Kevin Sutton wrote:

>"Philip Peters" <[log in to unmask] quoth:
>
>>The book by Vikram Seth sort of describe the functioning of a string
>>quartet in credible terms but as a novel it's actually quite bad IMO (as
>>was his earlier one in which Indian music plays a role). If you wish to
>>read good literature I wouldn't try Mr.Seth's works.
>
>What is it that makes it bad literature?  He tells a credible story
>about a musician that is very well researched.  He develops his characters
>well, gives them interesting, realistic and real-life personalities,
>and his hero is as believable as they come.

Everything in both Seth's books that have been mentioned is
certainly *believable* but IMHO that has nothing to do with art/literature
unless you equate that to realism/naturalism.  I'd like to see more
*transformation*, more layers of meaning, less 1:1.  If I want to meet
realistic and real-life personalities I can do so any day.  Seth is, in
my view, a good narrator and I didn't get bored reading his books but
in the end that was exactly what I was left with, a story well told.
And that is not enough.

>He not only "describe" the functioning of a string quartet, he gives
>quite an insight into the workings around personality types and repertoire
>decisions and rehearsal techniques.  This is pretty good literary
>craftsmanship if you ask me.

Craftmanship isn't art.  It's just that, a craft. As I said earlier I
liked the description of the string quartet's activities a lot because
I'm interested in it.  (But I learned more from Reinhardt's book about
the Guarneri's).

Philip