What are you reading tonight?

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

The more you hear about Amazon the more I dislike them.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/f ... n-its-grip" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You can argue whether small publishers are viable in this day and age, but the tax dodgers are rarely cheaper than other places and provide crap jobs. I avoid them as much as possible these days.

[KeyserSoze]

Not tonight, but I assume in the summer I will be reading Harper Lee's second novel, released in July.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/ ... TE=DEFAULT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TANGODANCER]

Not tonight, but I assume in the summer I will be reading Harper Lee's second novel, released in July.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/ ... TE=DEFAULT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope I'm wrong, but I'm not sure this will be anything like as popular as it's predecessor, for numerous reasons. It was actually written first and Mockingbird sprang from it. Discuss?

[Dujon]

TANGO, I haven't read To Kill a Mockingbird. Given "Mockingbird's" huge appeal I imagine that Go Set a Watchman will enjoy a 'top seller' list status merely because of what it is regardless of its literary quality. It will be interesting to read the critiques when they arrive in due course, particularly as the publishers - if they are to be believed - claim that it will be issued as written with no editing whatsoever.

[TANGODANCER]

TANGO, I haven't read To Kill a Mockingbird. Given "Mockingbird's" huge appeal I imagine that Go Set a Watchman will enjoy a 'top seller' list status merely because of what it is regardless of its literary quality. It will be interesting to read the critiques when they arrive in due course, particularly as the publishers - if they are to be believed - claim that it will be issued as written with no editing whatsoever.

Unabridged work is not new, obviously, Dujon. The unaltered works of many writers of classic fiction go back a fair way, Jane Austen not the least. The second novel was actually composed before Mockingbird, but I wonder how its impact will compare some fifty five years later with today's generation, who are well enough versed in the issues of it -racial prejudice and inequality etc-to be much less moved than those of To Kill a Mockingbird when it first appeared. Then ( 1960) it was a raw and delicate current issue in America's south, now, the world has moved on a long way. The latter has enjoyed an audience of over fifty-five years duration, this one hasn't even had a reading yet. To Set a Watchman may be a huge success, but I'm not sure it will have the impact of its predecessor.
There is also the issue of the innocense of the young child appeal of Scout and the vibrant youngish man that was Atticus Finch, against that of a now grown woman and her ageing father. It will be interesting to see how it pans out.

[KeyserSoze]

a few articles flying about that this is being done without the author's express permission.

hmm.

[KeyserSoze]

Started The Plague again by Albert Camus. Racing through it so far.

[Bruce Rioja]

Not tonight, but I assume in the summer I will be reading Harper Lee's second novel, released in July.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/ ... TE=DEFAULT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hope I'm wrong, but I'm not sure this will be anything like as popular as it's predecessor, for numerous reasons. It was actually written first and Mockingbird sprang from it. Discuss?

Indeed, this one's set at a time where they're adults. Half of me can't wait to get hold of a copy yet the other half of me's really apprehensive.

[Prufrock]

I personally can't understand why anyone's professing to have a bastard clue?!

All we've got is: she wrote an amazing book 50 years ago.

So no idea, then?

[TANGODANCER]

I personally can't understand why anyone's professing to have a bastard clue?!
All we've got is: she wrote an amazing book 50 years ago.
So no idea, then?

Who rattled your cage? Nobody did profess to have a clue, just idle speculation and conversation. Is that forbidden now?

[Prufrock]

What are you speculating on?

[TANGODANCER]

What are you speculating on?

Well, I thought that was a bit obvious. Whether or not an all time classic, a majorly succesful novel from fifty odd years ago, suddenly needs a sequel, one apparently written prior to To Kill a Mocking Bird . but dealing with a much later time in the characters lives..It may work, it may not. That we don't know, that's why we're speculating. I may not even bother reading it as TKAMB was complete in itself.

[Prufrock]

"It may work, it may not" is not speculation. That's listing all possibilities. No-one knows. Enjoy it, it might be great, it might be shit, you can't possibly have an idea which.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QU3fTj2df0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[LeverEnd]

"It may work, it may not" is not speculation. That's listing all possibilities. No-one knows. Enjoy it, it might be great, it might be shit, you can't possibly have an idea which.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QU3fTj2df0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But, as Tango says, plenty of reason for pre-publication debate without any stroppiness required.

[General Mannerheim]

are there any books, published in the last ten years say, that will go on to become literary classics in another 50 years, like Mocking bird etc??

[TANGODANCER]

"It may work, it may not" is not speculation. That's listing all possibilities. No-one knows. Enjoy it, it might be great, it might be shit, you can't possibly have an idea which.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QU3fTj2df0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not sure what you're trying to prove here, but "Forming a theory without firm evidence is speculation" or so I'm told. Since we were theorising/fearing the book may not live up to its author's other success and may turn out a disappointment, but have no evidence, I'd call that a speculative view. If you wish to disagree, fine. We'll soon know, one way or the other, if our fears are realistic or groundless.

[TANGODANCER]

are there any books, published in the last ten years say, that will go on to become literary classics in another 50 years, like Mocking bird etc??

Good question General. In the short term, many books (I'm presuming we're talking fiction here?) can be highly successful; long term is a different animal. Fifty years from now, will there even be any books that aren't electronic? You'll probably be able to project War and Peace onto the wall from your digital signet ring or take a virtual part in Last of the Mohicans.

[Bruce Rioja]

I personally can't understand why anyone's professing to have a bastard clue?!

All we've got is: she wrote an amazing book 50 years ago.

So no idea, then?

Were you pissed when you wrote this?

[Montreal Wanderer]

"It may work, it may not" is not speculation. That's listing all possibilities. No-one knows. Enjoy it, it might be great, it might be shit, you can't possibly have an idea which.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QU3fTj2df0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not sure what you're trying to prove here, but "Forming a theory without firm evidence is speculation" or so I'm told. Since we were theorising/fearing the book may not live up to its author's other success and may turn out a disappointment, but have no evidence, I'd call that a speculative view. If you wish to disagree, fine. We'll soon know, one way or the other, if our fears are realistic or groundless.

Never argue with someone who, after articling with Sioux, Grabbit and Runne, is a junior partner with Dewey, Cheetam and Howe. There is simply no point.

[TANGODANCER]

Coming back to the General's question; are there any books being written currently that will stand the popularity test in fifty years time? Two hundred years after Jane Austen wrote her novels people are still jumping on her bandwaggon (or trying to). P.D.James (alas sadly now deceased) more or less started the current book trend with Death Comes to Pemberley using the original characters from Pride and Pejudice, which the B.B.C serialised and which personally I found neither here or there on its own merits. Now there's The Darcy Brothers, Darcy's Diary, Lost in Austen, Bridget Jones's Diary, of course, and a whole rake of desperation pennings seeking to emulate Jane Austen and use her characters. The lady's popularity is alive and well, her novels are complete and need no help from anyone. I seriously doubt if any of the current crop will still be on the shelves in five years time, never mind fifty. The world is moving far too fast.

So, any suggestions as to what may stand the test of time then?