It is all beautifully controlled and mordantly funny, but devoid of warmth—a lot like the gilded, heartless people he is writing about.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Just Say No
I'm not in favor of reading too much by any one author—there are so many we haven't read at all!—and we've read three already by Alan Hollinghurst. So, although I think The Swimming Pool Library is one of the two great gay novels and I will be sure to read his latest novel, The Stranger's Child, I quote the end of The Economist 's recent review to e x c i t e early opposition against it:
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3 comments:
My reading of the review is that it fizzles. The reviewer seems pompously silly. It won't stop me from wanting to read it anyway. For another review, see The Guardian.
The lengthy, featured Times Literary Supplement review was also favorable (no link because no public access). I'm serious about not reading any author too much. If there were to be an exception, I'd make it Hollinghurst. The post and link, however, was mostly an ironic sop to the unappreciating.
As Tim well knows, he doesn't have to twist MY arm to head off another Hollinghurst discussion! That said, if a critical mass of Bookmen (which, realistically, is 3-4 these days) independently nominated his latest for our next reading list, I would feel honorbound to include it in the list of possibilities. But I would also have no compunction about signaling my own lack of enthusiasm!
Cheers, Steve
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