I agree that Tepper goes whackadoo sometimes, esp. in some of her later books but I also think she has some mad creativity going one when she's on. I've really enjoyed some of her books like Grass, and even in the parts where I'm rolling my eyes, she brings up stuff that even though I may not agree with her militancy, makes me think about things and why I agree or disagree with them.

I read The Gate to Women's Country when I was a teen, for instance, and when I was reading a lot of Heinlein, too, and reading two ends of a spectrum made me able to suss out what I really thought about things.

I haven't really read any interviews with her, but I've enjoyed several of her stories, and she brings up interesting concepts and plays with them. I don't necessarily agree with some of her views, but i really think she's the kind of author that the term "speculatative fiction" define well as opposed to sci-fo or fantasy. She sepculates, and while I don't always agree with where her speculations GO, I do like the "Hmmm. Interesting...Where do I stand on this?" vibe reading many of her books has given to my brain.

I don't care as much about whether or not I agree with Sheri Tepper's views as much as I dislike how she chooses to express them. I think it ruins her narrative, and makes me spend time thinking of her as a person, and not coming to pleasant conclusions.

Sure, I can see that POV. (See what I did there?!)

I read the interview, and I was turned off my some of her thoughts, for certain, but...hmmm, well. All I know if that I will still try her books, but this info will inform my views and thoughts, and I'll have more stuff for my brain to crunch on. Maybe this will make me pass on some of her books, depending on the blurb; maybe no.

I can totally see it, though. I refuse to read Orson Scott Card, even though Ender's Game is supposed to be really good, because I read too many CRAXY interviews with him before I'd ever read any of his books to even swallow the idea of supporting his whackness. So I get it. But I liked Tepper before the whacky became overt to me, so I'm still "Maybe I can still get the good out of her?"

Dunno.

I'm more likely to reread Ender's Game (but not spend any money on it) than Tepper. Her crazy bled into so much of her adult books, I realised looking back. I can't take it out. Card, much less so. I don't feel I'm getting cooties by association. I'm putting them there myself, if they get there. His early books, I mean. He does get a note and hammer the hell out of it. I only need so many abused little boy stories, thanks.

Also, he's a plain better writer.

Fair enough. It's food for thought.

It's a chilly, rainy night here, and I think I'll tuck myself in bed with a writer I don't have any conflicts over. Anyone read Dorothy Allison? I plain love Bastard Out of Carolina, have taught it, and also love Cavedweller and her collection of SS, Trash, talking of damned fine writing AND good stories.

Dorothy Allison is brilliant, but hard to read if I'm not in the right mood (based solely on Bastard -- I can't remember if I read Cavedweller or not).

I've never read Tepper, and based on that interview, I now have absolutely no wish to. She might tell a decent tale, but ... whoa. Too much crazy for me. And nasty crazy, too.

Cavedweller focuses more on mother/daughter dynamics. It's not got the abuse triggers that Bastard has, but it has the same lovely, gritty writing.

I did read it! I knew I had read more than one of her books. Oddly, the title didn't ping me but the Amazon description about Cissy spelunking did. DUH.

Stay classy, Grey Lady.

Well, the NYT is excellent at pronouncing new trends about 10 years after even backwaters have embraced them (wasn't it last year, or 2 years ago, that the NYT had that article about "Hey, adults read comics, and there are movies made from them!"?)

So I assume that maybe 5 years from now they'll have a groundbreaking piece on the hot trend of women reading SF/F.

(Upcoming headlines: "Facial Piercings: Not Just For Criminals!"
"Did You Know Cellular Telephones Also Allow Textual Communication? Will The Public Embrace It?"
"HOLY SHIT: Hybrid Automobiles?!?")

Snerk, Tep!

Amy, I just re-read CD last week, and I'm working through BOOC again; it's a once a year book for me, like Morrison's Beloved.