I saw
some commentary about bad writing on facebook this morning, and this link was
below it, about “The Worst Novelist in History.” I had to read it. And I think
I might just agree, although I’ve seen some horrible writing in the modern world.
The
fairly short article is about Amanda
McKittrick Ros, or at least that was her pen name. Her real name was Anna
Margaret Ross. She was born in Northern Ireland in 1860 and died in 1939. She
was a schoolteacher, and I find myself wondering what horrific effects she may
have had on her students.
Here
is a line from her first book, Irene
Iddesleigh, which her husband paid to have published as a tenth anniversary
present to her: “She tried
hard to keep herself a stranger to her poor old father's slight income by the
use of the finest production of steel, whose blunt edge eyed the reely covering
with marked greed, and offered its sharp dart to faultless fabrics of flaxen
fineness.”
She
went on to publish more books and poetry, though. Here is the Wikipedia link
for her. She apparently was a bit full of herself in addition to writing prose like that wonderful bit quoted above.
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24 comments:
Wow, that is a really convoluted line. She probably thought it was clever.
Behind almost all novelists there are editors and publishers. Perhaps we ought to blame the latter rather than the former.
What would interest me is a list of the popular, successful writers who qualify for the "worst novelist in history" award. But then we open up the can of worms about readers and their tastes. Consider, for a moment, Dan Brown and _The Da Vinci Code_. And then -- as I commit the ultimate heresy -- consider canonical authors, and I nominate Mark Twain. Hmmmm. That should be provocative enough.
Alex, let me strive not to be so clever. :)
R. T., since her first book was self published I don't imagine there was much editing. I don't know about the later books I read the Da Vinci Code. I didn't think it was all that great but it was readable and I could understand everything he wrote, even if some was awkward. As for classic writers, I'd have to put Kafka down on my list of really bad writers.
"Bony supports" -- for legs. How bizarro. Was she *trying* to be funny?
Kafka might work better in the original.
How about 'Fifty Shades of . . .' ?
Thanks, Charles – I needed a good laugh.
Hey, R.T. – Twain? Really?
Mr. Gramlich, may I be excused for the rest of the class? My eyes and head hurts from reading and trying to comprehend that writing which was written rotten.
Erik, admittedly, Kafka could write a reasonable sentence. I just personally think the Metamorphosis is godawful. I actually haven't read anything else by him.
Elgin, it's certainly worth one.
G. B., only if the teacher gets excused as well.
Elgin, yes, I think some of his short works are fine, but Twain in my humble opinion fails as a novelist; even the canonical Huck Finn is overrated, but that's just the curmudgeonly observation of a slightly senile retired and teacher of English. Hmmmm.
Oops. Omit "retired and," and give me an F for the assignment.
Wow, being known as the worst writer ever is harsh.
Monkey looks into a mirror and sees a gazelle!
Cruel Charles, posting that paragraph was very cruel.
R. T., no prob. I'm not as big of a fan of Twain's as many are myself.
Patti, yes, I'd say so
Cloudia, lol
Mark, that's the kind of guy I am
There may indeed be a reader for every writer. Maybe she found her own group in Ireland who loved everything she wrote, thanks to her husband's gift. It could be kind of romantic if thought of in that way. :)
Twain and Kafka, two of my favorite... That sentnece would have ended my reading of her book.
I am teaching a class this summer on Roughing It and I had a student who decided it was the worst book he ever read. Part of his criticism I understood as Twain was to deliver a book of so many pages and there was so fluff in it, but I really like the first half of the book which is why I agreed to teach it.
Bernard, seems like she did have folks who followed her writing. Some maybe because it was funny. It was a romantic gesture by her husband
Sage, never read "Roughing it." I like some of Twain but his folksy humor doesn't resonate well with me when he gets going. It's just right for many others.
Charles, I wonder if she was confused between writing prose and poetry!
Prashant, could be. There are different rules there.
What James Joyce and Finnegan's Wake. Never understood that one. I would have read beyond that sentence, if I even read all of it.
Oscar, I've never been able to read Joyce either except for a short story or so.
Oh, my GOD. I have to check that out. Just so I can smack my forehead.
Charles-I wouldn't have the patience for one paragraph of that baloney! There are so many better reads and writers out there waiting for me to dig in!
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