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Writing Talk
This selection from a life's work gives us a stimulating and rare insight into the minds and lives of some of the most fascinating creators of our modern culture.
384 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2012
1 person is currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Alex Hamilton
62 books2 followersAlex Hamilton was born in 1930 and was educated first in South America, then England and Oxford University. After experimenting with a wide variety of jobs, he turned to writing full-time in the early 1960s, beginning by alternating novels with short story collections such as Wild Track (1963), which, although not macabre, caught the attention of Herbert Van Thal, editor of the popular Pan Books of Horror Stories series. Hamilton went on to contribute stories to this and many other series, including his most celebrated, ‘The Attic Express’, and in 1966 he published his own collection, Beam of Malice, which won widespread acclaim in both England and the United States. During the 1960s and ’70s he also edited several collections of macabre and horror fiction containing early works by many important writers, including William Trevor, Anthony Burgess, Robert Nye, and Michael Moorcock, among others.
His last novel, The Dead Needle, was a macabre blend of fantasy and reality, but after publishing his third collection, Flies on the Wall (1972), Hamilton, now with a growing family to feed, worked increasingly in journalism, most notably for the Guardian, where he wrote about books and publishing as well as travel (in which he won several awards) for twenty-five years, and for the BBC World Service. Recently, a collection of Hamilton’s interviews with a remarkable array of authors over a fifty-year span, from Dennis Wheatley and John Wyndham to Gunter Grass and Chinua Achebe, was issued by Troubador.
Widely praised when first published, Hamilton’s short stories fell into a long period of neglect but are now being rediscovered, with a hardcover edition from the esteemed Ash-Tree Press in 2007 and recent praise from Britain’s foremost living horror author, Ramsey Campbell.
His last novel, The Dead Needle, was a macabre blend of fantasy and reality, but after publishing his third collection, Flies on the Wall (1972), Hamilton, now with a growing family to feed, worked increasingly in journalism, most notably for the Guardian, where he wrote about books and publishing as well as travel (in which he won several awards) for twenty-five years, and for the BBC World Service. Recently, a collection of Hamilton’s interviews with a remarkable array of authors over a fifty-year span, from Dennis Wheatley and John Wyndham to Gunter Grass and Chinua Achebe, was issued by Troubador.
Widely praised when first published, Hamilton’s short stories fell into a long period of neglect but are now being rediscovered, with a hardcover edition from the esteemed Ash-Tree Press in 2007 and recent praise from Britain’s foremost living horror author, Ramsey Campbell.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 21, 2014
One can choose to read a book of conversations about writing for many reasons. It can help a reader delve into the minds of those who create the literary food they live on; it can help a writer glean useful insights. As both an avid reader and long-time writer, I picked up this title for both of these reasons.
There is such a thing as too much advice that stifles and suffocates. But there is also advice that can inspire and encourage one to arise. On the continuum of effectiveness, plain old advice giving is stifling. Conversations, however, tend to be on the more effective end of said continuum.
Some conversations are easier to understand than others; but usually, when enough time is given to ponder on a conversation, fruits always emerge. This book was filled with conversations, most of which I found difficult to work my way through. However, I quickly came to realise that it was due to my limitations as a reader, and this proved to be a stimulating challenge.
I have to confess that I did not know many of the writers featured in this collection, nor was aware of many of the events that framed the conversations. This has probably to do with my age, as older individuals I questioned were quite familiar with both. Reading this book quickly turned into a journey of discovery with the help my trusted laptop and the always useful Google. As the book is divided in sections that features numerous parts, it almost felt like eating small bites of really rich cake. Each part was quickly read, but took some time to fully understand.
While knowing more about the author and the context within which each conversation was held, even the first read proved quite useful. I came to realise that because I didn’t know most of the authors, their words had more of an effect on me as a writer. Perhaps this is because I chose to believe that they were writers of distinction and so, took their interviews as words coming from people who know what they are talking about. I also came to understand that not knowing initially who these authors were kept the veil of celebrity from hampering my understanding of what they were saying. In other words, because I trusted that they were great writers without knowing what they have written, I seem to have connected more with the meaning of what they were saying. In contrast, when I read interviews of authors whose works I have read (and reread), their words come to me through the lens of their books.
The introduction, however well written and interesting, I found hard to read, even on my second go. On the one hand I can understand why Alex Hamilton shared his story to frame the conversations in this book with. But I felt at times that he had forgotten the reason why the introduction was bring written and was just talking about himself for the sake of doing so.
Writing Talk is a good book both for those who know the writers it features and the era they wrote in, and those willing to spend some time digesting each story and doing a bit of research to understand the context and to get to know the authors.
There is such a thing as too much advice that stifles and suffocates. But there is also advice that can inspire and encourage one to arise. On the continuum of effectiveness, plain old advice giving is stifling. Conversations, however, tend to be on the more effective end of said continuum.
Some conversations are easier to understand than others; but usually, when enough time is given to ponder on a conversation, fruits always emerge. This book was filled with conversations, most of which I found difficult to work my way through. However, I quickly came to realise that it was due to my limitations as a reader, and this proved to be a stimulating challenge.
I have to confess that I did not know many of the writers featured in this collection, nor was aware of many of the events that framed the conversations. This has probably to do with my age, as older individuals I questioned were quite familiar with both. Reading this book quickly turned into a journey of discovery with the help my trusted laptop and the always useful Google. As the book is divided in sections that features numerous parts, it almost felt like eating small bites of really rich cake. Each part was quickly read, but took some time to fully understand.
While knowing more about the author and the context within which each conversation was held, even the first read proved quite useful. I came to realise that because I didn’t know most of the authors, their words had more of an effect on me as a writer. Perhaps this is because I chose to believe that they were writers of distinction and so, took their interviews as words coming from people who know what they are talking about. I also came to understand that not knowing initially who these authors were kept the veil of celebrity from hampering my understanding of what they were saying. In other words, because I trusted that they were great writers without knowing what they have written, I seem to have connected more with the meaning of what they were saying. In contrast, when I read interviews of authors whose works I have read (and reread), their words come to me through the lens of their books.
The introduction, however well written and interesting, I found hard to read, even on my second go. On the one hand I can understand why Alex Hamilton shared his story to frame the conversations in this book with. But I felt at times that he had forgotten the reason why the introduction was bring written and was just talking about himself for the sake of doing so.
Writing Talk is a good book both for those who know the writers it features and the era they wrote in, and those willing to spend some time digesting each story and doing a bit of research to understand the context and to get to know the authors.
August 3, 2016
WRITING TALK is a work of literary journalism in book form taken from Alex Hamilton’s long career talking to and writing in depth about authors and their works.
The book is divided into categories, with Science Fiction and Fantasy, and Thrillers and Whodunnits being the most populated, followed by Romance and Erotica, then Short Stories, Poetry, Cartoonists, and This World. Each selection has a title and author listed, including pieces about Kurt Vonnegut, Stephen King, Pablo Neruda, Joyce Carol Oates, Margaret Atwood, Norman Mailer, and many more. There are also many authors the casual reader is not likely to recognize by name, but their pieces invite further research and coming to know authors that may have been forever skipped over by newer generations.
WRITING TALK is a good fit for someone interested in literary works and writing about them. The author has clearly had a long career talking to authors of all different types and these are the interesting stories that result.
The book is divided into categories, with Science Fiction and Fantasy, and Thrillers and Whodunnits being the most populated, followed by Romance and Erotica, then Short Stories, Poetry, Cartoonists, and This World. Each selection has a title and author listed, including pieces about Kurt Vonnegut, Stephen King, Pablo Neruda, Joyce Carol Oates, Margaret Atwood, Norman Mailer, and many more. There are also many authors the casual reader is not likely to recognize by name, but their pieces invite further research and coming to know authors that may have been forever skipped over by newer generations.
WRITING TALK is a good fit for someone interested in literary works and writing about them. The author has clearly had a long career talking to authors of all different types and these are the interesting stories that result.
October 14, 2014
It’s obvious that Alex Hamilton is an interviewer par excellence. He has managed to draw out so much from the writers. There’s something about the style of presentation that is so charming. You feel like you’re visiting with him and he’s talking about these authors he’s had the pleasure of meeting. He reports conversations and then gives you a background too.
The book is an absolute treasure trove. It gives you insights into the personalities of so many authors and a background into their books – the characters and stories created.
Read my review here: http://writetribe.com/writing-talk/
The book is an absolute treasure trove. It gives you insights into the personalities of so many authors and a background into their books – the characters and stories created.
Read my review here: http://writetribe.com/writing-talk/
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews