Thursday, November 18, 2010
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a blog about a novel about Aristotle's daughter ~ by Annabel Lyon
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Advance praise
The harsh light of the classical world is prone to bleach away all humanity and leave only the bare outline of myth. Not so in Annabel Lyon's The Golden Mean, in which Aristotle is haunted by agonies of the flesh and spirit, and Alexander, his most famous pupil, struggles to be Olympian despite a murderous nature and merely human powers. We witness their brilliance emerging through their pain and ignorance.
--Zachary Mason, author of The Lost Books of the Odyssey
Few writers would dare to employ Aristotle as their narrator but Annabel Lyon has done exactly this in her extraodinary novel The Golden Mean. In thoughtful and controlled prose that never fails to grip, Lyon presents an unexpected portrait of the young Alexander the Great, a fascinating recreation of Plato's Academy and brings the ancient world back to life with a splendour I haven't seen since I, Claudius. A triumph of erudition and story-telling.
--John Boyne, author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Lyon's singular gifts for description, character development, and plotting are on full display here, informing her unique and creative story. The novel is deep and rich in thought and accomplishment, yet it reads with the calming ease and influence of a cool summer breeze.
--Quill and Quire starred review
I absolutely loved The Golden Mean. Annabel Lyon brings the philosophers and warriors, artists and whores, princes and slaves of ancient Macedonia alive, with warmth, wit and poignancy. Impeccably researched and brilliantly told, this novel is utterly convincing.
--Marie Phillips, author of Gods Behaving Badly
The Golden Mean, so full of intellect, is a pleasure to read. If excellence is our standard, then this novel will certainly flourish.
--David Bergen, Giller-winning author of The Retreat and The Time In Between
--Fred Stenson, author of The Great Karoo
--Zachary Mason, author of The Lost Books of the Odyssey
Few writers would dare to employ Aristotle as their narrator but Annabel Lyon has done exactly this in her extraodinary novel The Golden Mean. In thoughtful and controlled prose that never fails to grip, Lyon presents an unexpected portrait of the young Alexander the Great, a fascinating recreation of Plato's Academy and brings the ancient world back to life with a splendour I haven't seen since I, Claudius. A triumph of erudition and story-telling.
--John Boyne, author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Lyon's singular gifts for description, character development, and plotting are on full display here, informing her unique and creative story. The novel is deep and rich in thought and accomplishment, yet it reads with the calming ease and influence of a cool summer breeze.
--Quill and Quire starred review
I absolutely loved The Golden Mean. Annabel Lyon brings the philosophers and warriors, artists and whores, princes and slaves of ancient Macedonia alive, with warmth, wit and poignancy. Impeccably researched and brilliantly told, this novel is utterly convincing.
--Marie Phillips, author of Gods Behaving Badly
The Golden Mean, so full of intellect, is a pleasure to read. If excellence is our standard, then this novel will certainly flourish.
--David Bergen, Giller-winning author of The Retreat and The Time In Between
An exhilarating book, both brilliant and profound. Annabel Lyon’s spare, fluid, utterly convincing prose pulls us headlong into Aristotle’s original mind. Only Lyon’s great-hearted intelligence could have imagined and achieved the brave ambition of this book. Vital, ferocious and true, The Golden Mean is an oracular vision of the past made present.
--Marina Endicott, author of Good to a Fault
In Lyon’s clever hands, more than two thousand years of difference are made to disappear and Aristotle feels as real and accessible as the man next door. With this powerful, readable act of the imagination, Annabel Lyon proves that she can go anywhere it pleases her to go.
--Fred Stenson, author of The Great Karoo
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Followers
Quote of the Day
"The more lonely and isolated I am, the more I have come to love myths." attributed to Aristotle toward the end of his life in Demetrius, De Elocutione 144 (frag. 668, Rose)
5 comments:
Hi Annabel: I was at the Humber School of Writing Workshop this past summer when you spoke and picked up The Golden Mean at the Bookstore sale. I LOVE THIS BOOK! I love this book as a writer (I had to read it a couple of times to really capture your subtle and beautiful craft) and as an avid reader. AND I love this book so much that I recommended it to my bookclub who are reading it now in preparation for discussion next Sunday (Nov 28)! I've already received some feedback (language, sex) and have some questions for you in prep for next Sunday as I am facilitating the discussion. Is this the best forum to communicate with you? if not, can you please redirect me?
Thanks - look forward to hearing from you!
thanks!
Kathryn, are you on Facebook? Come find me there; a slightly less public forum for your questions! Thanks for your kind words -
Annabel
This is so awesome! You should be honoured - great list to be on.
On behalf of the Loveliest Book Group in Queens Park, let me congratulate you on this honour and your gracious response!! Fodder for future book group discussions, I hope! We're so proud to call you neighbour in our fair hamlet.
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