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From: cracraft@isi-vaxa.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: SF-LOVERS Digest   V10 #361
Message-ID: <3659@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Sat, 14-Sep-85 13:28:58 EDT
Article-I.D.: topaz.3659
Posted: Sat Sep 14 13:28:58 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 17-Sep-85 05:29:52 EDT
Sender: daemon@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
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From: Stuart Cracraft 

Regarding DHALGREN by Delaney...

I think the book is total garbage. I stopped less than half-way
because I couldn't stomach 1) the boredom 2) the verbosity with
no real purpose 3) the self-indulging nature of the author.
Delaney has never been one of my favorite authors in any
genre, because I think his 'experimental' styles and
'clever techniques' are almost useless in terms of telling 
a good story and telling it well.

For many of the same reasons I didn't like Joyce's FINNEGAN'S
WAKE OR ULLYSES (sp?). These types of 'experiments' just don't
appeal to me.

Folks, if you want a really BRILLIANT novel that extends the
concept of what it means to *BE* a novel, please read
Vladimir Nabokov's LOLITA. Forget everything you've heard
about it from 'old wives' concerned about their children and
all that usual clap-trap. Go into it with an open mind, get
past the first difficult 20-30 pages, and you will have found
the gem of all novels.

Since I read the book 5 years ago, nothing, REPEAT NOTHING, I have
read has come close. In fact, Nabokov and his wily ways may have
done permanent damage to my ability to enjoy novels. Sadly, none
of Nabokov's other novels even comes close to this one work,
so it really stands alone.

	Stuart
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