Back to back book reports! Well, I got to do a lot of reading over the last two weeks.
Very high marks for this book. I’d seen it referenced on Amazon (it’s tangentially about Tolkien/Inklings, so it was linked from other books I was looking at). Then a person, a person in the Tolkien chat room whose literary taste I was willing to trust, really talked it up. And then my Amazon gift card points roughly coincided with this surgical down time .. and I decided to go for it.
So glad I did.
It is a wonderfully thought provoking book, one that is just beginning to resonate in my head. Easy to read, very clear writing, and incredibly well referenced. The extensive footnotes at the end of each chapter were just as rewarding as the chapter itself.
The book is a study of literary influence, using the Inklings as a case study. There has (evidentially) been a great deal of denial over the mutual influence of the Inklings on any particular member’s particular work. First, the author goes through the four previously defined types of literary influence (Someone else’s seminal work defined these 4 types, our author uses that as a frame, and then adds a fifth type) and shows how the Inklings provided that particular role for each other; second, she puzzles out why literary influence should be such an inflammatory topic. Following that is an appendix giving a brief biographical sketch of each Inkling, and even the Appendix is excellent.
It was clear, well organized, well written, thought provoking, extraordinarily well referenced .. my only complaint is that her second section was so short. Oh, and the dust jacket colors were jarring. How about that for a complaint? The book is great, the dust jacket isn’t. This is the second book I’ve had that trouble with recently .. hmm. New topic on the importance of covers, because you sure do judge a book that way …
Anyway, I will be pondering the book for some time to come, I will be re-reading the book, I will be reporting back to the chat room and adding to the praise for the book, I will probably bring it up in conversation (Mum, you’ve been warned) and make all sorts of future direct and oblique references to the book.
And if anyone is fascinated by literary influence theory or Inkling studies, I’d even loan them the book.
The Company They Keep on Amazon
And to think I had to lookup what inklings was.
Sounds like an interesting book. It is on my amazon list now.
Lovely! Of course, now there is the recommendation angst for me to deal with. I must now say that while I found the book to be very interesting, stimulating, thought provoking, etc., it might not be for all tastes. It is an academic book – a study of literary influence theory, after all. There are no sex scenes, no flaming car chases, no slow motion firearm laden escape sequences.
I am all aflutter, thinking of how the literary muse and mentor translate into all personal and creative endeavors, thinking how literary influence may be viewed as necessary and transformative. And I’m practically twitterpated at having these insights delivered to me in the guise of the Inklings.
It is a clearly written, exhaustively researched, incredibly good book .. on a very academic topic. At times it seems like a thesis. A well written thesis on a topic that fascinates me, but a thesis nonetheless. As long as you know that’s what you’re getting into, then I am pleased to acquaint you with the book.
OK, I guess that assuages the recommendation angst.
PS .. if you’d be more interested in simply learning about the Inklings, the definitive book on that topic is Carpenter’s. He sharply disagrees with Glyer over influence .. oh well. Another kudos for her, that she not only dared to disagree with Carpenter, but that she then backed up her opinion with such a book. But anyway, if you are interested in the Inklings, start with Carpenter. If you are interested in literary influence theory, Glyer. Again, glad to loan you either book, if you have time & interest .. for the Carpenter book, you’ll have to wait till I unpack it .. but as an aside, if you are interested, either book is available to you.
These days I don’t get much time to read. Big suprise, eh?
The book I’m reading right now is a history on poisons and how people use them, for good or ill.
Kinda appropriate, while Christina started watching Big Love, a show in which people getting poisoned happens in nearly 1/4 of the show.
No, not surprised 🙂
You should post reviews of what you read, too. History of poisons sounds interesting.