Hard Labour

There should be a category of writers that go under: and why didn't anyone tell me about her/him?! Louise Erdrich is the latest. I had heard the name, and knew she was from the mid-west, but that was about it.

My bookclub pick of the month was Erdrich's The Plague of Doves. It was one of those rare reads that two pages in I knew I was going to love every page of the book - and I did. Beautiful prose, combined with quirky characters and a twisty plot that kept me flipping back to see if I understood everything. Some books that make me do that are annoying - can't the writer just lay it out straight? I know this will be something, as the lone writer in my club, that I will be defending. In Plague of Doves I actually liked flipping back and finding, and then connecting one character's backstory to another - having to do that as a reader paralleled the mystery within the storyline (who was related to who and who killed who?)

I remember a friend reading one of my stories quite a while ago. He said he had to go back and re-read parts to understand what was going on. I thought this was a criticism. But he replied, "Why wouldn't you be pleased that you made me read slower and more carefully? I like when a writer does that."

I think about that quote a lot.

And the other one from Don DeLillo (another writer that is challenging to read). Some interviewer asked why his books were hard to read. DeLillo replied, "The truth should be hard." Some might rankle and say what an arrogant s.o.b. But I know what he means. Writer's work at making all the lies they tell become the truth. And it is damn hard work - what's wrong with the reader carrying a bit of that load?

Comments

[Carol]

I am so glad I read your recommendation of Plague of Doves. What a pleasure it is to be in the company of these characters and listen to the story unfold. Beautiful.

[craig]

One of the best books I have read in a while - stunning really.
thanks for popping by Carol.