Show Notes
Show Notes
Obviously, no work of art is created in a vacuum – but what are the more noteworthy examples of literature owing its existence to a second author? And does it matter if credit is not given where it's due – or is the aesthetic ideal of the singular vision more important than the occasionally-ugly truth? – Do too many authors spoil the book? By WB Gooderham.
Author Conan Doyle
The late Author Conan Doyle (1859-1930) is a British writer (and physician), notably renowned for his creation of the character Sherlock Holmes, in which he created four novels and fifty-six short stories on the adventures of Dr Watson and Holmes. The Sherlock Holmes stories are milestones in the field of crime fiction. Not as well known, Doyle was a prolific writer, and created other works in the genre of fantasy and science fiction, following Professor Challenger, and comedic pieces about Brigadier Gerard, a Napoleonic soldier. He also produced plays, romances, poetry, non-fiction and historical novels.
Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) wrote stories and novels, many with a nautical setting, that depict trials of the human spirit in the midst of what he saw as an impassive, inscrutable universe. Conrad is considered a literary impressionist by some and an early modernist by others, though his works also contain elements of 19th-century realism. His narrative style and anti-heroic characters, as in Lord Jim, for example, have influenced numerous authors. Writing near the peak of the British Empire, Conrad drew on the national experiences of his native Poland— during nearly all his life, parcelled out among three occupying empires, and on his own experiences in the French and British merchant navies, to create short stories and novels that reflect aspects of a European-dominated world—including imperialism and colonialism—and that profoundly explore the human psyche.
Raymond Carver and Gordon Lish
The late Raymond Carver (1938-1988) was an American short story writer and poet, and contributed to the revitalization of the American short story during the 1980s. Gordon Lish is an American writer, yet as a literary editor, he championed Raymond Carver’s work, and many others, including: Barry Hannah, Amy Hempel, Rick Bass, and Richard Ford. In August 1998, three years after Carol Polsgrove described Lish's heavy editing of Raymond Carver's Neighbors and published a facsimile page showing the editing, The New York Times Magazine published an article by D. T. Max about the extent of Lish's editing of Carver's short stories which was visible in manuscripts held at the Lilly Library. Before his death, Carver had written to Lish: “If I have any standing or reputation or credibility in the world, I owe it to you.”
Harold Bloom
The late Harold Bloom (1930-2019) was an American literary critic and, in 2017, Bloom was described as "probably the most famous literary critic in the English-speaking world." Following the publication of his first book in 1959, Bloom wrote more than 50 books, including over 40 books of literary criticism, several books discussing religion, and a novel. During his lifetime, he edited hundreds of anthologies concerning numerous literary and philosophical figures for the Chelsea House publishing firm.
“Shedding all polemic, Bloom addresses the solitary reader, who, he urges, should read for the purest of all reasons: to discover and augment the self. His ultimate faith in the restorative power of literature resonates on every page of this infinitely rewarding and important book.” This covers a bit of his book, How to Read and Why.
To be Continued…