Jess wrote:
>Chris, you should try reading more Barra before you
dismiss him
>like that. He's made a living as a freelance writer
in places as
>diverse as the Wall Street Journal and the Village
Voice. He's a
>long sight distant from the type of writer you
describe.
>
>And, as it happens, he -does- know his crime
fiction.
Ok, maybe I was unfair on Barra. I'm probably closer to that
type of writer myself. But I think he had a bad day at the
office. I do get annoyed, though, when otherwise clever,
intelligent and respected people are allowed to get away with
making dumb comments about populer fiction. They wouldn't get
away with it talking about "great books". Sarah Dunant, the
British crime writer and literary journalist was at a
conference earlier this year where she stated that American
crime writing was different from the British tradition. The
British version, apparently, is more cosy. Well done, Sarah.
Yet I've read academic reviews of that conference where the
writer comments on what Dunant said as if it were some great
revelation. People who *do* know their stuff (like Barra?)
have to work hard to stay above that level. I don't think
Barra did this time.
Cheers Chris
>Besides, what people here need to remember is that We
Are Not The
>Average Crime Fiction Readers. We are in the upper
crust. We are
>the literate, computer-using class, which is not, I
think, what
>Barra was talking about. Most people here at least
recognize
>the names "Ulysses" and "James Joyce," even if they
haven't read
>them. (Confession: after four tries I gave up on
Ulysses. I groove
>on Joyce's shorter stuff, though). But most mystery
readers, I think,
>would not recognize those names.
>
>I don't think Barra was confusing people like us with
the average
>mystery reader. I don't think we should,
either.
>
>jess
>
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