Martin Amis is rude...

[rogerVA]

I, for one, thought it was a pretty funny thing to say.

[Wickedkitten]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Given that he's talking about HIMSELF, I really don't see that this can be considered rude. He's not talking about childrens' authors in general.

Indeed. He is saying that the only way that he would be able to get the mindset of writing a childrens book is if he had a serious brain injury that would change the way that his brain writes.

I've been reading Martin Amis for over 20 years now from books, to essays, to articles and trust me, he's not the type of man to mince words. If he was going to say that children's authors have serious brain injuries, he would have just said he thinks they all suffer from brain injuries.

[rogerVA]

I think I've been on Facebook too long today. I was about to "like" Wickedkitten's post... I agree exactly.

[Vivian]

Originally Posted by TGS

...yeah, I know Martin Amis being rude is not really news, but now he is being rude about children's authors. He would only write for children if he suffered a serious head injury he says here.

He might be a very good writer for all I know, but a comment like that makes me not want to read him.

[elcreative]

Then don't... I thought that people who were interested readers would actually have some support for free speech but the number of times someone gets jumped on, for a mis-read or misinterpretation of what they said or printed, is astounding... Read other quotes below yours...

Originally Posted by Vivian

He might be a very good writer for all I know, but a comment like that makes me not want to read him.

Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
Given that he's talking about HIMSELF, I really don't see that this can be considered rude. He's not talking about childrens' authors in general.

Quote:
Originally Posted by WickedKitten
Indeed. He is saying that the only way that he would be able to get the mindset of writing a childrens book is if he had a serious brain injury that would change the way that his brain writes.

I've been reading Martin Amis for over 20 years now from books, to essays, to articles and trust me, he's not the type of man to mince words. If he was going to say that children's authors have serious brain injuries, he would have just said he thinks they all suffer from brain injuries.

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by elcreative

Then don't... I thought that people who were interested readers would actually have some support for free speech ....

Aren't people exercising free speech on this thread? Lol.

I don't care what Martin Amis said in this instance, because I don't care what he thinks of children's books or their authors. He can say whatever he likes, of course.

Regardless of his statements, I think he has writing talent. His work has declined over the years, though, IMO.

I think that most writers would be better off if they focused on writing and reading, rather than on talking. Martin Amis doesn't seem to realize this, and that makes him look like an ass, IMO.

[OtterBooks]

"the idea of being conscious of who you're directing the story to is anathema to me, because, in my view, fiction is freedom and any restraints on that are intolerable."

I think he makes a fair point, at least for himself and writers of his kind. Someone needs to write children's lit, though. I do think there's a big difference between children's lit that is intentionally dumbed down and condescending, and lit that is not. Just because Amis could never imagine writing Where the Sidewalk Ends, doesn't mean it it's some sort of intellectual compromise.

I've never read Martin Amis, but I'm quite aware of him and recognize him as a fairly significant literary figure. A lot of my friends like his work.

"Martin Amis is rude" made me want to read him, though. I like rude authors. They're honest.

[djorkboy]

I like Martin Amis' honesty and bluntness. He talked about how he re-read his first book, The Rachel Papers, in 2010 because he was writing another book set in the same time period and his assessment of his own book was that it was incredibly crude, cack-handed and clumsily put together.

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by djorkboy

I like Martin Amis' honesty and bluntness. He talked about how he re-read his first book, The Rachel Papers, in 2010 because he was writing another book set in the same time period and his assessment of his own book was that it was incredibly crude, cack-handed and clumsily put together.

Yes, I wouldn't recommend "The Rachel Papers." If that had been the first Amis book I'd read, I doubt I would have read others, lol.

[Sonist]

In context, his statement can be defended:

"... but otherwise the idea of being conscious of who you're directing the story to is anathema to me, because, in my view, fiction is freedom and any restraints on that are intolerable.

He simply states that in his view the inherent constraints demanded by that particular audience are detrimental to his art.

One can certainly disagree with him, but it is an opinion expressed in an interview, not an insult hurled at a passing children's author....

I have never read Martin Amis. Should I be embarrassed?