[the_old_crowd] going way OT (and back again): AS Byatt

[Catherine Coleman]

> Whether you like the results is a question of taste. It's messy cooking,
> but very hearty, I think. (In comparison AS Byatt is a plate of ornately
> arranged slivers of raw fish and seeweed, with half the ingredients
> swiped from Iris' Murdoch's freezer.) I'll eat in her kitchen any time
> of day.
> 
> Baaaaaa!
> 
> Aberforth's Goat (a.k.a. Mike Gray, who actually likes Byatt and Murdoch
> but has never forgiven Byatt for acting so toffee nosed about HP.) 

Yes - exactly!  Robust peasant food as opposed to a over dressed cold fish.

On Byatt - I've never forgiven her either - she's not on my list of favourite writers anymore. 
This is after years of being quite a fan, to the extent of going to readings as well (although
these were generally pretty dull - I always thought she took herself far too seriously).  The
memory of that show of sniffiness is at the back of my mind every time I try and read something
she writes, and has soured my enjoyment.  I still don't understand her problem either - she does
write fairy tales.  Her whole argument seems to be based around the fact that she doesn't think
that Harry thinks deeply enough about things - this from the woman who over-analyses everything
*to death*.  I think she also needs to distinguish between the emotional and the intellectual.  So
going back to Mike's food analogy - I get a strong impression that she *thinks* very deeply about
things, but doesn't *feel* as strongly about about anything.  The woman also lacks a sense of
humour.  As much as I love some of her novels, she's yet to make me laugh.   

I expect some people will think that changing one's opinion on someone because of their views on a
book is a bit extreme - but I think I'm in good company.  Richard Eyre admitted to doing exactly
the same thing over Captain Corelli's Mandolin.

Catherine



		
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