Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site sdcrdcf.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!barryg
From: barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold)
Newsgroups: net.books,net.sf-lovers,net.flame
Subject: Telling the Plot (re Leeper review)
Message-ID: <2060@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 9-Jun-85 09:46:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: sdcrdcf.2060
Posted: Sun Jun  9 09:46:35 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 11-Jun-85 08:41:45 EDT
References: <816@mtgzz.UUCP>
Reply-To: barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold)
Organization: System Development Corp. R+D, Santa Monica
Lines: 27
Xref: watmath net.books:1922 net.sf-lovers:7928 net.flame:10453
Summary: 

"It's difficult to tell the plot without ruining (at least partially) the
book," wrote Leeper about a new ALICE pastiche.

May I point out that ALL of us know the plot of Alice in Wonderland but
I doubt if we think that ruins the book.  Do you people REALLY think that
rereading a book can never possibly be as much fun as reading it the
first time, because the book is -- horrors! -- "at least partially ruined"?

For me, one of the significant differences between a good book and one read
only to kill time is that I can read the former again and again and again,
each time thrilling to the old things and noticing new ones.
Edmund Wilson wrote a rather nice essay ("The Psychology of Form vs the
Psychology of Information") in which he drew a significant distinction
between reading the phone book and reading Macbeth--and rereading them.

If Leeper was too busy to summarize the plot of the book being reviewed,
that's understandable.  Especially given the number of Leeper reviews
that appear every week.  If Leeper thought the book wasn't worth summarizing,
that's understandable too.  But as it is, *grumph*.
(Ah well, the same stupid attitude manifests itself in the popular use of
the term "spoiler."  *Grumph* again.)

Incidentally, I just finished rereading the original two ALICE books in
the annotated version -- and am pleased to report that THAT didn't
"spoil" or "ruin" them for me.

--Lee Gold