| Author | Message | ||
     Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.129.20.12 |
Bought a bunch of old 70s hardbacks today, kids ones. Among them were two by William Mayne, sometimes called the best childrens author. I knew he'd been jailed for paedophilia but I bought the book wondering how the case had gone, had it been something fuzzy in his past. Seems in the court case he showed no remorse and indeed said his abuses had been 'what the girls had been after'. The kids had been aged 8 - 16. Some were fans of his work. Now; does this mean an author's books are dead, impossible to read? I feel it does, yet the writerly part of me is curious. Not enough to make me do it, though (though he's excellent - an intelligent, compassionate writer, if not person). This sort of thing ever made others wonder? | ||
| Ramsey Campbell (Ramsey) Username: Ramsey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.93.21.74 |
I confess I haven't read him, and I suppose I'd be bound to read the books in this context now. On the other hand, the speculations about Lewis Carroll haven't changed his work at all for me. Again, knowing the story on Victor Salva didn't prevent my quite enjoying Jeepers Creepers. Clownhouse might well be a different matter. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 90.203.130.245 |
No idea what to say about that Tony. I don't think my knowing Victor Salva's background made me view Jeepers Creepers any differently (which I was eventually disappointed by after a splendid first half hour). It should be possible to view the art someone creates without being prejudiced by other things they may have got up to, but in Mayne's case I think I'd find that rather difficult, especially in view of what you've quoted him as saying. Think I'll give him a miss. | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 82.3.65.135 |
Here's at least one answer to your question, Tony: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2004/may/27/childprotection.uk | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.219.8.243 |
knowing Victor Salva's background made me view Jeepers Creepers any differently It certainly made me view the sequel in a different way, Lord P. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.129.20.12 |
'Arguably, if the best children's writing emerges from a special, unusually powerful connection with childhood - sometimes through a personal inability to leave it behind - then the best children's authors are always likely to include the significantly messed up. It almost amounts to a qualification.' Gary, Ramsey - I'll be keeping the books now. I've always had the view that writing brings out the best of us, and that it is this aspect we must respond to and prize, and yes, be grateful for. Reading this article I have the feeling Mayne was ill, and had been harmed himself in childhood. What a quandary, though, eh? Thanks Gary, for that link. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.129.20.12 |
Er, not that I think he should be excused; just understood. | ||
| Gcw (Gcw) Username: Gcw Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.43.119.113 |
Interesting stuff Tony. Gary Glitter (yes!-I said the words!)- His antics disgust me, but although I can't listen to his music anymore, can and should he be written out of pop history? A hard one... gcw | ||
| Gary Fry (Gary_fry) Username: Gary_fry Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 82.3.65.135 |
Isn't there something similar going on with Polanski? | ||
| Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 83.98.9.4 |
I saw Clownhouse many years ago on VHS. I thought it was an extremely well film, tense and quite scary. Knowing what he was doing to the young lad who briefly bares his buttocks in the film completely changes things. When I saw the film I knew nothing about the director. when the boy changed his pants after wetting the bed in the film it seemed a natural part of the film - surprising to see buttocks that young in a Hollywood film - but not offensive. Now, if I saw that it would give me the heebie jeebies more than the rest of the film did that first time. | ||
| Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 83.98.9.4 |
Polanski can never return to the USA last I heard because of an outstanding conviction for raping a twelve year old girl. This was done not long after Polanski's pregnant wife was murdered on Charles Manson's orders so he probably wasn't in the best mental health at the time (not that it excuses him but it makes me feel a modicum of sympathy). I do know people who won't watch anything he makes because of it. it's what ytou could call a gray area | ||
| Mick Curtis (Mick) Username: Mick Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.159.141.80 |
Gary Glitter (yes!-I said the words!)- His antics disgust me, but although I can't listen to his music anymore, can and should he be written out of pop history? I don't think so - I thought The Cavern Club were wrong to chisel his name off their walls, to be honest, even though I have absolutely no sympathy for Gadd whatsoever. | ||
| Mark_lynch (Mark_lynch) Username: Mark_lynch Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 212.74.96.200 |
I can't listen to Michael Jackson's "Ben" any more. And he's been found to be, uh, not guilty . . . I'd be loathe to read the books you have, Tony. But at the same time, if I read them without knowing the guy's background, which I can't now, would I later feel I'd been tricked in some way? Dunno. There are probably plenty of writers that it's best not to know anything about. VS Naipaul springs to mind for some reason. Ha. | ||
| Allybird (Allybird) Username: Allybird Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 79.70.11.219 |
I was just thinking that Mark. We know about some writers and to expand that would there be many without fault in their real lives. So what do we do? Lovecraft gets slammed some times. I like some of Polanski's films. My daughter loves Alice in Wonderland - we have a large pull out version with an stack of cards and Alice trapped in this house with arms sticking out of windows - wonderful stuff. |