There’s a famous editor whose adult child is an author who the NYT has gone mental about. I’d pay money to read your review of the work…which I found interesting….
Yes, I slightly prefer "Small Things," but I liked "Foster," too. I wrote a few words about it a while back over at Medium, which I may bring over to Substack at some point.
Oh, man - picked up Small Things and went back the next day and cleared the shelf at the bookstore. No shade, but I did not do that w Rooney. Take it as you will.
I had a similar response to Keegan. After reading “Small Things Like These,” I immediately picked up “Foster.” And I may never read another Rooney novel.
Great article, I would agree with this entirely. I tried to read Normal People after the hype and gave up, it wasn't for me.
My take on Sally Rooney is she fits neatly into a demographic section of society that includes a number of media, political and artistic people hence their highly positive view on her style and opinions.
The BBC channel that turned her books into TV, for example, was BBC3, a streaming-only TV channel targeted at 18-35 year olds rather than BBC1 or 2 which has an older more conservative audience and where authors like Jane Austen, Harlan Coburn, Hillary Mantel and Ian Rankin form the basis of TV adaptations and where I sit.
Much appreciate your perspective on the TV series, Alex. The first BBC 12-parter had multiple Emmy nominations, and without having seen it, I couldn’t figure out why.
So much of the dialogue in “Intermezzo” consists of banal lines like “I’m like, whatever” that was hard to see how Rooney’s work could be turned into anything Emmy-worthy. Your context was helpful.
To read “Intermezzo,” I put aside a wonderful book from the U.K, “Story of a Heart.” It’s by an NHS doctor, Rachel Clarke, who tells the true story of a 9-year-old boy’s heart transplant in Britain. I was only 100 or so pages into it before I set it aside temporarily, but I’ll definitely return.
Thanks for this, I've read a couple of her books and thought she was a good writer, very good in parts, but not good enough to warrant some of the over the top praise she has received. Probably doesn't help that I found the main characters in Ordinary People really, really, annoying. I don't know enough about her to conflate her with her characters, although that's not something I do with writers anyway, young, old, male, female, straight or otherwise. I figure they're writing fiction for a reason, to explore people and personalities that aren't them. I'll probably watch the TV series of her books, maybe there's something I'm missing.
"Ordinary People"! That's a novel I haven't thought about in years. But now that you mention it, I remember having a similar reaction to yours: Why all the fuss?
Thanks for the reminder and a useful comparison I'll remember if I write about Rooney again.
And all this time I was guessing she had some extended connection to Andy Rooney and Sally Jenkins ... enjoyed the read and love being able to say I read the Times review before you wrote about it. Maybe first time ever.
Hmm. I’m a little confused. A critic from the Times minimized Rooney , and you argue that that criticism was unfair. Then you compare her to the Keegan and other Irish writers and pretty much minimize Rooney, too. Although you do a great job explaining her popularity as a 33 year old vs 54 year old perspective. And then there is the extra spice sex and arrogant female protagonist which are unappealing.
It does make me want to read a one of her books. Which one? Advice.
Finally. I really liked this essay—don’t get me wrong. I just wondered what you felt about Rooney. She seems like a poser for downtrodden as she reaps the rewards of surfing a cultural wave of hipness.
Robert.
Ps how does one know when or if you respond on Substack? It still a mystery to me.
I may not have explained that as well as I could. Thanks for making me clarify it.
The Times writer was faulting a critic for sexism I don't see as sexism (men get the same treatment all the time, probably more). In other words, there are plenty of reasons to fault Rooney that don't involve sexism. You put it very well when you say she comes across as a poseur, an avatar of hipness.
If I you try to read her, I'd start with "Conversations with Friends," which critics tennd to see as the one that's one that's funny, it you can get into it. My problem is: I couldn't warm up to that one, so I put it down and moved on.
If someone responds to you on Substack, you see it under the post and also in the bell (as you do on Medium). If you don't see anything, it's probably because no one has responded. I'll try to leave a response you can see. This system isn't as intuitive as that of Medium, so it takes a while to figure it out, and I may not have the half of it yet. You should definitely not take it personally if you don't have all of it down :).
Janice. Okay now I get it and I see your response. My daughter liked Normal people. I’ll try your suggestion. I did write you a while back about figuring out Substack. I don’t know where that went. Medium is easy for me.
One last thing, for six years (as I wrote two novels) I posted essays on Medium. I honestly didn’t think it was a LEGIT media/ online/ magazine (whatever one calls it); however. When my first (only) boosted article cracked 960 reads and garnered $475 — that’s when I said “okay ! Hallelujah!”
Apologies if you wrote to me and I didn’t get back to you. I do try to respond to every comment, but it took me a while to figure out how to do that here on Substack. Thanks for your patience.
Claire Keegan. My admiration knows no bounds. Especially after seeing that she’d said ’the art of writing fiction is the art of making pictures.’
There’s a famous editor whose adult child is an author who the NYT has gone mental about. I’d pay money to read your review of the work…which I found interesting….
Would love to know who that editor is. The New York Times goes mental about so many authors, I can't quite figure out who it might be in this case.
The editor for Raymond Carver. Gordon Lish.
Agree. Apart from its elegance, her fiction has a strong moral core, which you seldom see these days.
I assume you read Foster? That was my first foray and I was finished for life. Also the film that was released from that book is beautiful…
Yes, I slightly prefer "Small Things," but I liked "Foster," too. I wrote a few words about it a while back over at Medium, which I may bring over to Substack at some point.
Hoping that you will…
Thank you for recognizing Claire Keegan. She is mesmerizing
Glad you like her, too, Mike. She's one of my favorite novelists, and I'll no doubt say more about her here if she keeps writing.
Oh, man - picked up Small Things and went back the next day and cleared the shelf at the bookstore. No shade, but I did not do that w Rooney. Take it as you will.
Oh man. If I can squeeze in one more, “So Late in the Day,” with attention to the final story. Haunted forever.
Always glad to hear the mention of another Keegan. Thanks!
I had a similar response to Keegan. After reading “Small Things Like These,” I immediately picked up “Foster.” And I may never read another Rooney novel.
Great article, I would agree with this entirely. I tried to read Normal People after the hype and gave up, it wasn't for me.
My take on Sally Rooney is she fits neatly into a demographic section of society that includes a number of media, political and artistic people hence their highly positive view on her style and opinions.
The BBC channel that turned her books into TV, for example, was BBC3, a streaming-only TV channel targeted at 18-35 year olds rather than BBC1 or 2 which has an older more conservative audience and where authors like Jane Austen, Harlan Coburn, Hillary Mantel and Ian Rankin form the basis of TV adaptations and where I sit.
Much appreciate your perspective on the TV series, Alex. The first BBC 12-parter had multiple Emmy nominations, and without having seen it, I couldn’t figure out why.
So much of the dialogue in “Intermezzo” consists of banal lines like “I’m like, whatever” that was hard to see how Rooney’s work could be turned into anything Emmy-worthy. Your context was helpful.
To read “Intermezzo,” I put aside a wonderful book from the U.K, “Story of a Heart.” It’s by an NHS doctor, Rachel Clarke, who tells the true story of a 9-year-old boy’s heart transplant in Britain. I was only 100 or so pages into it before I set it aside temporarily, but I’ll definitely return.
Thanks for this, I've read a couple of her books and thought she was a good writer, very good in parts, but not good enough to warrant some of the over the top praise she has received. Probably doesn't help that I found the main characters in Ordinary People really, really, annoying. I don't know enough about her to conflate her with her characters, although that's not something I do with writers anyway, young, old, male, female, straight or otherwise. I figure they're writing fiction for a reason, to explore people and personalities that aren't them. I'll probably watch the TV series of her books, maybe there's something I'm missing.
"Ordinary People"! That's a novel I haven't thought about in years. But now that you mention it, I remember having a similar reaction to yours: Why all the fuss?
Thanks for the reminder and a useful comparison I'll remember if I write about Rooney again.
And all this time I was guessing she had some extended connection to Andy Rooney and Sally Jenkins ... enjoyed the read and love being able to say I read the Times review before you wrote about it. Maybe first time ever.
Ha. Haven't thought about Andy Rooney in a long time. Thanks for the smile :).
Hmm. I’m a little confused. A critic from the Times minimized Rooney , and you argue that that criticism was unfair. Then you compare her to the Keegan and other Irish writers and pretty much minimize Rooney, too. Although you do a great job explaining her popularity as a 33 year old vs 54 year old perspective. And then there is the extra spice sex and arrogant female protagonist which are unappealing.
It does make me want to read a one of her books. Which one? Advice.
Finally. I really liked this essay—don’t get me wrong. I just wondered what you felt about Rooney. She seems like a poser for downtrodden as she reaps the rewards of surfing a cultural wave of hipness.
Robert.
Ps how does one know when or if you respond on Substack? It still a mystery to me.
No worries. We are busy folks. I appreciate you.
I may not have explained that as well as I could. Thanks for making me clarify it.
The Times writer was faulting a critic for sexism I don't see as sexism (men get the same treatment all the time, probably more). In other words, there are plenty of reasons to fault Rooney that don't involve sexism. You put it very well when you say she comes across as a poseur, an avatar of hipness.
If I you try to read her, I'd start with "Conversations with Friends," which critics tennd to see as the one that's one that's funny, it you can get into it. My problem is: I couldn't warm up to that one, so I put it down and moved on.
If someone responds to you on Substack, you see it under the post and also in the bell (as you do on Medium). If you don't see anything, it's probably because no one has responded. I'll try to leave a response you can see. This system isn't as intuitive as that of Medium, so it takes a while to figure it out, and I may not have the half of it yet. You should definitely not take it personally if you don't have all of it down :).
Janice. Okay now I get it and I see your response. My daughter liked Normal people. I’ll try your suggestion. I did write you a while back about figuring out Substack. I don’t know where that went. Medium is easy for me.
One last thing, for six years (as I wrote two novels) I posted essays on Medium. I honestly didn’t think it was a LEGIT media/ online/ magazine (whatever one calls it); however. When my first (only) boosted article cracked 960 reads and garnered $475 — that’s when I said “okay ! Hallelujah!”
I guess it’s real, huh?
Robert
Apologies if you wrote to me and I didn’t get back to you. I do try to respond to every comment, but it took me a while to figure out how to do that here on Substack. Thanks for your patience.
This is weird. I wrote a long response to you re Rooney but can't see it now. I may need to go back and check the box that says everyone can comment.
I wrote my response to you in the wrong box. You should be able to see this now.
That's a good analogy to non-religious Buddhism. Another might be to the people who say: "I'm culturally but not religiously Jewish."
I wish my fellow journalists would get her to clarify that. That's part of their job, and I don't see them doing it.
It does seem difficult, alas.