Comments on: Gilbert Adair: The Death Of The Author http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/ a literary handout Thu, 17 May 2012 10:51:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: The Death of the Author, by Gilbert Adair « KevinfromCanada http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-30669 The Death of the Author, by Gilbert Adair « KevinfromCanada Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:20:08 +0000 http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-30669 [...] post-modernism in a way that extends well beyond my personal knowledge (for an informed discussion here is a link to Stewart’s excellent review at booklit). I would say that despite my limited knowledge, [...] […] post-modernism in a way that extends well beyond my personal knowledge (for an informed discussion here is a link to Stewart’s excellent review at booklit). I would say that despite my limited knowledge, […]

]]> By: booklit http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-30595 booklit Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:01:20 +0000 http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-30595 [...] mentioned before how lovely Melville House’s Contemporary Art of the Novella series is and have been meaning [...] […] mentioned before how lovely Melville House’s Contemporary Art of the Novella series is and have been meaning […]

]]> By: booklit http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-18519 booklit Sun, 04 Jan 2009 02:29:41 +0000 http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-18519 [...] are not in order as Adair has produced his best novel since 1992’s The Death Of The Author. His funniest, too. It has more conceptual twists and turns than the labyrinth in Eco’s The [...] […] are not in order as Adair has produced his best novel since 1992’s The Death Of The Author. His funniest, too. It has more conceptual twists and turns than the labyrinth in Eco’s The […]

]]> By: booklit http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-12718 booklit Wed, 24 Sep 2008 10:30:41 +0000 http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-12718 [...] given that he’s the most reviewed writer here and I’ve already reviewed the brilliant The Death Of The Author this month. Bear with me, though, for there’s not much of his fiction to go before I can [...] […] given that he’s the most reviewed writer here and I’ve already reviewed the brilliant The Death Of The Author this month. Bear with me, though, for there’s not much of his fiction to go before I can […]

]]> By: Rob http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-12026 Rob Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:47:34 +0000 http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-12026 Thanks Stewart, I'm off to read your reviews now. I can see I haven't spent nearly enough time in your archives. Thanks Stewart, I’m off to read your reviews now. I can see I haven’t spent nearly enough time in your archives.

]]> By: Stewart http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-12022 Stewart Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:58:33 +0000 http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-12022 <blockquote>I’m also curious about his recent mystery stories. Anybody read those?</blockquote> By mystery stories I presume you meant the Evadne Mount trilogy? I have the first two (<a href="http://booklit.com/blog/2007/12/11/gilbert-adair-the-act-of-roger-murgatroyd/" title="Gilbert Adair: The Act Of Roger Murgatroyd" rel="nofollow"><em>The Act Of Roger Murgatroyd</em></a> and <a href="http://booklit.com/blog/2007/12/19/gilbert-adair-a-mysterious-affair-of-style/" title="Gilbert Adair: A Mysterious Affair Of Style" rel="nofollow"><em>A Mysterious Affair Of Style</em></a>) under review, with the third, <em>And Then There Was No One</em>, due out in January 2009 from Faber. The first was good, the second less so, but the third sounds good, mixing up Agatha Christie with Sherlock Holmes.

I’m also curious about his recent mystery stories. Anybody read those?

By mystery stories I presume you meant the Evadne Mount trilogy? I have the first two (The Act Of Roger Murgatroyd and A Mysterious Affair Of Style) under review, with the third, And Then There Was No One, due out in January 2009 from Faber. The first was good, the second less so, but the third sounds good, mixing up Agatha Christie with Sherlock Holmes.

]]> By: Rob http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-12021 Rob Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:46:03 +0000 http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-12021 I've not read any of the non-fiction, but I'd be interested to know if it's worth reading. I'm also curious about his recent mystery stories. Anybody read those? I’ve not read any of the non-fiction, but I’d be interested to know if it’s worth reading. I’m also curious about his recent mystery stories. Anybody read those?

]]> By: Stewart http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-11946 Stewart Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:15:35 +0000 http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-11946 <em>Mea culpa</em>! I had the same problem with Kurkov's <em>A Matter Of Death And Life</em>, more used to writing life and death are we. Out of interest, has anyone read his non-fiction? Things like <em>The Postmodernist Always Rings Twice</em> or <em>The Real Tadzio</em>. Or perhaps his sequels to kiddy books - the <em>Peter Pan</em> and <em>Alice In Wonderland</em> ones? I'm wondering whether to go through it all, for the sake of completenes. Mea culpa! I had the same problem with Kurkov’s A Matter Of Death And Life, more used to writing life and death are we.

Out of interest, has anyone read his non-fiction? Things like The Postmodernist Always Rings Twice or The Real Tadzio. Or perhaps his sequels to kiddy books - the Peter Pan and Alice In Wonderland ones? I’m wondering whether to go through it all, for the sake of completenes.

]]> By: John Self http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-11945 John Self Tue, 09 Sep 2008 13:06:31 +0000 http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-11945 <em>A pedant writes:</em> It's actually <em>The Key <strong>of</strong> the Tower</em>, not <em>The Key <strong>to</em> the Tower</em>, though of course the latter is the more natural way of putting it. I only mention this because the title of the book, and the <em>of</em> rather than <em>to</em>, is rather important in the plot! Clever bugger, that Adair chap... A pedant writes: It’s actually The Key of the Tower, not The Key to the Tower, though of course the latter is the more natural way of putting it. I only mention this because the title of the book, and the of rather than to, is rather important in the plot! Clever bugger, that Adair chap…

]]> By: Stewart http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-11926 Stewart Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:56:41 +0000 http://booklit.com/blog/2008/09/05/gilbert-adair-the-death-of-the-author/#comment-11926 As I said, <em>A Closed Book</em> was my first Adair a few years back and my lingering impressions are that I was impressed at how he had managed to make the two main characters (and the supporting cast) so recognisable from their speech alone. No need for actions, descriptions, or other quirks - the whole book is (barring some necessary passages) written in dialogue. Some of the references were of its time - Princess Diana, Tony Blair, Robin Cook, etc. - but the ending provides a typical twist that makes it a worthwhile entertainment. As I said, A Closed Book was my first Adair a few years back and my lingering impressions are that I was impressed at how he had managed to make the two main characters (and the supporting cast) so recognisable from their speech alone. No need for actions, descriptions, or other quirks - the whole book is (barring some necessary passages) written in dialogue.

Some of the references were of its time - Princess Diana, Tony Blair, Robin Cook, etc. - but the ending provides a typical twist that makes it a worthwhile entertainment.

]]>