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A review by ericbuscemi
Maps and Legends: Reading and Writing Along the Borderlands by Michael Chabon
3.0
Chabon waxes poetic on many topics, including -- but not limited to -- the short story, the edges of maps as places of wonder and exploration, Sherlock Holmes, Loki, the [b:His Dark Materials|18116|His Dark Materials|Philip Pullman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333578469s/18116.jpg|1943518] trilogy, comic books, [b:American Flagg!, Volume 1|3248168|American Flagg!, Volume 1|Howard Chaykin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327992370s/3248168.jpg|3283087], [b:The Road|6288|The Road|Cormac McCarthy|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320606344s/6288.jpg|3355573], and ghost stories. The main theme of most of the essays revolves around the concept of the "borderland" between genre fiction and literary fiction, a topic which Lev Grossman recently touched upon here.
So much so did I appreciate Chabon's point-of-view that I sought out Howard Chaykin's [b:American Flagg!, Volume 1|3248168|American Flagg!, Volume 1|Howard Chaykin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327992370s/3248168.jpg|3283087] and M.R. James' [b:Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad|6322517|Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad|M. R. James|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266637922s/6322517.jpg|4093328].
My only issue with Chabon is that his writing is occasionally obtuse, using unnecessarily complex language where simpler terms will do. For example, was the word colophon really necessary in the following sentence?
So much so did I appreciate Chabon's point-of-view that I sought out Howard Chaykin's [b:American Flagg!, Volume 1|3248168|American Flagg!, Volume 1|Howard Chaykin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327992370s/3248168.jpg|3283087] and M.R. James' [b:Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad|6322517|Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad|M. R. James|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266637922s/6322517.jpg|4093328].
My only issue with Chabon is that his writing is occasionally obtuse, using unnecessarily complex language where simpler terms will do. For example, was the word colophon really necessary in the following sentence?
Instead travel proceeds on foot, by boat, or by that colophon of alternate-world fiction ... the grand zeppelin liner.