<<On the other hand, a writer who can afford to quit
the dull day presumably has the time and funds to travel,
explore and experience things that wouldn't be available to
them otherwise.>>
I just want to point out that days and jobs are not
*intrinsically* dull: someone with a keen eye and a sharp ear
can find even office chitchat and backbiting interesting. I
bet KCC's mastery of realistic dialogue doesn't come from
deep philosophical discussions but from mundane conversations
with real people. And I suspect Balzic's incredibly realistic
conversations (and situations) with his wife Ruth are based
on real conversations. In summary, I think he was referring
to the virtues of contact with all sorts of real people and
situations, not to the virtues of day jobs.
Slightly off topic: I think Constantine's greatest
achievement has been to tell what it's *really* like to get
old, a subject that US writers have not been too eager to
explore (because here, death is optional, or so goes the
dream). I was made aware of this once again while rereading
his Family Values, a tough and somewhat bitter novel.
Regards,
MrT
=====
"Don't just do something, sit there!" Thich Nhat Hanh
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