How is the fiction world at the moment?

[siderussianlegsweep]

Hi Mr Burke,

Just wondered about your thoughts on the quality of fiction today compared to the fiction books of 20 years (or more) ago.

Do you think there is too much sex and gratuitous violence today?

Hope all is well,

Peter.

[jamesleeburke]

I think the world is just the world and it doesn't change a great deal. There are books that are written in assembly-line fashion and seem to me of little value, but these same books make huge amounts of money for the publisher, which allows the same publisher to publish books that make little money. The bad stuff is winnowed out by time and the good ones remain.

The most informative book I ever read is The History of the Church by Eusibius, a contemporary and friend of Constantine the Great. The book is important, at least for me, because it gives us an eye-witness account of early Rome. As one reads it, he is immediately aware the Romans are us and we are the Romans. The behavior remains the same.

That is either a depressing or an encouraging throught, depending on one's perspective.

Stay in touch, noble mon, and give our best to the Diggers everywhere. They're grand people.

Later,

JLB

[LeeCook]

Jim, I thought that was a very intuitive answer. Though I've never heard of the book you mentioned, I've read (several years ago) "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire", and can't help but see a comparison between that culture and the one we live in today. And one only has to look at the 7 deadly sins from Galatians in the Bible to see where our society is now. I could go into a whole political thing about the distance between the haves and have nots, but there are other portals outside this message board for that discussion. But, going back to the question at hand ("How is the fiction world at the moment?"), my hat is off to you for the novels you write, but to answer a question with a question, actually 2 questions...."Does fiction emulate life, or does life emulate fiction?" and lastly, "Why write fiction when real life is so much more interesting?" The only thing missing in real life as opposed to fiction are the romantic vampires, and some people will argue with you about that.

Keep writing, Jim. You've made fiction a piece of art, with your vocabulary and your stories.

Lee Cook

[Rtmichael]

Thanks for the information on the History of the Church book, I like history of all kinds, but that sounds very interesting being at the intersection of it sounds like Rme and the church. I agree there is not really anything new, only interesting ways of retelling it.

I am thinking that the information and tech boom, may actually have an effect on things. I think it is getting harder for the bad guys to not be exposed. Though there are still places like North Korea, there do seem to be fewer of them as time goes on. The same with things on a small scale, like say the police or anyone else who abused authority.

I also wonder how much evolution is changing in that things that might have killed off say one with poor eyesight or any number of deseases, now do not and those genes are reproduced. On the other hand who knows.

Tom

[jamesleeburke]

Thanks, Tom and Lee, for your posts.

I'm not a historican or a theologian, but I suspect that when the history of our era is written it will be centered on the growth of pluralistic societies and the denouement of nationalism and our collective attempt, whether successful or not, to save the planet. I think the latter will be the most important issue of the three. The most recent Gallup poll, at least to my knowledge, indicates that only one percent of the electorate currently feels any urgency about the issue.

Best,

JLB