of course, "de gustibus non disputandum est."
Mark Nevins
P.S. Has anyone read Julian Barnes's pal Martin Amis's
"hardboiled" novel NIGHT TRAIN? I tend to be mixed on Amis,
but have not yet tried that one.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 10 Oct 2007 EDT