the 'Send a Writer to Devil's Island' thread

[rvw]

Every time I was on the point of giving up I'd see something about breast, clitoris or nipple or something. So I'd think, "'Allo, this is getting interesting", but nothing ever happened.

No wonder they never made a film of it.

But at least he explains all the words as he goes along...

I'd keep Jane Austen, I'm afraid. But can I please get rid of JK Rowling?

 

[slowmotion]

But I think they had some excuse, unlike rich C&W singers ...

Their uniforms were certainly less flamboyant.

 

[PBancroft]

Not quite in the intended spirit, but I nominate Dan Brown - for having the nerve to call himself a writer.

Oh come now. He writes utter pap but at least its page-turning pap. Its a bit like watching an action movie - say Mission Impossible - you know it isn't high art, but you won't get bored either. There is some stuff out there which trying to read is like wading through a bog. Chaucer falls into this category, but its not his fault - arguably Shakespeare does too, but they wrote for a different time and audience. Hell - has anyone here ever tried reading the original version of Robinson Crusoe? It's like treacle. TREACLE.

But these should be exempt in my view - although tough journeys they are rewarding windows into another time. There are people writing now who intentionally make things as difficult as possible for the reader. Brown doesn't do this - sure its not going to be remembered in four hundred years time (probably not even forty) but that's not what he's aiming for.

With this in mind, I nominate T.S. Eliot, specifically for The Wasteland as a school textbook, but also Robert Jordan for The Eye of the World, the fantasy epic which fails to be remotely engaging and knowing it is an epic just makes it that much more of a slog.

 

[Archie_tect]

I have started Gulliver's Travels so many times, and it took me 20 years to finish Oliver Twist but I knew the first few pages virtually off by heart.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Their uniforms were certainly less flamboyant.

Everything is less flamboyant than a Nudie suit! Just to point out to GBC, country singers generally don't top themselves by wrist slitting, guns and booze are the favoured methods, often combined.

 

[Nihal]

It's wierd, every sentence begins with the same letter for ages.

i see you want to change that mrBrchie

Every time I was on the point of giving up I'd see something about breast, clitoris or nipple or something. So I'd think, "'Allo, this is getting interesting", but nothing ever happened.

No wonder they never made a film of it.

I see,very motivational word.Rewrite and try using only your so called MOTIVATIONAL words.I'm sure it'll become a bestseller

 

[ColinJ]

At some stage before O-level I studied Walkabout (the novel). As was the fashion, we were also sat in front of the film version...

At least at that age you could be excused for ogling naked teenagers...!

 

[swee'pea99]

Gulliver's Travels is drear, but the worst reading ordeal I can recall was The Idiot by Dusty-efski - 1100 pages, and such little letters! Took forever to read, and sheer drudgery from beginning to end. Nightmare. Having said which, I wouldn't actually send him to DI, on account of I thought Crime & Punishment was great.

 

[GM]

Not my choice as I'm only just past the Janet & John stage. Asking Mrs GM who she would send to Devil's Island, she instantly said Susan Hill. Her books one of which A change for the better, drove her bananas when she was doing her A level. Apparently there's not much fun in them.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Could I banish 'Modern Inorganic Chemistry' by Liptrot? Tedious. Whilst I didn't understand the plot, some of the pictures were OK.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Any chance of getting the writers of EC5 on the island, it's already a million years late, the BS5268 part 3 chaps could come back in the returning boat, in comparison they're heroes. And if any CP112 gents are still alive, come on home boys, all is forgiven.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Not my choice as I'm only just past the Janet & John stage.

Oh what about that one when they go hill walikng on their own, I was gripped...

 

[Doseone]

From school days Marguerite Duras for writing Moderato Cantabile.

More recently I would send Cormack McCarthy for writing The Road.

But I would bring him back for No Country for Old Men.

 

[pepecat]

Margaret Attwood is going, for the Handmaids Tale. Ugh.
But Cat's Eye was quite good.....

 

[slowmotion]

Any chance of getting the writers of EC5 on the island, it's already a million years late, the BS5268 part 3 chaps could come back in the returning boat, in comparison they're heroes. And if any CP112 gents are still alive, come on home boys, all is forgiven.

I have a "well thumbed" copy of CP112, circa 1976. I keep it hidden from my family. BTW, do you have Ozelton and Baird? Blooming brilliant! Worth a thousand Shakespeares actually.....