Other online comments have included Andrew Bolt's suggestion: that any hotel ejecting a reader of Flanagan's novel is a sane and cultured place. To back up his controversial (outright rude) claim, the columnist dipped into the book's preface which contends (in a literary way) that Jesus was "the first suicide bomber".
okay, i admit i had some issues with that beginning too (wasn't sure whether to take it seriously), and it took a while for Richard's style to grab me. But i persevered with the novel, and found it a very worthwhile read. Challenging and insightful, it echoed many powerful themes for me. A good story.
i'm not sure that Andrew read the whole book. i think the preface may have been too morally outrageous for him. Or too politically correct. ("it's so PC to attack JC.") Or something.
His readers take the bile much further: "Pillow over the face is a good solution for people who take the first page of this book seriously. After that, a shotgun is acceptable." (from 'MareeS' - does she mean me or bolt?)
Give credit to mr bolt, he did add, "Incidentally, I’m told by someone who has talked to him that Chalk is a nice, shy guy, so ease up on the personal criticism, please."
But then he let the pillow / shotgun comment through. Ouch.
What am i doing reading bolt's readers anyway? Publicans and punters in Cairns have nothing on these folk. Am i completely mad, a Glutton for Punishment? Stop it, right now!
(imagez: thanks so much for jesus says .. by RobertFrancis, and text hope u can handle it! by foTommEn, both creative commons licensed images at flickr)
Been Bolted !!
Tags:
cairns,
commentary,
different perspectives,
media,
perception
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2 comments:
Well Mr Shy Guy, what a stir indeed. I think Mr Bolt has enough of your energy, he is undeserving and an ego maniac that knows in the pit of his black heart he has nothing worthwhile to say. Like a neglected child that he probably was, he will take any attention good or bad...probably craved a spanking just so he could feel. Thanks for turning this issue around on its self and showing the world your intelligence and heart.
hello Samara ! thanks so much for your support and encouragement;
and mm, a very witty satire with your psychoanalytic examination of the journalist :)
Sounds like you really don't like his work. And you were probably upset by that vicious comment i picked out from his readership.
Perhaps i ought not to have republished that view. Abusive comments get people riled, don't they!
thanks again lovely Samara :)
xo michael
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