tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post4836944204356477608..comments2023-12-14T10:28:43.397+00:00Comments on Declan Burke: Putting The Ire Into IrelandUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-32632975006329010242010-02-15T11:34:23.991+00:002010-02-15T11:34:23.991+00:00It's a sentiment I've heard elsewhere. Th...It's a sentiment I've heard elsewhere. There is an Irish novel that I want to read but haven't ordered yet called Skippy Dies. I was reading a blog review of it and that person said that they were glad to see an Irish novelist finally writing about modern Ireland. In the comments section I kindly suggested that there are crime writers doing just that. My comment went into moderation and still hasn't appeared. Three weeks later.Brian Lindenmuthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02519203797661128049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-80259609218536395322010-02-15T05:22:37.852+00:002010-02-15T05:22:37.852+00:00It's funny, but everyone seems to be down on l...It's funny, but everyone seems to be down on lyrical writers of realism right now. Frankly, I'd take more writers with lyrical gifts if I could find them.seana grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03774794086733027289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-35693329699228653752010-02-14T19:22:35.975+00:002010-02-14T19:22:35.975+00:00"The mediocre 'genre' writer's ma..."<i>The mediocre 'genre' writer's mantra - "plot, character, pace" - ignores what is for me the most important aspect of a good novel, which is a facility for language.</i>"<br /><br />Now, that was good to read. I just wish I didn't feel like a bit of a weenie every time I praised a crime novel's "prose style."<br /><br />Over in my little international corner of the crime fiction world, discussions gravitate toward sociology. Those American newspapers that cover crime fiction regularly (I hear that there are some) will ask what makes, say, Scandinavian crime writing popular without considering that the answer may be good Scandinavian crime writers.<br /><br />I am pleased to make Julian's acquaintance. A level-headed ranter -- we need more such.<br />==============<br /> Detectives Beyond Borders<br />"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"<br /> <a href="http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/</a>Peter Rozovskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09977933481463759162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-47466623128988046722010-02-13T09:50:33.135+00:002010-02-13T09:50:33.135+00:00Spot on, Dec. I couldn't agree with you more a...Spot on, Dec. I couldn't agree with you more about the language thing. It's the writers who pay closer attention to which words they use that get my hard-earned.<br /><br />And good man Julian for coming in and adding some context.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13316263425112020638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-57152161177190211472010-02-13T08:27:27.138+00:002010-02-13T08:27:27.138+00:00Julian -
Context is all, squire; ta for that.
...Julian - <br /><br />Context is all, squire; ta for that. <br /><br />That said, I don't think it's a good thing that we're dividing up books into categories. I campaigned a couple of years ago for crime fiction to be given its own category in the Irish Book Awards; now I regret that I did. A good book is a good book is a good book, and it should sink or swim on its own merits. <br /><br />I make no bones about saying that the best of the Irish crime writers are writing novels as good, and arguably more relevant, as anything produced by their literary peers in the last five years or so. <br /><br />Cheers, DecDeclan Burkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14322645323239292406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-58800424800177671712010-02-13T08:18:53.565+00:002010-02-13T08:18:53.565+00:00Michael -
I don't buy into this idea that ...Michael -<br /><br />I don't buy into this idea that 'genre' writers aren't taken seriously by the literary establishment on the basis that they're 'genre' writers. Most of them aren't taken seriously simply because they're not good writers. Murder is a very serious business, but the fact that you're writing about murder doesn't automatically make you a serious writer. <br /><br />The mediocre 'genre' writer's mantra - "plot, character, pace" - ignores what is for me the most important aspect of a good novel, which is a facility for language. Yes, you need a good plot, intriguing characters and well-timed pacing - but if it's not well written, then I find it hard to care. <br /><br />Cheers, DecDeclan Burkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14322645323239292406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-83375962437996930222010-02-13T00:16:46.665+00:002010-02-13T00:16:46.665+00:00Oddly enough, I agree with you Dec. And I think Ke...Oddly enough, I agree with you Dec. And I think Ken Bruen has caught modern Galway better than anyone. So why didn't I mention him, and the other great Irish crime writers?<br /><br />I'd better explain: that rant came about when Dalkey Archive, a very good but very literary, university-based publisher, asked me a few questions about the state of Irish writing, and about overlooked or neglected writers. They were clearly interested in self-consciously "literary" writers, and my answers were purely addressed to those.<br /><br />Since the Guardian picked up on my original rant (and then Twitter, and the blogs), it's gone off on a rampage around the internet, and is being read outside the small and impoverished literary ghetto it was originally written for. So, apologies - if I'd known it'd be in the papers I'd have probably written a whole other piece...<br /><br />If it's any consolation, I am also getting stick for not including chick-lit writers, Young Adult writers, children's books, and memoirs!Julian Goughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09617515313054085979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4938060587020568315.post-34089899504774787112010-02-12T19:44:51.829+00:002010-02-12T19:44:51.829+00:00I'm certainly not an expert in the state of wr...I'm certainly not an expert in the state of writing coming from Ireland - and I do enjoy a delightfully bilious rant as much as the next man, but it seems to me that all these commentators are missing one thing. The modern Ireland that is being recorded in its excellent crime writing. But isn't that the lot of the genre writer...to be ignored by all of these "serious" writers.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13316263425112020638noreply@blogger.com