Grand unified books thread

[crazy canuck]

So the contention is that all of these critics, who make a living writing criticism - can't write as well as Dan Brown or the other two luminaries I listed?

If the critics knew how to do what Dan Brown can do then presumably, if we are to assume they are rational actors, they would do it given the difference in pay between what Dan Brown does and what they do.

[garbon]

Some people have principles. Also they may not have a knack for writing trashy novels.

[CountDeMoney]

Some people have principles. Also they may not have a knack for writing trashy novels.

[Josephus]

Some people have principles. Also they may not have a knack for writing trashy novels.

That's just it though. There are a million bad authors. Dan Brown is very good at what he does.

[garbon]

Some people have principles. Also they may not have a knack for writing trashy novels.

That's just it though. There are a million bad authors. Dan Brown is very good at what he does.

Alright, he's the king of wine coolers. Doesn't mean the critics have to be happy about that.

[Josephus]

No, they don't have to like it. And they can criticize the shit out of it on its lack of merit. But when I see a review that says something like, whatever it was up a few threads, you know the critics are just taking the piss to be mean.
I remember a long time ago in the late 80s there was a review in Spin about a new Paul McCartney record, and the reviewer said "They shot the wrong Beatle." Or a review of a Yes album that just went "Just say No." The trouble with these is that you know the critics are going in with their punny comments before even listening or reading the subject of their review--if they even bother.

[garbon]

Well yes and they are enjoyable precisely because you know they are going to deliver one's own viewpoint going in.

[garbon]

Next you'll be demanding people making nice comments about Michael Moore films!

[Josephus]

Next you'll be demanding people making nice comments about Michael Moore films!

my reviews of his films are generally positive...even before I see them.

[The Minsky Moment]

Dan Brown is very good at what he does.

But what exactly is it that he does so well?
The problem with the write crap and make millions strategy is figuring out what it is that Dan Brown does differently from the equally lousy writers who don't sell millions of books.

[crazy canuck]

Dan Brown is very good at what he does.

But what exactly is it that he does so well?
The problem with the write crap and make millions strategy is figuring out what it is that Dan Brown does differently from the equally lousy writers who don't sell millions of books.

Yes exactly.  And if the vaunted literary critics could figure that out then presumably they would do it.

[Josephus]

Dan Brown is very good at what he does.

But what exactly is it that he does so well?
The problem with the write crap and make millions strategy is figuring out what it is that Dan Brown does differently from the equally lousy writers who don't sell millions of books.

I don't know. I've never read the bloke. Critics turned me off him.

Actually, I did read that big one, what was it called, Da Vinci Code. I can't tell you what he does that the other writers whose books I haven't read do, but it's easy to see why it was a best seller.

Taut, tightly written. Elements of suspense. A mystery. Lots of puzzle solving, and riddles. Oh and a conspiracy which if you don't know any history, might even be true. Hey, maybe Jesus was married to Mary and had a child and the Catholic Church, those bastards, covered it up.

Very easy to read. A poor man's Focault's Pendulum.

[crazy canuck]

Very easy to read. A poor man's Focault's Pendulum.

I loved that book.

[garbon]

Taut, tightly written. Elements of suspense. A mystery. Lots of puzzle solving, and riddles. Oh and a conspiracy which if you don't know any history, might even be true. Hey, maybe Jesus was married to Mary and had a child and the Catholic Church, those bastards, covered it up.

Very easy to read. A poor man's Focault's Pendulum.

I thought it was if you took Tom Clancy, somehow downgraded that and then throughthrew in some psuedo-religious stuff.

*uck, writing about Da Vinci Code downgraded my writing abilities...

[ulmont]

I thought it was if you took Tom Clancy, somehow downgraded that

Easily done.  Just get a ghostwriter* and then slap Clancy's name on top.  You could call it something like "Tom Clancy's Net Force."

*In this particular example, with the ghostwriter being Steve Perry, it may have improved the writing, but I'm not going to read it to find out.