Comments on: Where Are You, Rhythmic Authors?

By: Mihaela Lica

Mihaela Lica — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 07:51:46 +0000

I love Lorelle. Now that’s a writer with style. Liz Strauss is another of my favourites, but this is not the point. In the blogosphere there are enough gems of style. What I want to see is novelist, other than Coelho writing with rhythm, style and grace.

By: clemens

clemens — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 03:41:36 +0000

“Hundred Years of Solitude”? His big one? To really appreciate it you should hear it read out loud in Spanish, though I admit, the English translation was great. A friend of mine who was a Spanish teacher used to read me a few chunks of it every now and then.

If you want to learn to appreciate the rhythm a language can have, its ‘music’, rent a movie in a language you don’t know, one without subtitles. It will give you a whole new appreciation of the human voice and words.

By: Ian Stewart

Ian Stewart — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 11:53:30 +0000

Thanks for the link, Heather.

I’ve read one short story by Marquez, Maestro. My terrible memory is preventing me from remembering the title. It’s the one about the angel. I’m going to have to read Marquez’s big deal some time in the next one hundred years, aren’t I? And that passage, indeed, good stuff. Welcome to Upper Fort Stewart.

You might, like me, Mihaela, appreciate the comment from Lorelle from her presentation at WordCamp that went something like, “Stop writing for your eighth-grade teacher. Stop writing in full sentences of complete thoughts”.

By: Mihaela Lica

Mihaela Lica — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 09:03:22 +0000

Wow, what a great point you make. You know, all this crap about writing in plain language is deeply misunderstood by the modern authors. In the quest for the mighty dollar they often forget the power of style. I read many good stories, but I am missing the style… the rhythm…
I’ll come back, maybe your readers will come up with something.

By: Mommy maestro

Mommy maestro — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 03:22:57 +0000

Ok. This topic really got me thinking. It is hard to find authors who have a rhthym, a groove. I came up with Gabriel Garcia Marquez (and he does have short stories). I love his work. Here is one of his quotes:
“If I knew that today would be the last time I’d see you, I would hug you tight and pray the Lord be the keeper of your soul. If I knew that this would be the last time you’d pass through this door, I’d embrace you, kiss you, and call you back for one more. If I knew that this would be the last time I would hear your voice, I’d take hold of each word to be able to hear it over and over again. If I knew this is the last time I’d see you, I’d tell you I love you, and would not just assume foolishly you know it already.”
hmm. good stuff.

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 18:17:14 +0000

Great short story link I came across - lots of ‘old’ authors.

http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/

By: Ian Stewart

Ian Stewart — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 18:11:55 +0000

Patrick O’Brian keeps coming up synchronicily. I’ll have to keep an eye out for him in the used bookstore.

By: Elliot

Elliot — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:02:48 +0000

Hmm.

I’ve found that reading Patrick O’Brian out loud is a satisfying experience. Lots of Gene Wolfe passages too. Some Flannery O’Connor. Not sure if that’s the same as Melville’s rhythm though.