In a bit of downtime at work this morning I read two interesting New York Review of Books articles. The Admirable Mrs. James by Colm Tóibín and Flights by Julian Barnes.
The Barnes article is about Updike and he reviews Updike’s last two books. I read the article because Barnes wrote it not because I was all that interested in Updike. But Barnes loves Updike and his passion and enthusiasm shines through and I have ended up deciding that it is inevitable that I read Updike one of these days. Barnes is worming his way onto my favorite authors list and if a favorite author raves about another author, well, you sort of have to take the recommendation, right?
The Tóibín article on Mrs. James was fascinating (is Tóibín doomed to only ever write about the James’s now since The Master, a kind of literary typecasting?). The James family is an interesting group to begin with. I always thought there were only William, Henry and Alice but there are two brothers between Henry and Alice that have stories of their own. The Mrs. James referred to in the article title and in a new book is Alice Howe Gibbens James, the wife of William. She apparently hated Edith Wharton. By the end of the article I wanted to read everything all the James’s had written as well as the slew of biographies about the family.
Fortune Magazine has an article this month about Jeff Bezos and the Kindle. There is nothing earth shattering or new in it, but it does talk a little about the Kindle’s development and the hopes that Amazon, newspapers, and book publishers have pinned on it.
Between the Kindle article and the NYRB articles today I visited Amazon to see if they have a subscription to the NYRB for the Kindle. They don’t, which is disappointing. They have one for the TLS and I have been mulling it over and putting it off because the description says it doesn’t contain everything in the print version. So I emailed the TLS to find out what the difference was. That was several weeks ago and I finally heard back from them today. They apologized for the delay and the confusing description at Amazon. The Kindle version contains everything the print version does expect for the pictures and the contents page. So now I think I am going to try the TLS on the Kindle. The nice thing about it will be that when I get behind in reading it, as surely I will, I won’t have to feel guilty about all of them piling up in the corner.
I read both those articles in the NYRB and thought they were great. It’s funny — I’m more interested in reading the people who write well about Updike rather than Updike himself (although I have read a couple books of his, a while ago). Nicholson Baker has his fabulous book about adoring Updike (U&I), which I loved, but which didn’t exactly make me run out and read another Updike novel. I’d already gotten a taste of his writing, though, so that’s okay.
“I’m more interested in reading the people….rather than Updike himself…”
Absolutely nothing unusual about that, and actually very important.
Before tackling a new author, I read at least one biography (and generally two or three biographies, depending on the “bigness of the author) of the writer. It may be obvious to everyone else, but it took me awhile to figure this out, but most fiction is autobiographical (except maybe romance novels), and it helps immensely to have a very good working relationship with the author whose work you are about to read.
Reading Gore Vidal, for example, without knowing his life story, makes for a much less rewarding experience. That goes for James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, John Updike, Salinger, Fitzgerald, Stein, Nin etc.
Hmm, I never thought about subscriptions on the Kindle. That could be very handy.
I fell in love with Henry James when I first read Washington Square, but I never read anything about his personal life or his family. Now I want to. Thanks! Oh, as much as I love print books, I really do envy you your Kindle (sigh).
I am determined to read more Henry James this year. And what you say makes me keen to find a biography of the family – how interesting they sound! I had no idea Barnes was an Updike fan, but as you know I take everything the delightful Mr Barnes says as Gospel. I have certainly enjoyed the Updike I’ve read, and now see many good reasons why I should read more…
There are times when I prefer reading about the author than reading their books – forewards in particular. What can I say?
I did thoroughly enjoyed House of Wits – Paul Fisher had a lovely chat w/Colm Toiben he related – it must’ve been quite fun to find someone equally obsessed w/the Jameses. Which reminds me, The Master is on my TBR shelves but I’d totally forgotten about it.
Dorothy, that’s funny, because now that you mention it, I’m kind of the same way. Reading about Updike is quite interesting, and even though after reading the Barnes article I wanted to read Updike, the urge is fading already.
Bruce, you make a good point. Sometimes knowing an author’s biography makes a big difference in our understanding of their writing.
Daphne, oh yes, there are magazine and newspaper subscriptions for the Kindle. The TLS will be my first go at the subscription experience.
Grad, I’ve not read much James, a few short stories and novellas, but I’d really like to. I know enough about the James family to know they are a fascinating bunch. My husband and I do like the Kindle, though we will never stop buying paper books, it is a convenient format to have available.
Litlove, I’d love to hear you psychoanalysis of the James family! You getting my hooked on Barnes is expanding my reading horizons and my book piles!
Carrie, I can understand that. Sometimes and author’s life is more interesting than their work. I’ve got The Master on a shelf too and must find it too.
I am a big Colm Toibin fan!
[By "big" I mean I could use a visit to the nearest Jenny Craig!]
But, as you asked, “is Tóibín doomed to only ever write about the James’s now since The Master, a kind of literary typecasting?”
No. I don’t think so.
He has a real awesome short story in a recent Harpers, and I am all set to read his new novel “Brooklyn”.
Most recently I have read his short story collection “Mothers and Sons” [it was superb] and The Master was one of my favorite novels ever.
Updike is popping up all over the place, and I, like you, am curious. A couple of months ago, I read a little collection of his poems Americana, and fell in love with it, so I’ve now got one of his novels (Marry Me, recommended by Litlove), but I have not yet read it.
Does the Kindle version of the TLS even have the crossword puzzle?
Cipriano, well if you are a Toibin fan I must read myself a Toibin book one of these days since you have impeccable literary taste (can’t say much for you taste in food though!
)
Emily, hmm, so Updike’s poetry is good too? Now I’m going to have to cave in and read some. I will have to check about the puzzle. I don’t think it does, but I haven’t “flipped” to the last page to find out!