Web Hype
Two from the Faster Times–NOWNOWNOWNOWNOW
“Seeing Through Masks: What Jonathan Franzen Gets Wrong about Writing the Other” by Darin Strauss.
Using the novelists’ secret formula — one part research, three parts empathy — I hope I’ve made my Darlene a credible veteran of the Black experience. But you never know; I’ve been faulted for even trying. (My 2000 book Chang & Eng was about the famous “Siamese Twins,” and some reviewers questioned my right even to attempt a novel about Asians.)
Also, FT’s main books guy–as well as regular Giant commenter–Lincoln Michel presents a compilation of literary humor from The Onion. Look for such classics as “Did I Say That, or Did John Updike?”; “Man Reading Pynchon on Bus Takes Pains to Make Cover Visible”; and my personal favorite–so good I can’t stop myself from linking it directly, even though that fucks Lincoln over, so please do not click the following link but instead go and read Lincoln’s post–“Lovecraftian School Board Member Wants Madness Added to Curriculum.”
Double also, how did we miss that two weeks ago Lincoln posted about the re-emergence of a lost George Saunders story?(!?!?!) Holy smokes. We’ll be keeping a closer eye on these guys, from here on out.
Tags: Darin Strauss, Faster Times, Lincoln Michel
Re: The Strauss on Franzen piece…
“A good novel shows the world as world not as you see it, but as others do. ”
I want this to be true, but I don’t think that it can be if we all agree that my concept of the world is filtered through the lens of my senses, experiences, history and biases and your view of the world is filtered through the same; my conception of what your world looks like is inevitably going to be filtered through the same lens. A book by Bill Smith that has a character based on his sister Cindy Smith is not going to show you how Cindy Smith sees the world. It will show you Bill Smith’s interpretation of CIndy Smith’s world, and that’s ok with me.
I do, however, love Strauss’s idea that a good novel is “one part research, three parts empathy.” Empathy is one thing that is absolutely necessary to all good writing. But no matter how much empathy I have and how well I’ve done my research, I can only tell you a story that is through my eyes. A writer can’t really tell you how the rest of the world sees their story, only how they see it and how they think other people might see it.
Re: The Strauss on Franzen piece…
“A good novel shows the world as world not as you see it, but as others do. ”
I want this to be true, but I don’t think that it can be if we all agree that my concept of the world is filtered through the lens of my senses, experiences, history and biases and your view of the world is filtered through the same; my conception of what your world looks like is inevitably going to be filtered through the same lens. A book by Bill Smith that has a character based on his sister Cindy Smith is not going to show you how Cindy Smith sees the world. It will show you Bill Smith’s interpretation of CIndy Smith’s world, and that’s ok with me.
I do, however, love Strauss’s idea that a good novel is “one part research, three parts empathy.” Empathy is one thing that is absolutely necessary to all good writing. But no matter how much empathy I have and how well I’ve done my research, I can only tell you a story that is through my eyes. A writer can’t really tell you how the rest of the world sees their story, only how they see it and how they think other people might see it.