Bad reviews on books

[Anonymous No.2317333]

Hello /lit/izens.

I bring to you what I think might be a British curiosity, particularly concentrated in Scotland. I was having a look through my mum's bookshelves for something to read and came across these two books by Scottish authors Alasdair Gray and Duncan McLean. Both have some truly awful reviews on the back. The only other other writers I've seen do this are Iain Banks, Irvine Welsh and, the odd one out, Will Self - the only English author. Is this just the Scottish sense of humour or do other nationalities do this and I've just not noticed? Take Jonathan Franzen's book Freedom for instance - the copy I have squeezes so many good reviews on the back that there isn't even a synopsis of the novel. I can't imagine that egotism going over well with a Scottish writer.

Do you have any books with this? If so, please do post pictures or at least write them down. If you don't, would it deter you from buying the book or would you appreciate the writer's sense of humour and honesty?

>tl;dr: books with unashamedly shit reviews printed on them

[Anonymous No.2317335]

Part 2: Back page with bad reviews.

[Anonymous No.2317338]

Bucket of Tongues by Duncan McLean bad review.

[Anonymous No.2317341]

Inside: noticed this was a signed first edition. Maybe it'll be worth something some day, though I doubt it.

[OP No.2317397]

Nothing? I'm disappointed, I thought this might be of interest to a few of you.

[Anonymous No.2317403]

>>2317397
i think it's just distinctively british/uk self-deprecating humor. i don't know, i wouldn't want to ascribe too much cultural significance to it, seems typical of the british isles generallly spoeaking as an aotutsider. an outsider who doesn't car about spelling.

[Anonymous No.2317405]

>>2317397
I thought it was hilarious and I wish all books did this. I would actually read the stupid review blurbs if they did, instead of assuming they're all cherrypicked pseudointellectual quotes from the New York Times.

But I don't have anything to contribute.

[Anonymous No.2317407]

taking a look at photos of obscure Scottish lit, brb.

[Anonymous No.2317416]

>>2317405
Glad you like it, don't worry about having nothing to contribute.

>>2317407
Alasdair Gray isn't obscure though I don't see him mentioned often enough in here. Duncan McLean I will admit is pretty obscure outside the UK.

[Anonymous No.2317420]

>>2317335
>>2317338

Gray's is far the better. I like the fact that they're "not very for", which leaves the possibility that there are even worse reviews who are "against".

[Anonymous No.2317439]

>>2317420
Ach, I doubt there were any worse than that. Gray's pretty well-admired and Lanark is often compared favourably to Joyce's Ulysses these days.

(Enclosed: One of Gray's drawings from Lanark)

[Anonymous No.2317444]

I once saw a copy of Moby Dick and it had a scathing review in it from the New York Times or something.

[Anonymous No.2317447]

>>2317439
That spelling mistake on 'separation' bugged me so I'm posting one more bit of Alasdair Gray's art. This is section of the quite stunning murals on the ceiling of, believe it or not, the function room of a Glasgow pub he drinks at (and so do I incidentally) called The Oran Mor. It did used to be a church of course.

As well as being one of my writers he is also one of my favourite artists.

[Anonymous No.2317450]

>>2317439
That spelling mistake on 'separation' bugged me (albeit it might have been intentional for some reason, need to read the book again) so I'm posting one more piece of Alasdair Gray's art. This is a section of the quite stunning murals on the ceiling of, believe it or not, the function room of a Glasgow pub that I drink at called The Oran Mor. It did used to be a church of course. Still haven't seen him and had the chance to buy him a whisky yet, alas.

[Anonymous No.2317452]

>>2317450

He is a genuinely extraordinary artist, in almost everything he does.

[Anonymous No.2317456]

>>2317452
Glad to see another fan here!

[Anonymous No.2317460]

>>2317456

I didn't necessarily say that I'm a fan. I think he's extraordinary.

I would certainly buy him a drink though. He's a one-off.

[Anonymous No.2317465]

>>2317460
Ah, fair enough. I'm slightly obsessed with him. Apparently I'm somewhat like him as well - a lecturer of mine who is friends with him used to call me Alasdair, the similarity was apparently so uncanny. I think it was a compliment though I hear he's quite arrogant. Fuck, I wish I possessed an iota of his talent though.

[Anonymous No.2317485]

>>2317465

The lecturer wasn't Paddy Lyons was it? surely he's dead by now.

[Anonymous No.2317545]

>>2317485
Sorry I took so long to get back to you, was away for a bit. Looks like Paddy's still alive and well (I no longer study English though, Politics now) but I'm afraid it wasn't him. It was actually David Archibald from film studies. He was my tutor when I took it in first year. He's a good guy, very erudite and witty.

[person !.avztqSy6I No.2317571]

>>2317333
I honestly dislike Blurbs in general. And those of negative views annoy me too as they're clearly there for novelty factor.

I like Will Self etc, but negative blurbs are just as bad as positives.

I get the self-deprication, but in most cases you get that in the writing anyway.

[Anonymous No.2317587]

>>2317545

Well, I wasn't exactly hanging next to the internet, waiting your next call, but It's good to know that Paddy's not dead, and that some of the Glasgow I remember may still exist.

Fucked if you'll get me anywhere on that bastard cold island with anything short of an extradition warrant, an inheritance or a kidnapping though.

[Anonymous No.2317594]

>>2317587
>an inheritance
I see a story in that.

[Anonymous No.2317608]

>>2317594

If Richard fucking Briers is involved, then the whole fucking deal is OFF.

Actually, wait a wee minute, I fucking LOVE Richard Briers, what the fuck are you on about? Bring it on.

Why are they all wearing kilts, and what the fuck has this got to do with anything?

I saw him do Lear, and it was brilliant, but I wish Felicity Kendall had been Cordelia.

[Anonymous No.2317615]

>>2317608

>Stop being so SILLY, Lear, we have to milk the goat. Oh no, you didn't put your own eyes out again, did you? Oh you goose.

[Anonymous No.2317618]

>>2317587
Heh, I like Scotland but I see the appeal in sunnier climes. Where are you now?

[Anonymous No.2317624]

>>2317618

I love Scotland, from a distance. I'm forever telling people how lovely it is, and how they should go there for a holiday (just so I don't have to).

At the minute I live in the Azores - just as rainy and wind-raddled currently, but in the summer it's lovely warm, and I saw a pod of orcas yesterday. They were fucking up all manner of fish and tryng to entice some seals into a scrap - they're the neds of the atlantic.

[Anonymous No.2317657]

>>2317624
Sounds brilliant. I saw a pod of cunts kicking over traffic cones and throwing stones at cars passing by the other day - they're the neds of Kirkcaldy.

[Anonymous No.2317671]

>>2317657

Ach, pure dead brilliant that.

tell you what, fuck it. I'm gonnae piss these whales off, fuck thae migration patterns tae FUCK, I'm coming haem - watch neds pick up traffic cones? Away tae fuck, I'm back.

Actually, no. It sounds horrible. Does the clockwork orange still smell overwhelmingly of pish?

[person !.avztqSy6I No.2317722]

>>>2317657
>That feel when I have to go out to Kirkcaldy on Friday. Llyods then Kitties like a mad cunt.

>>2317671
Shit, spend a night out in Glasgow on a friday night and you can see whales. In fact, anywhere in Scotland you can see whales. But the East Coast is less of a whale country, heroin has that effect.

[Anonymous No.2318276]

By quite incredible coincidence I saw Alasdair Gray today after writing this thread, walking out of the Oran Mor of all places, where I was going to catch a quick pint with a friend. As he slowly walked past me I had the perfect opportunity to compliment him for his incredible works; and I bloody didn't because I couldn't decide whether to address him by "Mr Gray", "Professor Gray" or "Alasdair". I'm such a fucking twat.

>>2317671
Work on the Clockwork Orange to the tune of £300million is being spent on it. They've already done a fair bit at Kelvinbridge and Hillhead. Yet still, the smell of urine is as ubiquitous as ever.

>>2317722
Kitty's? You are a mad cunt pal. When I'm out in Kirkcaldy I like to get slowly rat-arsed in the Penny Farthing then go to that place that does the karaoke opposite Spoons, where I'll drunkenly cough out the words to Folsom Prison Blues.

[Anonymous No.2318963]

>>2318276

bullshit you didn't leave the house you foreveralone british pussy