Matthew McIntosh
Thu, 2003-07-17 20:12
#1
Matthew McIntosh
Started reading a book called Well by Matthew McIntosh on the train to Bristol this morning and - man, what a wild and beautifully written book. This is one of those books you want to force into the hands of anybody who likes reading something that makes you work a wee bit. Beautiful writing, great stories. Sort of Hubert Selby by way of Dan Rhodes.
(Also - the kind of book that makes you never want to write again! Which is a good thing. From time to time.)
gail
so why does it make you never want to write again? if it is so beautifully written doesn't it inspire you?
Peter Wild
Sometimes I read a book - and it's so - damn - close to what I want to do (and it's done so much better than I could do it) that I think curses!! at the same time as I'm thinking man, what a great book . . .
It's a good thing sometimes to be brought up close with something really interesting (and have your own gross limitations paraded before you like the pink elephants in Fantasia)
gail
ah, I see. Good books make me so happy to experience I can't feel depressed about not coming close to them. I also have this idea, maybe misguided, that the more good books you read they infiltrate you somehow and make your writing better.
Haven't seen the pink elephants yet. Probably just as well.