Pedantic.

[rhythmaning]

I don't mean to be pedantic. Ok, maybe I do.

Twice today, I have read factual errors in works by authors who should frankly know better. The problem is, if they get THAT wrong, what else that I don't know about isn't right, either?

The first was a piece by Paul Theroux in Granta. I have read a lot by Theroux over the years - I used to like his travel books, and that lead to his fiction.

In this piece, he was describing being an alien in London in the 1970s. Sitting on top if the 29 bus in Lavender Hill, smoking, moving slowly through Clapham.

When I last lived in London, I was on the route of the 29 bus. It ran then (and still does) between Wood Green in north London and Victoria. It is a great bus route - not as iconic as the 24 perhaps, but pretty close. And I was surprised to learn that in the 1970s it had extended its route south of the Thames to Clapham.

So obviously there was only one thing to do.

I looked it up on Wikipedia , which details lots of route changes. But all at the north end of the route. And so whilst it is possible for Wikipedia to be wrong, I seem to trust it more than Mr Theroux.

The second episode was easier. Reading the introduction - the introduction, mind - to Stuart Maconie's "Hope and Glory", he attributes as famous quotation about the success of the French revolution - "it's too early to tell" - to Mao Zedong. This is so famous that I have heard it before, many times, ascribed rather to Zhou Enlai. And whilst he may been misquoted (and actually referring to the 1968 Paris students' uprising), he was certainly NEVER Chairman Mao.

So here I am on page 1 of a book I was expecting to enjoy, and all credibility has been blown out of the water.

Which reminds me, I really must write about Skyfall sometime soon.

Comments

[andrewducker]

I also get frustrated by stuff like that. But not usually so frustrated that it puts me completely off of a book. I don't generally expect authors of fiction to get details right, I guess.

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

I don't disagree, but the Theroux piece was reportage, not fiction.

[andrewducker]

Aaah, in that case he should have done more £$£% research!

[nicnac.livejournal.com]

The author who was tutoring the travel writing course I attended instructed us very clearly to never let the truth get in the way of a good story. To illustrate this he went through one of his own books and pointed out the disparities between reality and fiction in it. I guess it happens all the time, we just don't notice unless we thoroughly know the subject.

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

I totally get that. I am perfectly happy to erm... alter the truth. I do it in photography the whole time (I edit all my photographs). And when I write, I bend the facts to suit what I am writing. Indeed, I don't believe anyone can be completely objective. Even the BBC...

But what one presents as facts ARE facts.

Theroux could easily have written "I was on the top deck of the bus in Lavender Hill..." But instead he anchored the bus with an incorrect number - and blew it.

I just think the Stuart Maconie thing is sloppy: it is a very famous quotation, and his editor should have spotted it.

[fiendish-cat.livejournal.com]

Nowt wrong with pedantry. Or fact checking. (That is, wishing authors had fact checked properly.)

Would be interested to hear your views on Skyfall. I found the glaring plot holes made it v hard for me to suspend disbelief and thus effectively ruined what was a beautifully shot film.

(Comment edited as autocorrect corrected nowt to most!!)

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

Here. But don't click on if you don't like spoilers! (http://rhythmaning.livejournal.com/359223.html)