Dr. Frank's What's-it

Ah, an author without his editor exposes his true weaknesses to the public. One would actually be amazed at how many "great" writers struggle with simple tasks such as grammar and spelling. Writers need not bother with such minor details as these. The writers are mere idea-factories weaving the plot-line of a book. The editor has the true power and often makes many changed to the author's "final draft". It is only when the author is unleashed from his editor that he is then exposed for the true fool that he is.

Okay then, now that I've been meaner than Ben.... Who really cares if his punctuation, grammar and spelling are a bit off? Yes, he is an author by profession, but the punctuation, grammar and spelling are not what he is concerned with. He is just wanting to express his ideas to others. If there is an editor involved in this web-site then let's hang the right criminal, the editor, not the author.

Vic, you're right about the editing. God knows I could use a good editor, as many have pointed out, and I know many great authors are notoriously poor spellers and know next to nothing about grammar or punctuation, and I have no problem with them relying on good editors to help them corral and convey their thoughts (again, I could certainly use one - witness this sentence). But it's not just the grammar and punctuation - I can't even figure out what he's going on about. I think Frank nailed it with "pretentious." I've never read his work before but the guy comes off like a goof.

Mainly I'm embarassed by the all the thrusting.

Anyway, this is what I shoot for...and so should you!

http://www.cscs.umich.edu/~crshalizi/how-to-talk-postmodern.html

Well, Victor, if you're saying that the New York Review of Books editor who drew the short straw on this one ought to have done a better job cleaning up after Mr. Mailer, I agree. My guess is he just threw up his hands and said "I give up. No one's going to make it this far down the page anyway." A lapse, certainly but an understandable one-- much of Mailer's recent writing (including, but not limited to the essay from which Ben quoted) is simply untranslatable.

Here's a good one: "So they may look upon the graves that we congratulate ourselves for having liberated as sepulchral voices calling out from their tombs..."

Translate, edit, or better yet just cross the whole thing out. Whatever works for you. But be advised, it looks like he's being paid by the word, so be generous as well.

That said, I think it's pretty clear, despite the fuzzy writing, what ideas he is trying to express to others. Or rather, one idea, which goes: "Hi, my name is Norman Mailer and I am very smart and very famous."

The snippets of Mailer's writings posted by Ben are indeed the embodiement of just about everything you can do to make a sentence truly awful.

However, I would not say that the Weasel's criticism was fair at all.

Mailer wrote a book called The Naked And The Dead back in 1948, when he was 24 years old.

The book, while no archetype of perfect prose, was a damn fine novel. It is a large book, but reads quickly. Since I don't have the patience for Tolstoy, I would say this is the best war novel I have ever read.

Mailer says himself in the 50th anniversary introduction that his writing isn't anything to brag about.

I'm no apologist for Mailer, but perhaps he is just senile now.

The point I am trying to make is the guy deserves some amount of respect for his accomplishments, regardless of whatever crap he is currently putting out.

Mailer’s writing has accomplished some good things and some bad things. In the early 80’s, Mailer helped parole convicted felon Jack Henry Abbott. Abbott was in jail for armed robbery and murder. Mailer worked hard to set him free because he was impressed by Abbott’s writings about life in prison.

After Abbott was released, he stabbed a waiter to death. Later, Abbott hung himself in jail.

After this experience, Mailer is still overflowing with sympathy for the devil, offering loads of excuses for Saddam and nothing but blame for his own country. A sign of intelligence is the ability to learn from experience. Mailer didn't learn. His fuzzy writing is just a reflection of his fuzzy brain.

Mary, your blog rules! I'm there, girl.