My first, and hopefully only, did not finish of the year. I have been in the hold queue for several months for How to Read a Novelist by John Freeman. I have been really looking forward to it and I am so disappointed by it.
The book is a collection of author interviews Freeman has done over the years. It is a stellar cast that includes Toni Morrison, Haruki Murakami, David Foster Wallace, Doris Lessing, Margaret Atwood and so many others, a veritable who’s who of the literary world.
I expected lengthy interviews that, given the title, focused on the nitty-gritty of novels and novel writing and reading and literary opinions. The reality is each interview is three to nine pages with most of them coming in around four to five. The format is not interviewer question followed by author answer. Instead, Freeman has “written up” and reported on the conversation and sprinkles in a few direct quotes. I read five of them and they were all the same, all short newspaper or magazine pieces and, frankly, boring. How anyone can make Morrison or Atwood or David Foster Wallace boring is beyond me.
These are not deep and probing Paris Review-like interviews but short and shallow pieces done when a new book was published that I can imagine as part of the publication promotion flurry that authors are required to submit to these days. I found them so disappointing that I should have stopped after the first one but I couldn’t believe how bland it was so I read another and another until after the fifth I called it off. It’s not going to get any better.
I don’t understand why these interviews were collected like this in the first place since they don’t say anything interesting or valuable. I’d like to say something nice about them but I am at a loss. Oh wait, I know. These would be great for the drowsy five minutes just before you fall asleep at night or when you are just home from the dentist and hopped up on nitrus oxide. Sorry, that’s the best I could do.
Ouch! Now that’s a big blow! Really was looking forward to a deep, long and beautiful narrative on the book! Grrrrrr! š Oh well… I guess, wasted title? Hee hee hee. Poor chap and you sure got the words lashing deep! Nice…
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su’eddie, hehe, and I was looking forward to being able to write that deep narrative about the book! Maybe if you didn’t know anything about the novelists the books would be good as an introduction, otherwise, not so much.
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Sounds like a rush job š¦ too bad, it was disappointing. At least it was a library read and not something you bought.
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Nish, thing is, it wasn’t rushed as these interviews took place over the course of the last decade or so. But you are right, at least it was a library book!
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I hate it when a book I’m excited about is a snooze-fest. Here’s hoping that is the only DNF of the year!
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Iliana, all that anticipation and no pay off leaves one feeling cheated. Yes, let’s hope it is the only DNF of the year! Just getting it out of the way early š
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Thank you for the inside scoop about this book. I’ve often seen it at the store and wondered if it would be a good read. You’re right, if a guy can make Margaret Atwood sound boring — that’s all I need to know.
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Cipriano, if you are looking for something to occupy you while the barista is steaming the milk for your coffee, this wouldn’t be a bad use of that time. Otherwise, you can just skip right past the book in your bookstore wanderings.
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Sounds like a mismanaged work… and, thanks for the recommendation for insomnia. š
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Arti, you’re welcome! It’s always good to have something to help with insomnia! š
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Sounds like the nitrus oxide might be more fun than the book.
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Grad, heh, it would certainly provide more laughs! š
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Oh, dear. Hate it when, having looked forward to a book, it proves not just a disappointment, but a snooze-worthy disappointment!
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jenclair, thank goodness it doesn’t happen very often!
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I suppose ‘The Paris Review’ has spoilt us where author interviews are concerned but these do sound particularly awful. When I saw the press release about the book I was looking forward to it as well, but then there were a number of very poor reviews over here in the UK so I’ve not bothered to reserve it from the library. I’m glad I didn’t now.
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Alex, I think the Paris Review really has spoiled us when it comes to author interviews. The book has gotten bad reviews there? Not surprising. You can definitely feel fine about skipping this one.
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I saw this in the bookshop, pounced on it, and was disillusioned very quickly by what appeared to be short and superficial interviews. I’m really sorry to know that this impression was borne out on longer reading. What a wasted opportunity!
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Litlove, I am glad you didn’t just buy the book when you saw it but sampled it first and discovered its flaws! It really is too bad. As you say, a wasted opportunity.
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Oh, no! I have this book and was hoping to like it. I will still give it a try, just in case it fits my mood well at some point, but I will go into it knowing a little more about what to expect.
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Rebecca, I thought I remembered you saying you had this book. Maybe you will find a way to read it and like it, perhaps it will be perfect little bites between packing up boxes for your move or something.
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What a shame. Sounds like a great idea but poorly executed. I’m surprised too that it made it into book format. Hopefully your next anticipated read is much better!
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Danielle, it is a shame since it had so much potential. Oh well!
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Oh what a shame, Stefanie – particularly with those writers. Were they little newspaper columns collected into a book?
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whisperinggums, I think they must have been newspaper and magazine columns before being collected, though the book cover says they were revised and some of them are new for the book. The author is the editor at Granta, I expected something much better.
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That’s what it sounded like … But, editor at Granta? Hmmm … Yes, I expect I would have too.
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