"Actually, my favorite treatment of bad reviews is James Branch Cabell who, in the back of the 18 volume beautiful, huge collection of all of his works the Biography of Manuel, did a final section detailing what the reviewers said for each of his books. The book reviews go like this. The first 5 or 6 books, the reviews he quotes say something like: "Beautiful illustrations by the artist; such a pity about the words." Then you get to the reviews of Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice and the reviews say: "This a terrible book. It has no redeeming features; it's simply awful; a major misstep." And then every single review for every book he wrote after Jurgen begins, "Well, this isn't Jurgen. Apparently the author has lost the facility with which he wrote that delightful book." So he did put this wonderful parade of the ridiculous things that the reviewers said over time. As I mentioned in the blog, the only final thing that you can say about the reviewers, is this. The same day that the Publisher's Weekly review came in which said, "The road trip plot was completely aimless, but I liked the stuff in Lakeside," the Summer Book Forum book review came in which said, "The roadside stuff is amazing -- the novel only loses focus when you get to the stuff in Lakeside." ... If you actually pay any credence to it, it does make you crazy. So you just kind of smile and think, "Maybe someday I'll review all the reviewers someday." But you probably won't."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Fantasy authorsNovelists from the United StatesSatirists from the United StatesAutobiographers from the United StatesPeople from Richmond
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
Neil Gaiman, in "Interview With Neil Gaiman" by Claire E. White, at Writers Write (2001)
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/James_Branch_Cabell
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
James Branch Cabell
James Branch Cabell (14 April 1879 – 5 May 1958) was an American author of satirical fantasy works, most notably The Cream of the Jest, Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice, Figures of Earth, and other works in the series known as Biography of the Life of Manuel.
146 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by James Branch Cabell →
Related Quotes
"I shall never of my own free will expose the naked soul of Manuel to anybody. No, it would be no pleasant spectacle, …"
"I seem to see only the strivings of an ape reft of his tail, and grown rusty at climbing, who has reeled blunderingly…"
"The magician looked at the tall warrior for a while, and in the dark soft eyes of Miramon Lluagor was a queer sort of…"
"You, whom I made for man's worship when earth was younger and fairer, hearken, and learn why I breathe new life into …"
"I must tell you that in this moment all doubt as to my attested worth went out of me, who had redeemed a kingdom, and…"
"I am Manuel. I have lived in the loneliness which is common to all men, but the difference is that I have known it. N…"
"A curious, singular and enchanting book. I have read it with admiration and delight."
"I am Manuel, and I follow after my own thinking and my own desire. Of course it is very fine of me to be renouncing s…"
"Manuel gave it up, and shrugged. Well, let us conquer as we may, so that God be on our side. Miramon replied: "Never …"
"Now we must ford these shadowy waters," said Grandfather Death, "in part because your destiny is on the other side, a…"