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This is a truly important book, an accolade often bestowed and rarely deserved in our modern age. --Dame Beryl Bainbridge
This is literally an incomparable book, because there is nothing to compare it with. It goes to the heart of man's cultural evolution through the stories we have told since storytelling began. It illuminates our nature, our beliefs and our collective emotions by shining a bright light on them from a completely new angle. Original, profound, fascinating - and on top of it all, a really good read. --Sir Antony Jay, co-author of Yes, Minister
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It's extensively researched, annotated, and beautifully written. Not repetitive at all as some reviewers claim. Just for the sheer volume of encyclopedic reference material you should buy it.
Previous reviewers have commented negatively about Booker's presupposition of morals/ethics in terms of developing a good story. I heartily applaud Booker for this and additionally his point that the inner transformation of characters is what gives them and the story depth and meaning.
Resolving inner conflicts through a journey of dicovery/quest is why we read/listen to/watch stories/movies, etc. in the first place. Nowadays we have become so used to and enthralled by two dimensional pasteboard characters in modern novels/movies that we resent anyone who suggest that good stories need morals, depth and inner transformation of the characters as well as an external plot. Stories are not just for entertainment but good stories feeds the soul, just as pop music is entertainment and cathartic but classical music can be religious experiences.
Other reviewers have complained about the Jungian approach in analysing the development of characters. I personally think this is the best point of this book. I particularly agree with Booker's point that authors subconsciously projects their personal shadows onto his characters and one can nearly always discern the author's personal morals by the stories he writes. After all, creativity is but an exercise in self-discovery.
This book should be listed under Jungian psychology as well. Although the author has not so stated, I bet he's personally gone through analysis in the 30+ years that took him to write this book, because he shows an indepth knowledge of the Jungian approach far beyond what one might expect of someone who has just read up on it.
Booker has surpassed Joseph Campbell, and in fact has gone beyond where Campbell left off. So another star should be awarded and Booker deserves a medal just for his Herculean efforts. For his effectiveness he should be cannonised whilst alive.
Buy this book and read it!
I won't attempt to sum up such a magnum opus but instead, here are some of my personal observations of the book - what made it special for me;
1. It is an easy read -- always interesting and well constructed, refreshing and thought provoking.
2. It is standalone -- by which I mean you are not expected to be familiar with the great works of literature or jungian psychology; in some ways this book is the ultimate "bluffers guide" to all of literature -- each work is surmised and explained in enough detail to justify an argument or assertion.
3. It is visionary -- this book paints the biggest of the big pictures; what emerges spans all of the arts and humanities bringing a truly visionary perspective that is at time challenging and always thought provoking; what stories reveal about who we are? why are we like we are?
4. It is inspirational -- how many readers will close the book desperate to unleash that "novel within them" given the secrets to developing plots that "hit the mark" (smile).
After reading it I can fully understand why it has taken 35 years to produce, having spent 7 days reading it I feel I have cheated the author. I'm sure I'll be back to it again as some of the subtleties reveal themselves, and to challenge the arguments themselves with the armoury he provides.
On the negative side, I found it meandered a little here and there and felt a little repetetive at times, but this is to be expected when you write, on average one chapter a year!!!! Some of the typos are surprising and it must contain some of the longest footnotes in all of publishing!
Best non-fiction book I have ever read.
This is essential book. Though there may be some that do not agree with Booker's conclusions, they cannot help but be impressed by the scale and rigour of his work.
From the Texas Chain Saw Massacre, to the Lascaux cave paintings in the Dordogne, Booker tirelessly explores how our insatiable hunger to communicate through story has shaped our politics, morality and art. And incredibly, the awesome scale of Booker's task is heavily disguised for the reader by the poise, wit and lightness of his experienced hand. This book is unique, I found ideas fizzing on every page, each piece in Booker's intricate jigsaw sparking and connecting with my own thoughts.
And the author neither preaches nor condescends - that is not Booker's style. Instead, he explains why the seemingly limitless language of human emotion is bound by the most fundamental and eternal of values.
And they say they new Nigella is an essential read...
i) The typos, and some of the synopses, are horrendous. Hugely unprofessional all-round (typos the fault of the publisher, the synopses of the... Read more
A wonderful and amazing book at so many levels:
- a tremendous compendium of synopses of the greatest and most important... Read more
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