Michael’s Comments (group member since Jan 07, 2008)

Michael’s comments from the Magic Realism group.

Nice to see things on this list moving. I can't contribute as I'd like, and research demands will now keep me away from reading MR books for a while, but I'm glad to see others take it up.

Zoe, Benjamin, as James says, please do check the bookshelf for the group, and please add any news books that you discover or that are on your list. It's a terrific resource, if somewhat neglected, so your input would be most welcome!

All the best,

Michael.

Interesting comment there on the relation between MR and postmodernism. I always say that the two get confused (sometimes purposefully) because they do share a lot of qualities -- distrust of metanarratives, primarily, but also all the tricks that go with that: intertextual play, self-reflexive narratives, etc.

However, not all pomo novels are magic realist, and some, particularly those from cultures that can claim those qualities independent of the Western literary tradition (e.g. Latin American, Native American...) are not pomo or even magic realist at all, despite whatever 'isms' we need to apply to them.

Still, such isms are useful if they help us talk about the kinds of books we like, I suppose. As long as we keep the definitions broad and fluid...

Add away, James! I look forward to your recommendations.

Don't forget to vote for your favourite magic realist novel in the new 'listopia' 'Best Magic Realist Novels'.

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/14...

(If anyone knows a better way to link this list to the group, please let me know!)

M.

It's a book I know pretty well, an excellent book. I'd be happy to throw my two cents in.

Hi Brenda! I skipped joining groups and just went ahead and created one. So not sure what protocol is, but I think the most important thing is to do with this space whatever you want.

By all means, please, yes, add as many books to the shelf as you like; I think that was my primary motivation in creating the group, really -- sharing titles around with as many people as possible.

If you want to start a book group, i.e. all reading the same thing at that same time, go right ahead. I don't think personally I could join, only because I read so slowly and what I have to read is usually dictated to me months in advance (insert sad but gradually accepting of inevitable fate smiley here). Maybe others in the group though would like to do this (or if not now, maybe when more people have signed up).

Good to meet you -- and looking forward to your suggestions!

Michael.