Busytown by Jolisa Gracewood

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Busytown: A good read

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  • Jolisa,

    As Mark Twain is said to have said to his wife, when she experimentally tried cussing one day, "You got the words right, Livy, but you don`t know the tune."

    It just doesn't ring convincingly, does it?

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • Deborah,

    if I started a PA book club, would anybody come? We'd have to meet in the ether, alas, but the good news is, no bookings or babysitting required, and nobody has to vacuum up the crumbs afterward.

    Or wipe up any spilled wine... I'll come, as long as it's not a teetotal group.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report

  • richard,

    Replied to Giovanni, but accidentally did so on the other thread...

    I'd buy the "exciting new development in literary technique" explanation if it had come out first, before the "dog-ate-my-homework" explanation.

    On top of that (apart from the plagiarism) no-one who has read this book has found it be radically different from countless other historical novels. Thomas Pynchon it is not.

    Not looking for New Engla… • Since Nov 2006 • 268 posts Report

  • Jolisa,

    Or wipe up any spilled wine... I'll come, as long as it's not a teetotal group.

    Of course! Because on the internet, nobody knows you're a-drinking a fine glass of cab sauv while typing :-)

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    What to make of this exciting new approach to historical fiction??!

    I eagerly await the English translation. That is all.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Can I rescind my feeling somewhat sorry for the man? This strikes me as a very cynical volte face.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Can I rescind my feeling somewhat sorry for the man?

    Everyone deserves a chance to rectify, don't they? Or should we hang him high? I thought at least they are making amends.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    This seems the opposite of making amends to me.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Or should we hang him high?

    Waste of good rope, IMO. What's getting on my tits is this: I've learned the hard way (and not too far from here) that when you've fucked up, the best thing to do is just say "sorry" then put your teeth together and leave them there.

    Or how about Helen Clark's How To Get Out Of A Hole in One Easy Step?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Craig dont be rude ;)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Of course! Because on the internet, nobody knows you're a-drinking a fine glass of cab sauv while typing :-)

    Oh. I thought you said "books I've read" not Box of red.
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    This seems the opposite of making amends to me.

    Ok I didn't see that until it was pointed out. Not in touch today . It has been mentioned :)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Craig dont be rude ;)

    I don't know what you were thinking of, Missy, but "stop digging" always sounded pretty damn sensible to me. :)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Jolisa,

    Oh. I thought you said "books I've read" not Box of red.

    Nice! Can we get a call from the resident linguist on whether these two phrases are, in fact, identical in New Zillund English as she is spoke?

    Book club format: read, red, whine. (Goes to our head).

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Heh, had a dog called Missy. She went, well..., missing.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Nice! Can we get a call from the resident linguist

    Well yes... but he's Italian.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Jolisa,

    I was thinking of Dr Jen Hay, actually. But I'm sure Giovanni could adjudicate on the question of wine/book confusion in his adopted land.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    I think it was the esteemed publisher and enologist Luigi Veronelli who said that he was a very well-read person, so long as you counted wine labels.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Jolisa,

    See? Cometh the hour, cometh the man.

    I knew we could rely on you, Giovanni.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • richard,

    At least he read the label (other than to check it WAS actually wine, I suppose).

    Not looking for New Engla… • Since Nov 2006 • 268 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    Actually, I should come clean, in the spirit of this thread: I made up that quotation.

    I was trying something radically new with forum commentary, experimenting with hybrid forms.

    And I might have been slightly drunk at the time.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    (Actually, and this one is for real, Veronelli claimed to drink no less of eight bottles of wine a day, without ever getting drunk. And he was a very respected publisher of literature on the subject. I think we should make him the patron of the book club.)

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • Jolisa,

    I think we should make [Veronelli] the patron of the book club.

    Pierre Menard as secretary, of course.

    Auckland, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 1472 posts Report

  • giovanni tiso,

    My very thought.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report

  • stephen clover,

    "Witi Ihimaera to buy back book" yada yada.

    Really? Surely, actually, Penguin recalls book, pulps everything, and invoices Ihimaera against his advance/fee/royalties. The same thing? Yes, but no..... nice spin.

    Also, in an attempt to clarify a point for myself, at an academic institution do the same, or different, standards re. plagiarism apply to work created in the academic context -- say an English Lit essay -- vs. the creative context -- say a piece of creative writing, or a script in a Drama course?

    wgtn • Since Sep 2007 • 355 posts Report

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