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| In journalism just one fact that is false prejudices the entire work. In contrast, in fiction one single fact that is true gives legitimacy to the entire work That's the only difference, and it lies in the commitment of the writer. A novelist can do anything he wants so long as he makes people believe in it. |
Gabriel García Márquez (6 March 1927 – 17 April 2014)
Nice quote. I am on the St Feuillien Brune 8.5% right now, while tinkering with my own slight words, with plans for Harviestoun's Old Engine Oil Stout to then carry me dreamward. I fell into the stream at the bottom of our garden this evening, before the beer, face first and flat into the water while carrying too many boulders to rebuild my bank after a damaging spate. Lady Margaret was very angry with me for not accepting how wobbly my legs controlled by damaged nerves still are. "Could have hit your head, could have broken your hip," etc. etc. At least her wrath demonstrates I still seem more value to her alive than dead. I then had a long hot bath while admiring some impressive bumps and bloodied bruises but no broken bones. Good cheer to you. Drink up.
ReplyDeleteOh Andrew: 'Do it self' is one of my mantras. A sometimes dangerous one. I am glad that you only did relatively minor damage.
DeleteIt's a difficult one to call really Andrew. I would play it safe and keep the Bulldog spirit but at the same time listen to Margarets advice. She knows you better than anyone else.
DeleteWith two days delay: Uff! ... Not to speak of a femeral neck fracture. It is not easy for Ladies eternally and irrevocably in love with advanced adventurers like us to accept that once there are no windmills to defeat, no colon followed by right parenthesis (vulgo: smiley) to be ferociously attacked, we need to find new challenges, new quests.
DeleteI hope St Feuillien Brune 8.5% and Harviestoun's Old Engine Oil Stout were able to allay your pain so that you do feel much better by now.
But please, before going on your next quest put on your Golden Helmet of Perthino
And maybe just one small boulder at a time eh? Fortunately my flood-damaged river bank is now beautifully repaired, although the bruises on my leg remain a work in progress. I lift my glass of late-night Malbec to you.
DeleteAnd I do lift my pint of Staropramen to you.
DeleteYes. One small boulder at a time plus your Golden Helmet of Perthino should do ... as long as Lady Margaret is not too far away. ;-)
A lovely quote. For some authors I will willingly not only suspend my disbelief but fling it over the cliff. A courtesy I do not extend to journalists/politicians (no matter how skilled they are at word play).
ReplyDeleteA fitting quote, indeed, writes this journalist.
DeleteThat is one of those quotes that we would call an 'eye opener'!
ReplyDeleteThe tragedy is that there could be much more love, peace, justice and joy on this planet, if not so many people would keep their eyes shut.
DeleteAm I right when I understand from this quote some kind of similarity with my own opinion? That in fiction, the truth is hidden between the words. No writer of fiction claims the truth - as often done in non fiction - in some cases he/she even denies it. That's why I prefer fiction over non fiction. Every "writer" tells his/her story, because none is God enough to claim the truth, for objectivity is only an illusion. He/she who writes always is envolved.
ReplyDeleteBtw, nice collection you have there, Sean.
There was a time I read one South American writer after the other. Márquez included ;-)
'Truth hidden behind words / objectivity only an illusion': Now, these are interesting thoughts to ponder about, loveliest of all paintresses.
DeleteAs a journalist I do prefer non fiction: all that counts are the facts; the rest is style.
Fiction allows a ... different ... "truth".
I like them both.
As for the South (and Latin) American writers you read, please tell me more. 'There was a time' I read Alcoba, Bolaño, Borges, Casares, Cortázar, de Santis, Fuentes, Galeano, Herrera, Labatud, Márquez, Neruda, Padura, Piñero, Ramírez, Sábato, Skármeta, Vargas Llosa.
Did I miss any great author, any good book?
Now that's a serious collection.
DeleteYet if I'm not mistaken, there is a Misses missing in your line up, though I guess you probably read her too : Isabella Allende, "La casa de los espíritus" is the book of her I enjoyed the most.
Ah, indeed. This very book – in German "Das Geisterhaus" – is the only one I ever read of her ... deep in the past millennium. ;-)
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