There's an excellent inteview in today's FT with Mark Haddon. His novel is the new book I've enjoyed most in the last year, one of the very few that moved me. Amongst other things, he discusses his pared-down imagery free style:

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/7af2e6f6-4a44-11d9-b065-00000e2511c8.html

Adele.

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Hope that link works for non-subscribers. If not, you could always go crazy and buy a hard copy.

Thanks for that, Ad. One of my favorite books too and what he says about the condition is so true. i would be interested to hear the reaction of Asperger's parents (or children) to this book - have you seen anything on the subject?
Elspeth

Hi Elspeth, no I haven't seen direct quotations from parents, but Haddon reports a positive response here:

http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/offthepage/guide.htm?command=Search&db=/catalog/main.txt&eqisbndata=0224063782

Au revoir,

Adele.

I'm sorry, but I'd never trust a review written by someone who could write the following;

The image of a forked dog on a lawn “which, frankly, I thought was hilarious”, came first as he sat at home in Oxford.

Presumably the quote marks mean that the author thought this image hilarious? Well I don't.

Yes, i was shocked by that too, Nell (although I loved the book)
Elspeth

Elspeth, I haven't read the book, and I won't now. There are words to describe people who think like this but I'd need Dav to say them for me.

Hi Nell, admittedly that quotation in isolation is unedifying, and I have no idea of the context in which he said it. However, it's a very humane novel.

Adele.

Adele, I'm perplexed at the climate of political correctness that leaps up in rabid attack at some things that are said, some opinions held, yet not others. One example of this is in attitudes to the Welsh, which seem to cause amusement rather than provoke the sort of reaction that one would expect were the same comments levelled at another minority. The only people who seem to object are the Welsh themselves, as in the Anne Robinson incident. I'm quoting this just as an example as I have no connection with Wales, and anyway this is not the thread to discuss these things. I found that comment in the review incredibly upsetting and almost beyond belief, and the fact that the Prince's memo could cause such a furore on the forum yet a crass statement like the one I quoted pass unremarked makes me wonder what things are coming to. But that said, I don't want to hijack your thread or start a heated discussion, so I'll stop now.

Re. the lack of metaphor, I've noticed a shift towards exposition in some of the prizewinning entries of competitions in small magazines. It seems that the only way to keep one's sanity as a writer is to strive towards the sort of writing that one admires rather than to try to emulate the latest bestseller. Fashions change so quickly that right timing would be impossible.

Nell.

Nell,

I read the book some months ago and found it deeply moving. In fact it's one of my favourite books of the year. However, I was a bit taken aback at that quote, whatever the context. I don't think hilarity is the word that springs to mind at the image of the dog on the lawn. But then there have been a number of authors whose work I admire or love or both, who, when I have read interviews with them have found them to express disturbing or disagreeable opinions. Mind you, I don't know if I'd feel the same if I hadn't read the book first.

On the subject of fashionable writing, I've never seen any point in writing anything other than the sort of thing I like to read myself.

Nell, the PC question is a complex one with many grey areas. For example, one of my Yorkshire compatriots, who prides himself on being the world's least PC person (although I know plenty of people who could give him a run for his money) says that you can only be racist about races who are oppressed, so not the Americans or the Germans. I found myself nodding when I read this and think it could be extended as an idea.

As for Haddon's hilarity at the image of a forked dog, I have no idea where that comes from, but doubt whether he is advocating cruelty to animals.

Adele.

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Btw, the Yorkshireman in question is Jeremy Clarkson.

I must admit, I was very impressed with the book, then listened to an interview with MH where he said he found the voice first and then gave it to an Asperger's boy - which disappointed me. Now if he's saying it was a 'hilarous' image that set the whole thing off I am doubly disappointed. Finally, I enjoyed the end product, but not the creative process.
Elspeth

Elspeth, I suppose that just reinforces what Flaubert said in Madame Bovary: "il ne faut pas toucher aux idoles, la dorure s'attache aux mains."

Adele.

Tout à fait, Adele!
E

Maybe it's best then not to know too much of the bald truth about what started a book/play/film etc off- I'm sure some of my favourites might be less appealing if I knew some cruel or deeply cynical thing had been the spark. And some writers do of course come across in a bad light when they admit to things liuke Haddon has- although, like Adele, I'd like to think/tend to think that he meant the peculiar imagery rather than a dog being hurt had appealed to him. The trouble is, I loved the book and don't want to think badly of him.. How much is too much information?