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Customer Reviews: Average Rating:  Rating : - There certainly is a point worth making.
I agree in spirit with with comments chastising PW for the review, but overall I appreciate it more than I disapprove. Attempting to disprove Chabon's stance -- genre fiction deserves a good, strong defense -- the PW reviewer's snide effort complete with shells lobbed out of some book beau monde, the whole works merely bolsters his position. The subject isn't a job Chabon puts up for the purpose of building a empty argument: In the past, when I set out to write weighty material and still wound up framing it in genre, I was near mortified. I've gotten over that, but sometimes I still feel skittish browsing the science fiction aisle. I take responsibility for my own foolishness, but something happened along the way; in my youth I unselfconsciously inspected the fantastical spines of at least every third book on those shelves.
Since we are now so fond of the likes of Lost through Transformers -- our culture has indeed always loved these sorts of things -- while certain literary connoisseurs lament an apparently lame-brained passion for these genre entertainments, at the same time mourning the demise of wholesale American literacy, what's the plan for bringing people back to good books? Stomping out the fun stuff?
So, yes, I'd say we could use a bold defense of genre fiction, comic books and -- gasp! -- entertaining authors. A fiery "tirade" may well suit. And, my stars, please don't confuse "emphatic" or "adamant" with "bitter". Otherwise published in this volume, Chabon's short-form memoirs collected are a welcome addition to his catalog. + See Full Customer Review |  |
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