tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-688274121226963086.post3558126828800269846..comments2023-10-22T23:29:48.012+13:00Comments on O Audacious Book: Sentences that singUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-688274121226963086.post-6074171314795738292009-04-19T18:36:00.000+12:002009-04-19T18:36:00.000+12:00I have to join this thread because Banville may we...I have to join this thread because Banville may well be a style-king Mary, but much as I loved 'The Sea' I don't necessarily think that it came through entirely on the narrative half...although I marked out beautiful moments such as..."Light of summer thick as honey fell from the tall windows..." <br />and "water-beads break and fall in a silver string from the tip of an oar"... simply luscious, and like Seamus Heaney (whom I adore), almost edible (the words, I mean).<br />I'm intrigued with the idea of rythmn in writing and the idea of not compacting too much to squeeze the air out of something - but then if it's too light, it's mere froth. It's interesting to think about how long is too long to finish a sentence...<br /><br />Having said that Mary, I salute your control of language and your terrific story-telling, and I think I struggle with the containment of my "airy-frothy-thoughts"... and need to learn to wrestle more with the control and containment.<br /><br />I like your analogy with building as both my Dad and my son are builders and I love the idea that a writer is building with no idea of what they are building.<br /><br />Indeed.maggie@at-the-bay.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-688274121226963086.post-24491985552540934872009-04-19T15:05:00.000+12:002009-04-19T15:05:00.000+12:00That's interesting, Rachael, that Banville influen...That's interesting, Rachael, that Banville influenced you so much - and not surprising either given your love of music and rhythm. Interesting isn't it that Nabokov was tone deaf!? I always think of a novel as having two 'narratives' - the story and the language. It's a belief, which Nabokov expresses, about a novel being an aesthetic experience beyond story which style and structure contribute to. Banville is a style-king.Mary McCallumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07482261103185786111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-688274121226963086.post-26731983874419445752009-04-19T10:05:00.000+12:002009-04-19T10:05:00.000+12:00Thanks Graham!
Mary, I doesn't surprise me that t...Thanks Graham!<br /><br />Mary, I doesn't surprise me that this is Banville's method. I have only read one book of his but I was mesmerized by the first page and read it over and over again. i read it out loud to myself and i read it out loud to my father as he drove me somewhere. The cadence was extraordinary. I was starting TSOB at the time - I think it had a huge influence on me. To me a sentence isn't just about delivering information. Even if the language is sparse or straightforward, it needs to have rhythm and musicality.Rachael Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07690377694600952816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-688274121226963086.post-58574996211681871262009-04-19T08:21:00.000+12:002009-04-19T08:21:00.000+12:00Thanks Bookman. Getting it down on the blog is all...Thanks Bookman. Getting it down on the blog is all part of struggling with the process for me. I do tutor at Massey University in Wellington but I find I learn as much there as I teach!Mary McCallumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07482261103185786111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-688274121226963086.post-24276739929303974912009-04-19T07:57:00.000+12:002009-04-19T07:57:00.000+12:00Mary, you and Rachael King write so beautifully ab...Mary, you and Rachael King write so beautifully about the writing process...........you could both be teaching creative writing, if you had the time!Bookman Beattiehttp://www.beattiesbookblog.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com