Though my high school buddies and I singularly failed to recreate the creative and artistic atmosphere of the cafe culture in Paris from 1900-1929 at a series of diners and coffeehouses in Florida in the early nineties, at least we can read about the real thing.
Do writers intend to by symbolic?
Remind me again, what was Modernism about?
It wasn’t about forgery, was it?
Of course, if literature has died again, it might not even matter.
Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn grew on me as I read it.
The characters are pretty well drawn and nicely three dimensional. The world (Mistborn is book one of a trilogy, by the way) has unique feel, mainly driven by a unique magic system. Certain people, called either Mistborn or Mistings, depending on their level of powers, can ingest small quantities of certain metals and ‘burn’ them internally to give them abilities like increased physical prowess, telekinesis (though only affecting metals), nudging the emotions of others, and even one that gives the ability to see a few moments into the future (useful in a fight for knowing what one’s opponent will try to do next so one can counter it). Even the big bad villain – the Sauron of the series, if you will – is depicted s having more than one or two dimensions (though, as you’ll see if you finish it, that’s something of a red herring).
The main character, a teenage girl and thief named Vin, initially didn’t work for me. But she grew on me over time.
At first, it appears this will be a classic ‘farmboy/farmgirl learns they have magic powers/a special destiny/possess unique item and are picked up by Obi Wan and Han Solo/Gandalf and Aragorn to go and defeat the evil tyrant.’ And actually, it kind of is. But, while that’s the form, Vin also fades into the background a little to appear as just another piece in a big puzzle, which makes her seem more ‘realistic’ than Wheel of Time‘s Rand al’Thor/Dragon Reborn.
I compare them because Sanderson was the author picked by the late Robert Jordan (who knew he was dying) to complete his lengthy and ponderous Wheel of Time series. Good choice, because there’s little doubt that Sanderson is a better author than Jordan. Now if only I can make myself read the other Wheel of Time in order to reach the ones written by Sanderson. I’ve been trying, but it’s getting harder and harder.
Anis Shivani says teaching creative writing is bad.
Karen Babine calls him out as sexist.
My own two cents:
Shivani is kind of a douche. I was very irritated by this sentence – ‘Literature as we have known it through history springs from genius — that most politically incorrect of words.‘ – and it went downhill for me from there.
It’s the kind of macho posturing I hate. It’s a variation of ‘I just tell it like it is.‘ Whenever someone says that, you know they’re about to be a real a–hole.
It’s also that faux rebelliousness. I’m a rebel. I’m out there. I’m going to say stuff you won’t like because I’m such a freaking independent thinker.
And all that for ‘genius.’ Really? That’s your anti-politically correct statement? Great literature partakes of genius? No one considers this politically correct, you’re trying to make yourself sound cool by pretending you’re saying something politically incorrect.
The whole issue of what is and isn’t politically incorrect is just stupid anyway. ‘Genius’ is not politically incorrect. In fact, I think you’ll find that most politically incorrect stuff you hear is better classified as racist stuff.
the coffee philosopher 