I don't know how I'm supposed to take that seriously when the writer says things like: "...she seems unaware that all innovative language derives its impact from the contrast to straightforward English."

Really? All innovative language follows that rule? Isn't that more like a formula? Which is to say, not innovative?

eta: Jesus! Then the negative comparison of Cormac McCarthy to Ken Follett. Yeah, Cormac needs to take a clue from Ken. That'd make his novels better.

And this presumption:

We have to read a great book more than once to realize how consistently good the prose is, because the first time around, and often even the second, we're too involved in the story to notice. If Proulx's fiction is so compelling, why are its fans more impressed by individual sentences than by the whole?

Just seems nutty to me. I know plenty of people read primarily for plot, but that's extremely reductive to hold every novel to that standard.

eta: Here's another sweeping generalization that seems insupportable: "But novels tolerate epic language only in moderation."

Tolstoy? Tolkien? Melville? Pynchon? We know them for their moderation?

Oh, good, I'm not alone in finding modern "literature" turgid.

Then the negative comparison of Cormac McCarthy to Ken Follett. Yeah, Cormac needs to take a clue from Ken. That'd make his novels better.

Oh god.

The language needs to be right for the story. If every novel read like Hemingway, it would be a pretty boring book world.

Tolstoy? Tolkien? Melville? Pynchon? We know them for their moderation?

Tolkien would have been improved by it... ugh. Can't stand his stilted, awkward, get to the POINT prose. It's like those 500,000 word epics on FF.net, but with less sex. Hate him so much, even though he had interesting stories buried in that fucking mess of prose.

That said, wow, the anti-intellectualism in that article just shines right through. Maybe those damn kids with their polysyllabic words and quirky yet evocative way of putting things had better get off her shiny little suburban lawn.

That's right: "strangled, work-driven ways." Work-driven is fine, of course, except for its note of self-approval, but strangled ways makes no sense on any level.

I'm not sure what she's not getting here. To me, that sentence evokes the feeling of being so tense that your voice tightens, and so wrapped up in your work that it's a choke chain you can't stray far from.

Feh.

And, yeah, "Gun's going off." stuck with me like whoa, but Brokeback Mountain (the story) as a WHOLE left me weeping like a baby AND admiring the writing skill. These are NOT mutually exclusive things.

I got tired of what Meyers was saying. but I will say that White Noise actually intrigued me. Actually, the real complaint seemed to be that there is a big division between 'literary fiction' and genre fiction. and by using example of what she considers bad and unappealing language to make the point. of course, I never reached any example of great language in genre fiction, because I go tired of the rant...

( and since when is language the only point of judgment for a great literature? story, appeal, brain-shaking, character development - all have places. Language is obviously impt, but there is more to great lit than that)

and since when is language the only point of judgment for a great literature?

Since Joyce? Proust? Eliot? Woolf? Pick an icon of Modernism. Do people even think about Modernism anymore? I'm surprised that people don't get that's when cultural standards were recalibrated. The 19th century got the bum's rush. That was the last revolutionary erasure and it hasn't been eclipsed yet. I mean, you can disagree with it, but that's the default, as taught and understood for a long time now.

Hate him so much, even though he had interesting stories buried in that fucking mess of prose.

Heh. Ple should rewrite LoTR with all the sex and at 25,000 words.

I really don't care about the sex, but the 25,000 words might be a good idea. I had to force myself to slog through the last book. How can gigantic epic battles be so damn boring ?

The end of Elephants = best payoff ever.

Oh, hell yes. I haven't enjoyed a book quite so much in years.

I had to force myself to slog through the last book. How can gigantic epic battles be so damn boring ?

I don't understand you people at all. t hugs her worn-out copies of LotR tightly