The Distant Suns of Gene Wolfe

Bob Miller · 04 Jun 2007, 10:56 · from 2007-June.txt.gz

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From: bob_bageera at hotmail.com (Bob Miller)
Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2007 05:56:03 -0500
Subject: (urth) The Distant Suns of Gene Wolfe
In-Reply-To: <200706021703.46274.ddjones at riddlemaster.org>
Message-ID: <BAY135-F264E6C1D44C9C7FCEF3F2188210 at phx.gbl>

The gentlemen seem to have hit a "nerve" with the responses to the below:

"Readers are becoming a distinct minority.  And for most of those who do 
cling
to the habit, many or most of them use it as a means of escape and
relaxation.  They don't want a writer who demands so much of them.  Those of
us who enjoy literature which requires active participation are a minority
within a minority."

It has always been difficult to publish "thoughtful" books.  The best 
example (most popular?) was exemplified by an interview I saw with the 
original publisher of Lord of the Rings.  At the time he had taken over 
operations of the publisher from his father. His estimate was that 
publishing the books would bring them a net loss of 10,000 lb (sorry my 
keyboard doesn't have the pound symbol).  His father wired him back that if 
he truly thought it was a work of genius he had permission to lose 10,000 
lb.

At age 60 I have now been reading this same plaint/observation for more than 
45 years.

Thank you aghain for agitating the unused depths of my mind.

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