A Brief History of Seven Killings

Wed Feb 3 17:40:26 CST 2016

"I had the same problem with the center section of Cloud Atlas (with
the South Pacific accent)"

This comment just made me question my memory completely. I *never*
thought of that section as having a referent to a real/current world
accent. But I also had no problem reading it at all. Then having a
look back over it now, I realise I read it in Islander/Kiwi cadences
that I've spent my life nearby. I didn't even notice.

On Thu, Feb 4, 2016 at 8:21 AM, Ray Easton <raymond.lee.easton at gmail.com> wrote:
> The As I Lay Dying comparison occurred to me as I was reading it as well.
> And to Faulkner more generally.
>
> Ray
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> On February 3, 2016 3:10:37 PM Becky Lindroos <bekker2 at icloud.com> wrote:
>
>> I don’t know now!  I just got the ebook out and started reading and I now
>> don’t know what my problem was.   It’s pretty easy compared to some Youtube
>> videos using Jamaican patois.   But I went back and saw that I purchased the
>> ebook on  August 12 and the Audio version on August 20.   Maybe I just
>> wanted to hear it?  - ??
>>
>> Aha!   The following passage is from my blog review and I see where I did
>> get used to the patois and ended up reading more than listening - loved it.
>>
>> "The language is lyrical, breezy and heavily vernacular with no apparent
>> limit on the swearing or graphic descriptions of drug use and violence.
>> Trying to read patois is why I got the audio book (and it has great reviews
>> at Audible).  Still, it took several chapters to get past that but I ended
>> up reading as much or more than listening because when I did get the rhythm
>> and the flow I understood why one reviewer called James the Faulkner of
>> Jamaica.  He even went so far as to  compare A Brief History of Seven
>> Killings to The Sound and the Fury.  I don’t know as I’d go that far,  but
>> it’s in the ballpark – As I Lay Dying might be a lot more like it – or Libra
>> by Don DeLillo.”
>>
>>
>> https://beckylindroos.wordpress.com/082015-2/a-brief-history-of-seven-killings/
>>
>> Becky
>>
>>> On Feb 3, 2016, at 7:34 AM, Keith Davis <kbob42 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> When you say you're not familiar with spoken language, do you mean these
>>> particular languages that are dealt with in these particular books? You
>>> don't have the same issue reading the language you're familiar with? I think
>>> that's the point, that someone familiar with the actual sound and rhythm of
>>> the language might be as distracted by the watering down as much as you are
>>> distracted by the native elements that are included.
>>>
>>> Www.innergroovemusic.com
>>>
>>>> On Feb 3, 2016, at 9:09 AM, Becky Lindroos <bekker2 at icloud.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> It may be my problem though, whether I’m a skilled reader or not.  I had
>>>> the same problem with the center section of Cloud Atlas (with the South
>>>> Pacific accent). I got an Audible version and totally hooked in.   I think
>>>> when I read I try to get the rhythm of the spoken language in there - not
>>>> just the sounds - and I’m really not familiar enough with spoken language to
>>>> get that rhythmic experience when trying to decipher the phonics of it.
>>>> (I’m better now having listened to 26 hours of 7 Killings!)
>>>>
>>>> Also - I needed the print book for the cast of characters and just
>>>> following along quite a lot -   I really enjoyed that book - definitely the
>>>> winner of the Man Booker.
>>>>
>>>> Becky
>>>>
>>>>> On Feb 3, 2016, at 5:44 AM, Keith Davis <kbob42 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> I suspect that's why he wrote it the way he did. It has enough real
>>>>> patois to give it some flavor, but not so much that it's incomprehensible to
>>>>> those who aren't familiar with it. Since you still had trouble with it, and
>>>>> you're a skilled reader, I would have to question his judgement on that
>>>>> point.
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Feb 3, 2016, at 8:30 AM, Becky Lindroos <bekker2 at icloud.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I read it but I also listened to the Audible version because the
>>>>>> patois was so hard for me to grasp.  I was so involved with getting the
>>>>>> words pronounced right I lost the flow.  The Audible version brought it to
>>>>>> life - gave it the speed and rhythm it needed and it sounded great to my
>>>>>> California ears -
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Becky
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Feb 2, 2016, at 11:30 PM, Jemmy Bloocher <jbloocher at gmail.com>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm also just at the beginning of this, just shy of your 50 and I
>>>>>>> agree. At least when my Jamaican friend speaks to other Jamaicans I don't
>>>>>>> understand anything (or very little) and I don't have trouble with this. A
>>>>>>> necessity I think. When my friend speaks to me she speaks entirely in
>>>>>>> English. Now I write this it all seems rather contrived modifying in novel
>>>>>>> form.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 3 Feb 2016 04:32, "Keith Davis" <kbob42 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>> Probably sounds stupid and arrogant. He's the Jamaican, not me, and
>>>>>>> it t does flow. Anybody else read it yet?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Feb 2, 2016, at 11:19 PM, Keith Davis <kbob42 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> With the gift card my son gave me for Christmas, I bought this book,
>>>>>>>> and have delayed gratification as long as possible. I'm about 50 pages in,
>>>>>>>> and I dig it, but I have one comment, which I reserve the right to back off
>>>>>>>> of or see corrected. He's sometimes writing in patois, which is hip, and
>>>>>>>> which those who speak it seem to be able to adjust according to how much
>>>>>>>> they want you to get it, if my own experience is to be relied upon. Even so,
>>>>>>>> it seem like mon white up de patois to mak im mo ez...I can dig it, it can
>>>>>>>> be unintelligible. Just my observation at an early point. It just seems a
>>>>>>>> little uneven or unauthentic. Maybe his characters actually sound like
>>>>>>>> that...
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> -
>>>>>>> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?listpynchon-l
>>>>>
>>>>> -
>>>>> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l
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>>>>
>>
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