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Path: utzoo!watmath!jagardner
From: jagardner@watmath.UUCP (jagardner)
Newsgroups: net.books
Subject: Re: Mark Helprin's "Winter's Tale"
Message-ID: <11894@watmath.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 11-Mar-85 14:47:35 EST
Article-I.D.: watmath.11894
Posted: Mon Mar 11 14:47:35 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 11-Mar-85 23:49:46 EST
References: <435@cadovax.UUCP>
Reply-To: jagardner@watmath.UUCP ()
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 16

[...]

I'd like to second the recommendation of Winter's Tale and point out
that the book is not "fantasy" (at least the way I think of fantasy).
It is, in fact, that seldom-seen-in-modern-times beastie, a "tall tale".
It has all the classic marks of the tall tale: the most beautiful (and
strangest) girl in the world, the equally strange and evil villain,
the mildly super hero, and the legendary horse that he rides.

The writing is indeed astounding, never pretentious but always
intelligent and amusing.  I can think of no other writer with the
ability to pull off the sheer flambuoyance that Helprin displays,
with the possible exception of Tom Wolfe.  Buy the book and read
it.
			Jim Gardner, University of Waterloo