NP--here comes the judge

[Steve Maas]

>>1) _Blood Meridian_ was published in 1985.
>That's still contemporary as far as I am concerned. It's not like you 
>posted
>the ending to "Hamlet," or "Ulysses."

How would it be any different for someone who had not read Hamlet or Ulysses 
or the Epic of Gilgamesh? Once you open this door you can't close it.

>>2) It's not a whodunit or a potboiler.
>That should have nothing to do with it. The ending of a good book is
>delicately crafted, the author has put a lot of thought into it, it 
>balances
>and completes the work; it should have an impact on the reader whether or
>not it reveals the solution to a mystery. And in any event, it *is* 
>telling:
>at the very least, anyone who read your "excerpt" now knows the fate of the
>character called "the judge."

This would be just as true if I had posted any of dozens of other excerpts 
that would reveal the fate of one or another character. The entire book is 
delicately crafted. The fact that this selection is the end is irrelevant, 
in my opinion.

>What about the ending to "Vineland?" Imagine reading *that* before reading
>the entire book. "Vineland," too, is neither potboiler nor mystery, but
>reading the ending first would certainly affect the way a reader read the
>entire book. The ending of a book is just that -- the ending -- and I think
>it is disrespectful to suddenly expose an audience of unknowing people to
>the final paragraphs of a work, unless it is patently up for discussion or
>analysis.

>>3) The penultimate paragraph (preceding the epilogue) seems to me as if it
>>may be of interest to some who frequent this forum.
>That may be the case, but that doesn't stop you from writing "SPOILER" or
>indicating that you were going to print the last few paragraphs of the 
>book!
>I mean, that's just common sense. I have no issue with you posting an
>excerpt from the book, only with the way you did it.

You're right, I could have, and perhaps should have, posted "SPOILER." I 
shall do so if I find myself in similar circumstances in the future.  Again, 
whether it's the ending or not is irrelevant. If "SPOILER" is to be the 
rule, it's the rule no matter.

Thank you for the well-reasoned arguments above.

Steve Maas



>>4) Great Quail, please use some manners when addressing me. I generally do 
>>not respond to attacks such as yours and likely will not do so again.
>Manners? You are the one who, in my opinion, violated a cardinal rule of
>Netiquette. And calling my post an "attack" is an exaggeration. I believe
>that I was within my rights to express irritation at what I believe was a
>crass and unnecessary action. I stand by my post. Please, in the future,
>have some consideration for those who don't like having their endings 
>spoiled.

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