Wednesday 15 June 2011

not for me, thank you

Here's a description of a book from an author's website, with all the names changed to make it harder to identify, because I don't want to be mean, and this is just my taste, and it's not like I've read the book. Whatever, I read this and I thought, 'Oh boy':

In her raw yet elegant third novel, Range tells the story of a prominent Italian poet, Filippo Annunzio, and his romantic entanglement with two sisters, both American actresses, in post-war Italy. The novel is narrated by Filippo: charming, intellectual, sex-obsessed—and in love with the idea of his own suicide.

7 comments:

Zed said...

I had the same reaction when I read this (immediately recognizable) blurb. The (here-unmentionable) title was also a big turnoff. However the Hudson Review review of the book quoted some passages that seemed well-written...

(Word verification is "rednests.")

Zed said...

(NB author formerly a twitter acquaintance.)

Robert Hudson said...

The key for me is that it is not Googleably recognisable. The book could be great. But I would never read it. But lots of people might. But I wouldn't.

katetf said...

Just for info... Totally Googleably recognisable.

Robert Hudson said...

Ok, detectives: Googleable, if you're on my page and want to find out what I am talking about, but is it something that the author would come across automatically self-Googling? That's the one I want to avoid. Obviously one can work out what the book is if you start here, but do you get here otherwise?

Anonymous said...

Doubtful the author would stumble across it, unless she's in the habit of Googling sections of her own book blurb. And then, frankly, I'd have no sympathy.

Anonymous said...

Although, given that she'll be receiving a number of hits to her website today from people Googling bits of her blurb... er, maybe.

[Word verification: mings. OK, I know I'm still in my pyjamas and haven't brushed my hair yet, but that's a bit harsh.)