“There are some works of literature that every civilized American should be familiar with, although no one will ever agree on what they are.”
This reminds me of something Somerset Maugham said: "There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."
Actually, as a writer, I have to agree with that. We all know that when a book is a work of art, it has something the others lack.
ReplyDeleteBut what is that something? And as Hemingway said, every masterpiece is different from every other masterpiece.
That, I think, Shelley, is precisely right.
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