Alan Judd
Having contributed a chapter on Lamb House to Writers and their Houses, I returned this year to Henry James: The Wings of the Dove and The Golden Bowl. The exhilaration of engagement by a mind so intelligent and a sensibility that made me and all my endeavours seem so crude was worth the considerable effort, He is truly the Master. Another is Patrick O'Brian, not only for his naval tales but for his novel Testimonies. A love story, set in Wales, controlled, pas- sionate and haunting, it is a book every novelist should envy.
Most overrated must be Joyce's Ulysses. Heady stuff at 20 but now — come off it, you old trickster! Unlike James you don't get more the second time round; you get bored. James achieved mastery by being the Novel's most devoted servant, whereas Joyce thought he could master it and us. He couldn't because he lacked humility.
Previous page
