I just tried to read "STANLEY ELKIN'S GREATEST HITS."
Many years ago, I had a friend named Cunningham who was a big admirer of Elkin. I had the book in my "sell" pile for years. But I was looking for something to read, so I picked it up.
I thought the first long story, "The Making Of Ashenden," was wonderful until Page 39, when it turns to crap. Before that, it was bright, funny, clever, erudite, witty, wry, a rare form of humor. It makes fun of upper-class pretensions.
But then the main guy meets this legendary woman, with whom everyone "in Europe" is in love, and the story turns stunningly stupid. What is all this talk about picturing the coastlines? Who friggin’ cares?
Then she has some rare, fatal disease, and they carry on this unbelievably stupid conversation. God, the dialog is inane. And it is NOT funny.
Then he asks her to marry him. Huh? Say what? You have got to be kidding.
How stupid. I tried to read on, but it gets dumber and dumber. I waded on 5 or 6 more pages and finally gave up.
Now I know why I put this book in the “sell” pile.
I don't think I have ever seen such a pointless change in tone and style and direction and effect in a well-written story.
Yargh.
Copyright © 2011, Roger R. Angle
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