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A review by jnepal
Maps and Legends: Reading and Writing Along the Borderlands by Michael Chabon
2.0
Chabon is a word genius. But his philosophical, theological, metaphysical insights are, in many areas, perpendicular to my own. And more importantly, perpendicular to Truth.
His last essay, in which he claims fiction is all about coming up with really good lies to dupe his readers, is deceptive (no duh) and condescending (basically he's saying that "I want to lie to my readers, make them believe the world is something it is not"). It is deceptive because it is an inaccurate view of fiction and what fiction is good for, it is also reductionistic.
Nevertheless, he did have some good insights and his word sleuthiness was on show for all to read (mainly me, since I was reading alone, not in tandem).
His best insights come near the beginning of the book where he writes about the need for writing that both entertains and has style (a hybrid between entertainment-only and style-alone).
I think I'll read his fiction. Should be better.
His last essay, in which he claims fiction is all about coming up with really good lies to dupe his readers, is deceptive (no duh) and condescending (basically he's saying that "I want to lie to my readers, make them believe the world is something it is not"). It is deceptive because it is an inaccurate view of fiction and what fiction is good for, it is also reductionistic.
Nevertheless, he did have some good insights and his word sleuthiness was on show for all to read (mainly me, since I was reading alone, not in tandem).
His best insights come near the beginning of the book where he writes about the need for writing that both entertains and has style (a hybrid between entertainment-only and style-alone).
I think I'll read his fiction. Should be better.