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[CCBC-Net] Astonishing Octavian
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From: Betty Tisel <tiselfar>
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:47:01 -0600
I guess my response to this is that the books are creative fiction, not historical documents or works of scholarly nonfiction. I don't know enough about any kind of history to comment on accuracy.
Betty Tisel parent etc. Minneapolis MN
On 11/21/08 10:11 AM, "Elaine Dimopoulos" <edimopoulos at gmail.com> wrote:
> Interesting, Sue. Some of my colleagues have taken issue with the
> volumes along these same lines. I'd be interested to hear what you
> think of the second book, which situates Octavian in the midst of a
> documented historical event in Virginia (I won't give anything away
> here since you haven't yet read it). I heard Anderson speak, and he
> said there were scarce primary accounts of this event (journal
> entries, letters and such), so much of Octavian's experience is
> admittedly his own invention.
>
> I certainly agree with your statement that the thrust of the volumes
> seems "more in tune with 20th century scholarly preoccupations and
> sensibilities than with 18th century concerns." I wonder, though;
> isn't this the case with much/all historical fiction for young people
> these days? Sympathy for the oppressed is a consistent central theme.
> Are Anderson's novels more egregious because they look, feel, and
> sound like novels from the period? That is, do they disappoint because
> you expect a sheep but get the wolf in sheep's clothing?
>
> Elaine Dimopoulos
>
> www.elainedimopoulos.com
>
>
>
> On Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 6:34 AM, <Smithhemb at aol.com> wrote:
>> I'm an 18th century person (scholarly work focuses on political thought in
>> this era with a special interest in African-American political thought), but
>> I
>> found the first book really annoying. Clearly it wasn't because an 18th
>> century prose style would put me off, nor was it a matter of length. It was
>> because the book didn't ring true to me in a myriad of little ways and
>> because
>> it seemed more in tune with late 20th century scholarly preoccupations and
>> sensibilities than with 18th century concerns.
>>
>> I'll try to spend a little time this week re-reading the first volume to
>> provide examples of the things that were off (I remember one of the first
>> ones
>> was that if this sort of experiment were happening in colonial America it
>> would
>> have been in Philadelphia -- not Boston). My copy of the second volume
>> just arrived and I haven't read it yet, but I intend to. Not surprisingly,
>> given my own interests, I'm curious to see what Anderson is doing with this
>> material.
>>
>> Another element of my reaction to the first volume was that this was a case
>> where the truth(s) of 18th c. African-American lives were much richer and
>> more telling than this particular fiction.
>>
>> Sue Hemberger
>> Washington, DC
>> **************One site has it all. Your email accounts, your social networks,
>> and the things you love. Try the new AOL.com
>> today!(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212962939x1200825291/aol?redi
>> r=http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp
>> %26icid=aolcom40vanity%26ncid=emlcntaolcom00000001)
>> _______________________________________________
>> CCBC-Net mailing list
>> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
>> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
>> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
>>
> _______________________________________________
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Received on Fri 21 Nov 2008 10:47:01 AM CST
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:47:01 -0600
I guess my response to this is that the books are creative fiction, not historical documents or works of scholarly nonfiction. I don't know enough about any kind of history to comment on accuracy.
Betty Tisel parent etc. Minneapolis MN
On 11/21/08 10:11 AM, "Elaine Dimopoulos" <edimopoulos at gmail.com> wrote:
> Interesting, Sue. Some of my colleagues have taken issue with the
> volumes along these same lines. I'd be interested to hear what you
> think of the second book, which situates Octavian in the midst of a
> documented historical event in Virginia (I won't give anything away
> here since you haven't yet read it). I heard Anderson speak, and he
> said there were scarce primary accounts of this event (journal
> entries, letters and such), so much of Octavian's experience is
> admittedly his own invention.
>
> I certainly agree with your statement that the thrust of the volumes
> seems "more in tune with 20th century scholarly preoccupations and
> sensibilities than with 18th century concerns." I wonder, though;
> isn't this the case with much/all historical fiction for young people
> these days? Sympathy for the oppressed is a consistent central theme.
> Are Anderson's novels more egregious because they look, feel, and
> sound like novels from the period? That is, do they disappoint because
> you expect a sheep but get the wolf in sheep's clothing?
>
> Elaine Dimopoulos
>
> www.elainedimopoulos.com
>
>
>
> On Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 6:34 AM, <Smithhemb at aol.com> wrote:
>> I'm an 18th century person (scholarly work focuses on political thought in
>> this era with a special interest in African-American political thought), but
>> I
>> found the first book really annoying. Clearly it wasn't because an 18th
>> century prose style would put me off, nor was it a matter of length. It was
>> because the book didn't ring true to me in a myriad of little ways and
>> because
>> it seemed more in tune with late 20th century scholarly preoccupations and
>> sensibilities than with 18th century concerns.
>>
>> I'll try to spend a little time this week re-reading the first volume to
>> provide examples of the things that were off (I remember one of the first
>> ones
>> was that if this sort of experiment were happening in colonial America it
>> would
>> have been in Philadelphia -- not Boston). My copy of the second volume
>> just arrived and I haven't read it yet, but I intend to. Not surprisingly,
>> given my own interests, I'm curious to see what Anderson is doing with this
>> material.
>>
>> Another element of my reaction to the first volume was that this was a case
>> where the truth(s) of 18th c. African-American lives were much richer and
>> more telling than this particular fiction.
>>
>> Sue Hemberger
>> Washington, DC
>> **************One site has it all. Your email accounts, your social networks,
>> and the things you love. Try the new AOL.com
>> today!(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212962939x1200825291/aol?redi
>> r=http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp
>> %26icid=aolcom40vanity%26ncid=emlcntaolcom00000001)
>> _______________________________________________
>> CCBC-Net mailing list
>> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
>> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
>> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
>>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
>
Received on Fri 21 Nov 2008 10:47:01 AM CST
