Posted by Jock on November 06, 2007 at 10:36:52 from 87.105.81.146 user Jock.
In Reply to: Re: O'Brian compared to AR posted by Owen Roberts on November 06, 2007 at 09:43:24:
Perhaps my views are coloured by having seen TV interviews with him and knowing something about his private life.
A clear case of a self-fulfilling prophecy: O'Brian was a bad husband and parent so the Aubrey books can't be all that good either.
I guess if the possession of literary (or other) talent was somehow related to the moral quality of a writer's life, or their aptitude
as parents, our own AR would not rate so highly either. If one approached AR's books through the eyes of his daughter Tabitha
one would probably never get beyond the night sailing scene in SA. Clear proof, if further evidence is needed, of the author's
warped approach to parenting.
Her reaction on being sent a copy of Swallows and Amazons, for instance, was to write saying that the book `reads as if it had
been churned out'. She could not get beyond the first 12 chapters, but (unkindest cut of all) `she liked the artist'.
Both writers rediscovered themselves in mid life and returned to their craft with new flair and confidence. I guess few artist's lives
(or even those of ordinary TarBoarders!) are entirely blame free. But I will admit that I was lucky. I came across the O'Brian books
through the recommendations of a couple of good friends whose literary taste I respected, so I came to the books with high expectations,
and I was not disappointed.