Comments for The Moore The Merrier

Comment on The Statement by chris

chris — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:56:14 +0000

I interrupted my chronological read of Moore’s work to skip ahead and read one of the later ones. I was disappointed to see that the brilliant, idiosyncratic literary novelist of the earlier books had, in his later years, evidently morphed into a fairly run-of-the-mill “commercial fiction/thriller” type writer.

Interestingly, this same transformation befell one of my other favorite writers, Evan Hunter, whose early (and largely out of print) literary novels gave way to fairly formulaic (and, incidentally, far more successful) potboilers in later life.

Anyway, “The Statement” excepted, I am as far as “The Emperor of Ice Cream” in the chronology, and as I continue, I’ll be interested to see at what point the “1st Moore” vanishes and the “2nd Moore” takes over. I hope it isn’t for several more books.:)

Comment on The Emperor of Ice-cream by lizzysiddal

lizzysiddal — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:22:24 +0000

It is now two months since I read the book and the reason why this review is so delayed is that I’m disappointed that it’s not joining the list of my 5-star reads. On the back of the your review, Colette, I came to The Emperor of Ice-Cream with the highest of expectations, completely and utterly expecting myself to be blown away. It didn’t happen, which is not to say that it isn’t an excellent read. I think I was expecting something to grab me in the same way as The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne . I don’t currently have much empathy with adolescent male leads - and the stupidity of this one made my blood boil in places. (Interesting that this novel is the most autobiographical of Moore’s output - suggesting that while I admire the author, I wouldn’t have got on with the man?) But while I was alienated from the personal drama, I was fascinated by the historical, completely amazed at the mindset that couldn’t wait for the second world war to hit Belfast. And didn’t it just, when the Luftwaffe got its sights in! I realise the foregoing sounds rather ambivalent but let me stress that The Emperor of Ice-Cream is still a 4-star read and far superior to much contemporary fiction. I agree with John Self that it is a travesty that it is out of print. Here’s hoping that Faber will find it and republish ..

Comment on An Answer from Limbo by Colette Jones

Colette Jones — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:44:47 +0000

I love that reference to a divide, crafty. My husband has recently said that nothing happens in the “Booker type” books (as if there were such a thing). I have given him A Case of Exploding Mangoes and Animal’s People, both Booker shortlisted. I won’t reveal that fact until he’s read them.

Comment on An Answer from Limbo by craftypeople

craftypeople — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:49:18 +0000

After John Self discovered that I was a fan of Brian Moore he pointed me in this direction. Both my husband and I enjoy is books immensely and there aren’t usually many that can cross that divide.
Yours is a really useful blog for Moorites. Keep up the good work.

Comment on The Statement by Eireann Yvon

Eireann Yvon — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:30:02 +0000

I am a French man, but I like the Irish writers, I read few Brian Moore books. I made a personnal review pour « Lies of Silence » Les trahisons du silence, and « The Statement » La déclaration.
Sorry but I read in French!
Faithfully
Yvon

Comment on Catholics by Colette Jones

Colette Jones — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:15:43 +0000

Ah, that should be interesting. We haven’t had one like that yet so might get us talking! A few seem to be going through a bit of a mid-life crisis though. Perhaps I shouldn’t have chosen this book – they might get ideas of affairs with younger men. At least none of them are married to a doctor (but they are all wives!)

Comment on Catholics by John Self

John Self — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:40:40 +0000

I think The Doctor’s Wife is one of his best, Colette. Note, however, that it is sexually explicit which I believe caused some admirers of Moore’s early works (such as Philip French) to dislike it, and which caused Mary Wilson, Booker Judge that year and unliterary wife of PM Harold Wilson (one of the other judges used the word ‘Kafkaesque’ and she didn’t understand), to veto its winning the Booker prize. I don’t know your face-to-face reading group, but it’s conceivable that some could be turned off by this.

Comment on Catholics by Colette Jones

Colette Jones — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:28:50 +0000

The Revolution Script is the only one I do not have.

I look forward to seeing what you think of Catholics, JS.

I’ll be reading The Doctor’s Wife soon, I’ve chosen it for my face-to-face group. I hope they like it. I am pretty sure I will. (Thanks again for the book, by the way).

Comment on Catholics by John Self

John Self — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 15:57:45 +0000

Indeed it was, Colette. Unfortunately I'm only up to book 7 (The Revolution Script) in my own Mooreathon so I don't have many more to share. Catholics next, appropriately. Sorry to disappoint you, reader.

I’m not sure what you mean when you say “if you can recommend it”.

She means 'if you can recommend it'. Clearly you don't. I can't say if it's Moore's weakest novel as there are still a few I haven't read, but I certainly thought it more interesting than, say, The Statement or Fergus. It may be less coherent than some of his other early novels, but I'm always interested by writers writing about writing. Even so, Moore's weakest (f it is) would still be thoroughly worthwhile.

Comment on Catholics by Colette Jones

Colette Jones — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 13:46:43 +0000

Yes, I thought that was the point. More, JS!