John Banville

ThirdMan

I've just watched John Banville on Mariella's Book Show (Sky Arts). Mariella asked him how he would feel if she described him as a 'perfect Irishman'. He said he'd be flattered, at least about the 'perfect' part.

On his Wiki page there's a link to a Spanish language interview where he says that people often view him as as 'West Brit'.

Well, he doesn't seem to be doing himself any favours...

I'm just wondering what people make of this, and what, if anything, does it say about his work?

pog it

Haven't picked that up from anything he has written or said before..

Earthhorse

I'm not familiar with his work but I'm not sure what it could say about it?

If anything, it says something about the man; if I had to guess, that he has a self deprecating sense of humour and is aware of some of what is said about him.

mosstin

ThirdMan wrote: »

I've just watched John Banville on Mariella's Book Show (Sky Arts). Mariella asked him how he would feel if she described him as a 'perfect Irishman'. He said he'd be flattered, at least about the 'perfect' part.

On his Wiki page there's a link to a Spanish language interview where he says that people often view him as as 'West Brit'.

Well, he doesn't seem to be doing himself any favours...

I'm just wondering what people make of this, and what, if anything, does it say about his work?

But why exactly?

Harry Angstrom

Banville would be better off keeping his mouth shut and letting his books do the talking. The Book of Evidence is good, The Sea is great, but when I hear him being interviewed (usually on the radio), I always switch him off.

ThirdMan

mosstin wrote: »

But why exactly?

I may have misinterpreted him (and his dry sense of humour) but it seemed like he was saying 'call me perfect, but don't call me Irish.' If that's what he meant then he's leaving himself open to being called a 'west Brit', something he alluded to himself. That's what I mean.

longshanks

I've heard him on radio and saw him on the show mentioned above.
He seems alright to me, don't really see the point of the 'not doing himself any favours' or 'keep his mouth shut' remarks.
He has opinions and is open with them.

Harry Angstrom

longshanks wrote: »

I've heard him on radio and saw him on the show mentioned above.
He seems alright to me, don't really see the point of the 'not doing himself any favours' or 'keep his mouth shut' remarks.
He has opinions and is open with them.

My "keep his mouth shut" remark has more to do with the fact that I find him tiresome and boring whenever I hear him being interviewed.

mosstin

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

My "keep his mouth shut" remark has more to do with the fact that I find him tiresome and boring whenever I hear him being interviewed.

Well either he should stop giving interviews or you should stop listening to them.

Harry Angstrom

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

but when I hear him being interviewed (usually on the radio), I always switch him off.

mosstin wrote: »

Well either he should stop giving interviews or you should stop listening to them.

What part of "I always switch him off" do you not understand?

mosstin

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

My "keep his mouth shut" remark has more to do with the fact that I find him tiresome and boring whenever I hear him being interviewed.

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

What part of "I always switch him off" do you not understand?

Which part of your posts do you not understand?

Harry Angstrom

mosstin wrote: »

Which part of your posts do you not understand?

I obviously heard him being interviewed once or twice before I formed the opinion that he's boring and tiresome, and then resolved to always switch him off whenever I subsequently heard him on the radio, such as an appearance on the Pat Kenny Show when I hit the OFF switch as soon as I heard him being introduced.

Is that so difficult for you to understand?

ThirdMan

For the record, I never switch him off. I think he's an interesting character, particularly when I don't agree with him. I didn't start this thread so people could have a dig at him.

Harry Angstrom

ThirdMan wrote: »

For the record, I never switch him off. I think he's an interesting character, particularly when I don't agree with him. I didn't start this thread so people could have a dig at him.

I think Banville is an interesting writer, but as an individual, he leaves me cold. I'm not having dig at him, I'm just stating an opinion.
On the other hand, I always enjoy listening to Terry Pratchett when being interviewed, but I've never had the slightest inclination to read any of his books. I doubt John Banville gives a flying fcuk about what any of us think about him anyway.

mosstin

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

I obviously heard him being interviewed once or twice before I formed the opinion that he's boring and tiresome, and then resolved to always switch him off whenever I subsequently heard him on the radio, such as an appearance on the Pat Kenny Show when I hit the OFF switch as soon as I heard him being introduced.

Is that so difficult for you to understand?

I'd love to think that you edited that post just so that you could italicize the final you. Go on, you did didn't you?

catallus

His sense of humour is very dry; to make a negative judgment about him based on an off-hand quip in a tv interview is a bit rash. A lot of his writing is about characters being forcefully psychologically detached from where they came from; it is pretty obvious from his writing that "flight from home" is a large theme in his work.

Harry Angstrom

mosstin wrote: »

I'd love to think that you edited that post just so that you could italicize the final you. Go on, you did didn't you?

I hate to burst to your bubble, but I made a typo and I edited it. I'm sure a Mod will confirm this, if necessary

buck65

Hello.

I like John Banville. He is the Irish Nabokov. His books are well written and very grammatical.

Thank you.

Harry Angstrom

buck65 wrote: »

Hello.

I like John Banville. He is the Irish Nabokov. His books are well written and very grammatical.

Thank you.

I can't disagree with you on that. Banville's Athena has been favourably compared with Lolita.

mosstin

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

I hate to burst to your bubble, but I made a typo and I edited it. I'm sure a Mod will confirm this, if necessary

Christ, 'twas but a joke. Relax.

Harry Angstrom

mosstin wrote: »

Christ, 'twas but a joke. Relax.

Ditto. Hence my emoticon with a winking face to acknowledge your joke :rolleyes:

mosstin

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

Ditto. Hence my emoticon with a winking face to acknowledge your joke :rolleyes:

:cool:

marienbad

isn't it great to see that literature can still stir people up enough to have a fight !

Harry Angstrom

marienbad wrote: »

isn't it great to see that literature can still stir people up enough to have a fight !

And whoever thought it could be somebody like John Banville?

marienbad

Harry Angstrom wrote: »

And whoever thought it could be somebody like John Banville?

Yeah not quite Stravinsky and The Rite Of Spring is it !

ThirdMan

marienbad wrote: »

Yeah not quite Stravinsky and The Rite Of Spring is it !

:rolleyes:

ThePinkCage

He's in the business of selling books, whether we like it or not, and it sounds like he knows how to handle interviewers well while still being true to himself. He's interesting, both in interviews and books, but he's highbrow - definitely an acquired taste!

catallus

^
I agree with this. In his interview with Pat Kenny, Pat asked him does he take his work too seriously, and he replied that of course he takes his work seriously but he didn't think he took it too seriously and he added that what people disliked was if people take themselves or their work too solemnly, a very nice nuance; he said he hated people who took themselves too solemnly, and for me it is a useful discrimination. There is being serious about a thing and then there's being po-faced about it.