The Elegant Variation: READ THIS!

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May 16, 2005

READ THIS!

The Litblog Co-op has spoken ... and selected Case Histories.

Now, before the nattering nabobs of negativity get you down (and they're not getting us down), we know it's a book that has gotten it's share of pres attention. But, as the comments thread clearly suggests, that wasn't enough to get it in front of plenty of readers. Just because hordes of ADD bloggers and publishing journalists know it doesn't automatically translate into wider readership. (And with all due deference to our UK pals, we suspect they overstate the international importance of the Whitbread.)

Remember, we never said "unknown" fiction ... Worthy is the goal, and besides if we'd have picked some obscure, experimental novel, we'd be pilloried for being pedantic and elitist. We only means you can't please everyone and we're not even trying. We're confident that those who check out Case Histories will be glad they did, and the ones who knew it already have future choices to look to (including the other four summer nominations).

OK, end of defensive rant.

Posted at 12:02 AM | Permalink

Comments

I saw nothing wrong with LBC's selection and found it rather odd that some folks thought that the attention the book has gotten so far should have disqualified it.

Over time, many books need more exposure, and in a day when the top NYT bestsellers get 99% of the buzz, anything LBC can do to focus on other worthy contenders is probably a good thing (whether it pleases everyone or not).

On the other hand, I'm not completely against the idea of considering obscure novels that aren't yet out of the starting gate.

--Malcolm Campbell
"The Sun Singer"

Posted by: Malcolm Campbell | May 18, 2005 at 07:41 AM

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The Elegant Variation is "Fowler’s (1926, 1965) term for the inept writer’s overstrained efforts at freshness or vividness of expression. Prose guilty of elegant variation calls attention to itself and doesn’t permit its ideas to seem naturally clear. It typically seeks fancy new words for familiar things, and it scrambles for synonyms in order to avoid at all costs repeating a word, even though repetition might be the natural, normal thing to do: The audience had a certain bovine placidity, instead of The audience was as placid as cows. Elegant variation is often the rock, and a stereotype, a cliché, or a tired metaphor the hard place between which inexperienced or foolish writers come to grief. The familiar middle ground in treating these homely topics is almost always the safest. In untrained or unrestrained hands, a thesaurus can be dangerous."

Nobility of Spirit: A Forgotten Ideal by Rob Riemen

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Netherland by Joseph O'Neill

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*Now in Paperback*

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The Rider by Tim Krabbe

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The Elegant Variation

A Literary Weblog.
A Guardian Top 10 Literary Blog * A Forbes "Best of the Web" Pick * A Los Angeles Magazine Top Los Angeles Blog
"Really brave ... or really stupid" - NPR

May 16, 2005

READ THIS!

Comments

MY NOVEL

WORTHY READINGS

TEV DEFINED

RECOMMENDED

THIS GUN FOR HIRE:
Reviews & Criticism

SECOND LOOK

Categories

The Elegant Variation

A Literary Weblog. A Guardian Top 10 Literary Blog * A Forbes "Best of the Web" Pick * A Los Angeles Magazine Top Los Angeles Blog "Really brave ... or really stupid" - NPR

May 16, 2005

READ THIS!

Comments

MY NOVEL

WORTHY READINGS

TEV DEFINED

RECOMMENDED

THIS GUN FOR HIRE: Reviews & Criticism

SECOND LOOK

Categories

A Literary Weblog.
A Guardian Top 10 Literary Blog * A Forbes "Best of the Web" Pick * A Los Angeles Magazine Top Los Angeles Blog
"Really brave ... or really stupid" - NPR

THIS GUN FOR HIRE:
Reviews & Criticism