June 28, 2009


Where Angels Fear to Tread: E.M. Forster

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“It was three in the afternoon when Philip left the realms of common-sense.”

(p. 20: Vintage edition)

(I can’t recommend this book highly enough. I am astonished that Forster was only 26 when it was published.)

posted by Cooper Renner in books, fiction 

comments

7 Responses to “Where Angels Fear to Tread: E.M. Forster”

  1. Dave Vogt on June 28th, 2009 at 10:13 am

    Do we really need to know the date and time that he left mental stability?

  2. Sheila Ryan on June 28th, 2009 at 11:44 am

    Dave, that is what is called Literary Verisimilitude.

    Verisimilitude. I said verisimilitude.

    Verisimilitude would make a good proprietary name for a drug.

    “Ask your doctor if Verisimilitude is right for you.”

  3. Lucy Foley on June 28th, 2009 at 11:49 am

    That’s great.

  4. Sheila Ryan on June 28th, 2009 at 12:00 pm

    Cooper, I’m going to read this on your recommendation. You’ve never steered me wrong.

  5. Coop on June 29th, 2009 at 10:37 am

    In context it’s a great sentence (and I love it out of context too). The book is full of great sentences; pungent observations; etc. It is so skillfully written that it makes it clear that it is not necessarily bad writing when a writer comments on his characters and their situations. Forster can be tragic and comic within a page or two. Outrageously good writing.

  6. from the comments : clusterflock on June 29th, 2009 at 11:00 am

    [...] Sheila Ryan: “Ask your doctor if Verisimilitude is right for you.” [...]

  7. Sheila Ryan on June 29th, 2009 at 11:21 am

    That sounds good enough for me.

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