tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post6714123699557330994..comments2024-03-26T17:48:56.627+00:00Comments on 'Do You Write Under Your Own Name?': Forgotten Book - The Documents in the CaseMartin Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16082485795280777670noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-90665985515783757452009-04-20T09:07:00.000+01:002009-04-20T09:07:00.000+01:00Sheldon was one of those guys who started out in t...Sheldon was one of those guys who started out in the pulps in the fourties and then switched to paperbacks in the fifties. I think he did also lots of science fiction.Jurihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03021010310386744591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-24142289978597223942009-04-19T21:53:00.000+01:002009-04-19T21:53:00.000+01:00Many thanks, Juri. I must admit I've never heard o...Many thanks, Juri. I must admit I've never heard of Sheldon, so the info is all the more useful, and as you say, he falls into the 'forgotten' category very neatly.Martin Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16082485795280777670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-13552852841528214962009-04-19T18:39:00.000+01:002009-04-19T18:39:00.000+01:00Umm... sorry, Martin, I was a bit too hasty. When ...Umm... sorry, Martin, I was a bit too hasty. When I come to think about GOLD BAIT, it has to be closer to a diary novel, not "only" an epistolary one. There are lots of letters that form bits of the narration in the book, though. <br /><br />It's been years since I read GOLD BAIT, but I remember enjoying it. It's about a hunt for a golden treasure in bottom of the sea. There is an American adventurer, who gets mixed up in international intrigue. There are some Chinese agents mixed in. As in all Sheldon (from those I've read) there's an amount of melancholy in the narrative and also some expertise on Oriental matters. (Sheldon wrote a paperback series set in Japan in the late fifties and I believe he must've spent some time in there. Sheldon is surely a forgotten figure now and should merit at least a post on this fine series. And lots of reprints.)Jurihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03021010310386744591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-90798526493823767132009-04-19T18:08:00.000+01:002009-04-19T18:08:00.000+01:00Thanks very much for these comments. I am very int...Thanks very much for these comments. I am very interested in the contrasting views on epistolary fiction - a subject I'm tempted to return to in a future post.<br />Fiz, I'm glad to hear there are others who like this particular book.<br />Juri - thank you, I don't know GOLD BAIT at all, can you tell us any more aboutit?Martin Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16082485795280777670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-78528281841948408692009-04-19T09:02:00.000+01:002009-04-19T09:02:00.000+01:00There's a novel by Walt Sheldon, called GOLD BAIT ...There's a novel by Walt Sheldon, called GOLD BAIT (Gold Medal 1973). I think it must be the only hardboiled epistolary novel published as a PBO. If there are others, I'd gladly hear about them. In this book, the epistolary form works very well, it's entertaining and pulls you in quickly as the reader.Jurihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03021010310386744591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-73758752602403958922009-04-17T22:06:00.000+01:002009-04-17T22:06:00.000+01:00I know people don't fully appreciate Dorothy today...I know people don't fully appreciate Dorothy today, but I couldn't get enough of her in my youth. Harriet Vane was my hero(ine).pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-88220022683391344092009-04-17T19:46:00.000+01:002009-04-17T19:46:00.000+01:00It's one of my favourite Sayers novels.It's one of my favourite Sayers novels.Fiznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-75256667705498029022009-04-17T18:29:00.000+01:002009-04-17T18:29:00.000+01:00I like the letter format it gives a different feel...I like the letter format it gives a different feel to the whole thing. I've read other books in the epistolary form and I do enjoy them - same with novels which consist mainly of e-mails. They give a feeling of immediacy to the story. I can't off hand thing of any crime stories which have been written in this format - either e-mail or letter.Jillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-59983707160093529792009-04-17T16:47:00.000+01:002009-04-17T16:47:00.000+01:00In my opinion the letter format is off-putting. Di...In my opinion the letter format is off-putting. Difficult to explain why as I have enjoyed several ´diary´ thrillers, but so far I have never read an epistolary novel that I liked. I think there is a lot back-and-forth which slows down the pace. <br /><br />If you should try the genre, I´d probably give it a second chance, but don´t do it for my sake ;)Dorte Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14535044092722418173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-71036953644925395052009-04-17T11:19:00.000+01:002009-04-17T11:19:00.000+01:00I have never read anything by Sayers other than Lo...I have never read anything by Sayers other than Lord Peter Wimsey. Interesting how a successful series character can snuff out the other books.David Cranmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04749857752139212888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-40988078485247940212009-04-17T11:17:00.000+01:002009-04-17T11:17:00.000+01:00Thanks for reminding me of this book - I remember ...Thanks for reminding me of this book - I remember enjoying it very much when I read it probably at about 12 years of age. But, in keeping with the title of your post, I had forgotten all about it until now! I quite liked the letter format at the time, and it was rather a popular form in Victorian times and subsequently, though I suppose it is a bit out of fashion nowadays. I think it can be effective if done well. I certainly have read some books in the past few years that have used the correspondence form quite effectively for part of the book, but I am afraid I can't locate those in my mind either. Sorry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-6405605145461764582009-04-17T10:42:00.000+01:002009-04-17T10:42:00.000+01:00The suggestion that the letter format might put re...The suggestion that the letter format might put readers off is interesting. I like it, but what do other people think about it?Martin Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16082485795280777670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-43362116344276503852009-04-17T10:08:00.000+01:002009-04-17T10:08:00.000+01:00Let's face it: no Lord Peter was bound to hurt thi...Let's face it: no Lord Peter was bound to hurt this book's long-term popularity. Also, I wonder if the letter format really was the best way to go about it? I think it may be emotionally distancing for people. Sayers was very intrigued with the epistolatory form at this time though.vegetableducknoreply@blogger.com