I like your observation about distrustful or suspicious long sentences. Sometimes I think people don't like them because of Henry James, who could possibly be Javier Marias' Spanish brother. I think readers are suspicious of long sentences because they require double the attention of short sentences. Yet a good long sentence can be more of a feast for the patient reader. You have always discovered extraordinary foreign to English writers and let us know about them in the Mookse. So I will take the recommendation and purchase and read a Javier Marias book. Javier must have some really excellent long sentences or you wouldn't recommend his writing. So great to have the Mookse introduce us to the best writing in English and many other languages available to us through translation.
Am going to read Javier Marias "The Man of Feeling," from curiosity at the title and knowing that they are rare and possibly becoming extinct. Also the title implies that this creature will be defined. And definitions are sometimes keys to wisdom, same as with a good book. Will let you know what I think after reading it.
Trevor,
I like your observation about distrustful or suspicious long sentences. Sometimes I think people don't like them because of Henry James, who could possibly be Javier Marias' Spanish brother. I think readers are suspicious of long sentences because they require double the attention of short sentences. Yet a good long sentence can be more of a feast for the patient reader. You have always discovered extraordinary foreign to English writers and let us know about them in the Mookse. So I will take the recommendation and purchase and read a Javier Marias book. Javier must have some really excellent long sentences or you wouldn't recommend his writing. So great to have the Mookse introduce us to the best writing in English and many other languages available to us through translation.
Larry B.
Thanks Larry! I hope you will let us know what you choose to read, and then your thoughts when you do :-)
Trevor,
Am going to read Javier Marias "The Man of Feeling," from curiosity at the title and knowing that they are rare and possibly becoming extinct. Also the title implies that this creature will be defined. And definitions are sometimes keys to wisdom, same as with a good book. Will let you know what I think after reading it.
Larry B.