Saturday, September 19, 2009
The Lost Symbol
Unfortunately, I'm not allowing myself to read Dan Brown's new book, 'The Lost Symbol' before Christmas. The family know I quite like his books, and its bound to appear in my Xmas gift pile. Instead, I'm enjoying reading the insufferable snobbery displayed by some who consider themselves to be 'proper' writers. This list of Dan Brown's worst phrases in tomorrow's Telegraph is a joy to read. The problem these literary snobs can't grasp is that the pace and ridiculousness of the plots are very enjoyable to read. Its just jealousy. They would prefer to see a well written book which no-one bothers to read, than a badly written, but good story which appeals to millions - many of whom would never read a book at all if it were not for Brown. I concede that its a mystery why he's quite so popular. I suppose the Catholic Church helped by condemning him, and taking his books seriously. Anyway, I'm content to be a cultural Philistine. I prefer Springstein to Beethoven. But even if I didn't, I would read 'The Lost Symbol', just to poke the snobs in the eye. I might even read it twice.
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6 comments:
good on you Glyn -I am enjoying it.I also have enjoyed his other books.There is room for everyone.I love to read , but do get fed up with some of the heavy tomes I have to buy into because of my job.
I like a good yarn and why not
Glyn> my mum loves his books and the movies that spring from his books. Sometimes people just want to lose themselves, to be entertained.
I don't see what is so snobbish about thinking he's a bad writer. I taught English all my life, and if my students wrote that badly I'd be depressed. I'm not a snob - quite the opposite - and there's a big difference between being a snob (i.e. looking down on people because they're poor, or different, or don't have your advantages), and not liking badly-written books because they're badly written.
Preferring Springsteen to Beethoven doesn't mean you're a man of the people, just that you prefer one great musician to another. Dan Brown is hardly the Springsteen of writing, even crime or fantasy writing, so it's an inane comparison.
The snob feels superior for unjustifiable reasons. Someone who thinks Dan Brown is a bad writer and justifies it with examples of Dan Brown's bad writing is not.
I'll read it on Boxing Day.
Glyn - if you are looking for a good book (or three) try the Millenium trilogy by Steig Larsson - starting sith the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. But make sure you get rid of Lembit first....
There are tours running in DC to take you to icons around DC that figure in "The Lost Symbol". Say to your great and great-grandchildren that you visited Washington DC before humpty dumpty took a great fall. There's a cruel wind blowing - it's an Obama wind - the weakest silliest wind since the nut man himself, Jimmy Carter. The Russians think Obama’s naive, the Israelis are running rings around him, and now he wants to give up "Presidential weapons" while Iran et al are developing them as fast as they are able. It will only take one nuke to get through the missile/nerd-shield, and it might arrive in a museum delivery for the Smithsonian on the National Mall, smack-bang in the middle of the Executive (White House, Legislative (Congress) and Judicial (U.S. S. Ct.) branches of U.S. government. It might arrive at the museum for the American Indian on the Mall - to throw off the G-men. Hmmm, I feel another "Dan Brown" coming on.
Did I mention there’s talk in the beltway that President Obama is deliberately setting the USA on course for WWIII – he wants ‘change you can believe in’ – motive? WWII cured high unemployment in the USA and ‘wouldn’t it be nice” if the conservatives were set to the front line. Oh yes, that would be a double-whammy, as they say: “All’s Fair in Love and War”.
WWIII will be Obama’s War.
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