Regarding the Smyrna affair, there is a wonderful book by Marjorie Housepian called "Smyrna 1922" that recalls letters, diaries, news clippings, and memories of the incident. To get a full historical understanding of the massacre, I recommend reading it. She even tells a detailed account of Whittemore's hero, Asa Jennings. The tragic end to Stern's life, as you read in the final paragraphs, bears much irony: killed by a random, chaotic act, while he himself strove to restore order to the Middle East. Enjoy Jerusalem Poker. "To mention the name of Sherman to a Southerner of the United States is to fill him with burning indignation. Even the most ignorant yokel knows that name Attila is associated with untold horrors and vandalism. But the Smyrna affair has been somehow soft-pedalled and almost expunged from the memory of present day man." Sincerely, --Previous Message--
-Henry Miller
Joe
: : Well, i've finished the novel, and, about 10
: minutes later, went on the internet to order
: Jerusalem Poker.
:
: Wow...those final chapters were stunning.
: Some of most beautiful (and brutal) passages
: i have ever read. I keep re-reading that
: last paragraph.
:
: Thanks for turning me on to such a wonderful
: writer!
: --Previous Message--
: Thanks for your informative responses. I
: guess my assessment of the characters being
: "unlikeable" is a little
: premature. I also think that their
: actions/behaviors must be viewed in the
: context of the novel's setting and the
: extremely unusual circumstances and
: situations that are presented.
:
: I was touched by Stern's relationship with
: Maud, and his overall idealism/ambition. I
: think, for now, he's my favorite character.
:
: I will definitely picking up Jerusalem
: Poker. Only about 40 pages to go with Sinai
: Tapestry....unfortunately, because of my
: work schedule and other commitments, i only
: have that precious hour or so at night
: before i go to bed to read. But this book
: is certainly keeping me up late! Thanks
: again for your input.
:
: --Previous Message--
: SB,
:
: Thanks for your message on the board and
: also for your complimentary comments on the
: site.
:
: The writing in Sinai Tapestry is indeed
: beautiful and does not pall after multiple
: re-readings. In fact Whittemore's writings
: become quite addictive.
:
: As for the characters being unlikeable, I
: never found that so. I was touched by Haj
: Haran, moved by Joe O'Sullivan Beare,
: awestruck by Strongbow and amused by
: Wallenstein. I encourage you to continue
: with Jerusalem Poker when it all may begin
: to make sense. The true hero of the novels
: is Jerusalem. The books are Whittemore's
: love letters to the city. He was very much
: affected by it and I believe it was love at
: first sight.
:
: Anne
:
:
:
: --Previous Message--
: I've always felt that Sinai Tapestry and
: Jerusalem Poker could have been bound by the
: same spine; they should certainly be read in
: strict sequence. Nile Shadows, I feel, to
: some degree lacks the fluidity and strict
: detail that bind the first two novels. But,
: I also think this is intentional.
:
: As for the characters, we all draw our own
: conclusions. I find Strongbow's
: arrogance/confidence admirable,
: Wallentstein's devotion impenetrable, Haj
: Harun's aloofness uplifting, Joe's spirit
: heroic, and Stern's dream tragic. And what
: too can be said for Maud, Catherine, Sophia,
: Yakouba, Ziwar, and Sivi?
:
: I hope you well stomach the final chapters.
:
: Sincerely,
: Joseph
: --Previous Message--
: I am about 3/4 of the way through Sinai
: Tapestry, and while I was admittedly
: perplexed by the book's strangeness for the
: first 100 pages or so, I am in awe of
: Whittemore's imagination and prose style.
: He writes such fluid, readable prose, yet
: there are so many sentences that I read over
: two or three times, just to take in all the
: nuances and lyrical beauty. It really is
: deceptively simple. I can't really form an
: impression of the book yet. It is so
: surreal and unlike anything I have ever
: read. Not sure what i feel about the
: characters either. I guess my only
: criticisms are that most of the characters
: are hard to like, and, although I have about
: 80 pages left, i am not sure if there is a
: coherent plot in there somewhere(and i don't
: usually care for plot as much as
: characters/prose style).
:
: Is Sinai Tapestry merely an introductory
: book, or is it meant to stand alone? Does
: the plot of Sinai continue in Jerusalem
: Poker, or is that just another story with
: some of the same characters reappearing?
:
: Nice website by the way...
:
: Thanks
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
1
Message Thread First Impressions - sb October 11, 2005, 2:26 am
« Back to index | View thread »