On page 180 of This Is Me, Jack Vance where Vance is talking about the authors he likes you’re going to encounter this line: “Bill Crider, who writes about Sheriff Dan Rhodes in Clearview, Texas, is a pleasure to read.” Congratulations, Bill! My favorite part of the book is pages 178-181. In this brief section, Vance talks about his blindness and how he overcame this disability to still write his books. Then Vance turns to a discussion of writers he likes: M. C. Beaton, Ruth Rendell, P. D. James, Agatha Christie, Patricia Moyes, Dorothy Sayers, Dorothy Simpson, Georgette Heyer, M. M. Kaye, Mary Stewart, Victoria Holt, Donna Leon, Deborah Crombie, Lawrence Sanders, Erle Stanley Gardner, A. B. Cunningham, Jonathan Kellerman, Tony Hillerman, and Philip R. Craig. I wish there were more of this kind of discussion about his science fiction and fantasy writing career. Much of this memoir concerns Vance’s time in the Navy during WWII and his later travels. Reading that kind of stuff is like watching a slide show of somebody else’s vacation. Yawn. Fans of Jack Vance will buy this book regardless of the travelogue portions. GRADE: B
But most of Vance’s books are just that – travelogue across alien landscapes and cultures. that is part of their charm. And, if he likes Bill’s books, he obviously has good taste.
You’re right about many of Vance’s books having a travelogue feel to them, Scott. BIG PLANET and SHOWBOAT WORLD certainly fit that description.
Yikes! I hope you’re not making that up, George. My copy of the book is supposedly on the way, but it hasn’t arrived. I’m getting a little worried about it.
There’s no index to THIS IS ME, JACK VANCE, Bill. So you’ll just have to turn to page 180 to see your name in lights.
Who cares about the rest of the list?
Way to go, Bill!!!
Vance mentions in a couple places in the book how much he loves reading P. G. Wodehouse, Jeff. Are you enjoying that thick volume you’re working your way through?
I find it interesting that what a memoir writer believes to be important and noteworthy isn’t necessarily what the reader is looking for. His navy service and later travels may be dear and fascinating to him, but as you point out, most of the people who read this book are looking for information on Vance’s writing career.
Oh well. George, as you guessed, I’ll probably get this book anyway.
Robert Silverberg’s OTHER SPACES, OTHER TIMES was more to my taste, Drongo. Silverberg talked about the publishing industry and individual editors and writers. Much more interesting than Vance’s war stories. But I enjoyed Vance’s brief mentions of his career in this book.
I read the Wodehouse, George, and have since read all the Jeeves & Wooster shorts (not the novels as yet) and some of the golf stories. I’m gradually working my way through his stuff.
I think Vance “borrowed” some of his style from Wodehouse, especially in EYES OF THE OVERWORLD, Jeff. I was telling Art about a guy who collected First Editions of all of Wodehouse’s books and sold the collection for Big Bucks.
When you can have your name in the title and as the author, you’ve done something right. Or wrong, in some cases, I guess.
Jack Vance is a canny writer, Patti. I’m sure his title was well thought out.
Bill who?
I STILL haven’t gotten to that Ace Double, but every time I see mention of Vance, it moves up a little in the tbr.
That Vance ACE Double is a dandy, Rick!