Good books and equal oportunity neglect

Many people around me are saying "This novel/novella/story is something we need to think about for this award/prize/ritualbloodletting.*" They make lists. Mostly those lists are pretty short. Often the content repeats. This gives me a satisfying feel that the good writing is being rewarded. It creates a comfort zone. But is all good writing rewarded, or is that comfort zone deceptive?

I can't read as much as usual because my reading is slower and my eyes have a kind of hourly limit right now. In fact, I'm down to two books a week. This sucks, because it means I'm never going to get through all that amazing stuff that people recommend. I have to make reading choices. From those reading choices I arrive at my own list of work that ought to have public reward.

I'm not going to give you my list, because my list is all kinds of wrong.** I decided this before I had my morning's epiphany. This post is about that morning's epiphany.

My epiphany was about why the same works appear over and over again in 'Best of' lists. Some of these works are genuinely amazing and deserve to be in every list in the English language. Some are pretty ordinary. It all comes down to where we get our reading choices.

I don't always select my reading in the wisest way, and I suspect I'm not alone in this. It's time for me to reform. I won't simply read the most-touted works, I'll look into why they're the most-touted. When someone says "I want such-and-such to win" I shall look at the fine print. If they also say "I haven't read much recently" then their recommendations will have less value to me.***

The other thing I'm looking for is friendship circles. Sometimes this is entirely irrelevant. I would be pushing Kaaron Warren's work even if I didn't know her from a bar of soap. If you've read anything of hers, you'll know why. I'm not going to summarily dismiss something that's been put on a list by someone they know well, because there's always the possibility that friends may also be great writers. In the case of friendship circles expanding our awareness of a particular work (a very special and powerful who knows whom) I shall do what I've always done and get hold of a copy of the novel/novella/story in question, read it, and make up my own mind.

Every year, several of the most touted works are ones that have had a bit of help from friends who happen to be in the right circles and say the right things at the right times. Every year I make up my own mind about each and every work so encouraged. I do try to keep an eye on who knows whom and who publishes whom so I don't just repeat "This is a work of genius, everyone says so."

I need to do more. This was my epiphany.

I'm going to actively investigate groups and circles that don't have the power of the buzz. I already check Aussie conventions with local author guests (this is how I discovered Narrelle Harris' writing) and I keep an eye on who has been noticed in different markets and has missed the local buzz networks (there's always someone – Keri Arthur, for instance, in Australia right now). I already watch for other genres and I go out of my way to read writers who write works I could not (Brian Wainwright, Valerie Parv, Eugie Foster). I already go to libraries and borrow books I've never heard of (how I discovered Cold Comfort Farm).

I need to do more. I'll get back to what 'more' is shortly.

Where does this come from? Well, I'm reading the Australian industry snapshots (and they're fascinating) and finding that they're not expanding my reading. I've read most of the novels/novellas/stories recommended in them, pure and simple. That comfort zone thing. I ought to be happy I've been so fortunate in my reading. The repetition in the recommendations and the absence of certain writers make me wonder what knowledge base is being used for these Hugo suggestions.

My general unwellness and the fact that I'm determined to train my right eye up so that I can read normally again gives me the perfect excuse. If anyone comes across books and stories and articles that have been missed by major awards but that are utterly awesome (especially if they're Australian, but not only if they're Australian – lovely writing can be overlooked in any country – equal opportunity neglect?) I'd really like to know.

I know I can't read everything, but I can try. I might have to do it when opportunity lends itself (given my current finances, which are about the same level as my current eyesight – hey! This means my life is in perfect harmony!), but if I don't have authors and titles and dreams then it doesn't matter how opportunistic I am, I'll only get to read those novels/novellas/stories everyone else has commented on over and over. I will mistake comfort for reality.

If anyone else is also interested in reading really good work that's not been noticed enough, I'm happy to collate any suggestions you give and do a bibliographical blogpost.








*Don't just select the appropriate option, add interesting additional choices.

**At the top of my own wishlist for rewards is my own fiction. This is the 'wish' bit of the list and nothing to do with the quality of the work involved.

***"I'm not reading much," is a statement I've seen several times. I can't imagine writers or editors who don't read much. Unless they're like Karen Traviss, I guess – Karen finds her models and her language training elsewhere. I wonder what 'elsewhere' Australian writers and editors use? I need to investigate this someday.

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Some days I deal well with missing vision. Today isn't one of those days. Every bit of work I've tried to do (and even my last blogpost) has had major errors. I think I shall give my eyes a rest and do non-computer stuff till evening.