View Single Post
Old 09-14-2015, 03:35 PM   #22774
issybird
o saeclum infacetum
issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.issybird ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
issybird's Avatar
 
Posts: 21,419
Karma: 235678911
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: New England
Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5
Quote:
Originally Posted by bfisher View Post
There were about 350,000-400,000 words cut from the first draft. Apparently, whole chapters were removed.
That is outright amazing. As it is, I think it would have benefited from pruning, most especially of the instances where a theme or conclusion is described, restated, and then rephrased a third time, just in case you were too dim too get it the first two times. It adds up to a somewhat patronizing tone, although I admit that listening might make me more sensitive to it.

In general, I think Caro's one who loses sight of the forest for the trees. Moses' problem, of course, was the opposite. Among others.

I'm not saying it isn't a great biography nor enthralling, because it's both. But the length is ridiculous.

One note on the audiobook: the narrator, Robertson Dean, has a pleasant voice and cadences and reads well for sense. The number of mispronunciations, though, especially of proper nouns, is entirely unacceptable.
issybird is online now   Reply With Quote