Blogging the Classics

Spent a very pleasant evening yesterday, in a marquee at Christ Church for an Oxford Literary Festival event, 'Blogging the Classics'.

This was billed as a debate about the relative merits of amateur and professional reading; as the write-up put it, "Whose judgements are more trustworthy when it comes to books?" The participants were Lynne Hatwell, aka dovegreyreader, Mark Thwaite of ReadySteadyBook, and academic critic John Mullan, moderated by John Carey.

Critics vs. bloggers, round #487? Happily, not so much.

Like many, I've been wearied by mainstream media coverage of litblogs; whether they're dismissing us all as illiterate halfwits on the strength of half an hour's googling, or ineptly jumping on the bandwagon because they want to be seen as down with Web 2.0, journalists and other pros don't seem to get us. (The fact that plenty of bloggers also review in print media, in particular, apparently escapes them). So the tone of last night's debate was a refreshing change: both sides had many good points to make, and the conclusion was not all cheery consensus, but all concerned appeared to be genuinely engaged by the question and by their fellow panelists' responses.

Mark Thwaite made a strong case for the rarely-acknowledged variety of the blogosphere, its sense of community and conversation, and its potential for serious, incisive discussion that goes well beyond the oft-caricatured "ZOMG I loved this book!!!" (He also referred to my co-blogger Victoria's recent reading of Trollope in positive terms, which earned him points. :-)) John Mullan spoke up for the professional critic as a bringer of depth and perspective and expertise, and for the unpopular idea (with which I have much sympathy) that some books really are better, and that it is possible to say how and why; he did, however, seem reluctant to see this type of engagement with literature as possible outside academia, which seems odd given that plenty of academics have blogs (I'm one, in training!). Finally, Lynne Hatwell delivered a warm, funny piece about reading as a way of life, and how writing about books is inescapably entwined with autobiography; she was excellent, and got a spontaneous round of applause when she was done!

Niall, who was taking notes throughout, has more detail here. We got chance to meet Mark and Lynne afterwards, briefly, which was lovely ("Oh, you're from Eve's Alexandria! Which one are you?") and made me think there really ought to be a litblogging convention some time...

~~Nic

Comments

[Simon Thomas]

Hello Nic - was very nice to meet you, too! A litblogging convention... sounds like an idea...

[Dorothy W.]

Yes, a litblogging convention -- that would be great!

[Lisa]

I really wish I could have been there to hear it. It sounds like it did go very well. I definitely think there's a time and place for both professional critics and lit bloggers. I LOVE your idea for a lit blogging convention. What a great idea!

[Sarah Bower]

I also love the idea of a litblogging convention, as long as it doesn't run the risk of ghettoising litbloggers and thus playing into the hands of the intellectual snobs. I heard the Radio 4 piece with Mark Thwaite and John Mullan and thought they were both victims of the Today Programme's confrontation-at-all-costs brief as I got the impression that left to their own devices they might have a fair bit of common ground. Surely there's room for all kinds of lit crit - there are so many different kinds of books! It was a positive sign to my mind that blogging was included in the mainstream at the Oxford Book Fair.

[Sylvia]

Litblogging convention---now that sounds like serious fun!

[twacorbies]

i think one aspect of litblogs that the critics always overlook is that they actually take the time to discuss books- whereas much of what makes up professional periodicals is talk of the "book world." What did Martin Amis say? Who is Ian Rankin fighting with? Will X become a movie? Those that are devoted to actual review and commentary generally stick to new books as if it's no longer relevant to say, review one of Trollope's novels. That's why i find litblogs so valuable. I think much of the time people are trying to force a kind of celebrity down our throats (which to be honest, i don't think most readers care about all that much)and to give a sense of urgency about new releases that is akin to the world of film. One of the great delights of reading is that you can stumble upon something written centuries ago and it can still feel fresh, demanding, enthralling.

[Mark Thwaite]

Hi Nic -- lovely to have met you briefly!

I thought the discussion was both genial and useful. I think everyone conceded that blogs are vibrant and intelligent, and that some can be highly informed and even scholarly.

John Mullan struck a note for "expertise" -- the expert critic can point out things about a book that the casual reader can miss. I was more than happy to agree with that, but noted that that "expertise" can itself also be found within the blogosphere...

[dovegreyreader]

Hi Nic, so good to meet an Alexandrian if only briefly and I wonder whether a good solution to bloggers conventions in the interim would be to set up gatherings of our own at our local litfests? I always go to Ways With Words at Dartington and would love to set a date and time to meet up with others there.
I enjoyed the debate and could have gone on for hours, so much ground barely covered that would be so fruitful.I loved John Carey's idea that all the critical voices we have are important and must be saved, and how good it would be to have those of the 18th and 19th century and earlier available now.

[Kate S.]

It sounds wonderful. I wish that I could have been there. I also love the idea of a litbloggers convention. I have had the good fortune to meet up with fellow litbloggers in my city and expect to do so again. But I would happily travel a ways for the opportunity to meet in person some of the far flung bloggers whose posts I so enjoy reading (including, of course, the Eve's Alexandria team!).

[Danielle]

How exciting. It's nice that there's at least a discussion going on at such a prestigious event. I'm looking forward to reading more about it from the other bloggers that attended.