Comments on: Skylark by Dezso Kostolanyi

By: Kerry

Kerry — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 17:47:09 +0000

Thanks, Max.

I agree that it is an extraordinary work. I quite enjoyed your review too. I think I can see how John Self reached his own conclusion, but I thought it uniquely managed its quietly powerful climax. And the writing was beautiful throughout.

By: Max Cairnduff

Max Cairnduff — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:55:54 +0000

I appreciate you may not see this comment for a while, but I’m delighted you enjoyed the book and that I was among those who helped persuade you to read it (and Emma too, hurrah!).

Just an extraordinary work. Oddly enough John Self of The Asylum didn’t review it because although he read it he didn’t find anything interesting to say. Remarkable how we can respond so differently to the same books. A good remarkable.

Anyway, I agree entirely with the review, and my opinion of it remains as high as it was when I wrote my blog piece on it.

By: Kerry

Kerry — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:02:35 +0000

Thanks. I think we all have more books that we would like to have read than we have time to read, so you have my complete understanding with scheduling this down the road. Even more so given “Parallel Stories” is 1100 pages. I am not sure when I will be able to muster the will for that, though your review suggests it would be worth the effort.

Thanks, as always, for the comment!

By: winstonsdad

winstonsdad — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:28:21 +0000

I ve got this but have recently read two hungarian books parallel stories and Satantango so will leave tis to later in year but heard first chapter on a nyrb podcast it does sound like a lovely book ,all the best stu

By: Kerry

Kerry — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:14:47 +0000

Absolutely, Tony. And I agree with you about the wisdom and appeal of a publisher who focuses on novels (particularly when their mission is not to nurture new, unheralded talent, but to bring attention to sometimes old and always undervalued works). NYRB Classics does a fantastic job.

Thanks for the comment.

By: anokatony

anokatony — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:02:28 +0000

Another NYRB Classic, another winner. What I like about them is that they can’t be categorized. I also like that they are interested more in particular novels rather than authors.

By: Kerry

Kerry — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:41:31 +0000

Excellent. I look forward to reading your reaction. This is a book that, in my view, deserves continued attention.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:18:57 +0000

I will hold off reading your post until I write mine, having also read Skylark recently… Like you I was inspired by the power of the blog. It was the review at Pechorin’s Journal that swung it for me.