This is very entertaining — it is by Anthony Burgess, after all — but what it tells of is totally at odds with my experience of reviewing, either as writer or editor.
They do things differently over there. I recall a story, but not the source, about a literary subeditor who called a renowned writer about doing a review. The fellow agreed, saying he couldn't wait to get it in hand. The next day, the review came in over the fax ... while the subeditor was still packaging the book for delivery.
What is "reviewing of the Walter Bagehot kind"? I have read a bit of Bagehot, but apparently not the book reviews.
At some point I fell into the habit of reading the reviews only of nonfiction. Now I think of it, almost the last review of a novel that I remember reading was Burgess's of Norman Mailer's Harlot's Ghost. Did he indulge in any of the practices he dispraises? I don't know: I said "remember reading", not "remember"....
They do things differently over there. I recall a story, but not the source, about a literary subeditor who called a renowned writer about doing a review. The fellow agreed, saying he couldn't wait to get it in hand. The next day, the review came in over the fax ... while the subeditor was still packaging the book for delivery.
ReplyDeleteWhat is "reviewing of the Walter Bagehot kind"? I have read a bit of Bagehot, but apparently not the book reviews.
ReplyDeleteAt some point I fell into the habit of reading the reviews only of nonfiction. Now I think of it, almost the last review of a novel that I remember reading was Burgess's of Norman Mailer's Harlot's Ghost. Did he indulge in any of the practices he dispraises? I don't know: I said "remember reading", not "remember"....