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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)
6 comments:
What a pleasure it was to hear you read this evening at the Okanagan library. Your writing is spell binding. Your presence is genuine and generous. "Do something that cannot be undone each day," is a message that I will take with me to deal with the usual bog of daily life. Thank you,
Cherie Hanson
Kelowna
Thanks for these kind words, Cherie! The pleasure really was all mine. All the best to you and yours, and thanks for coming out last night -
Annabel
A little off-topic, but... I came from your reading in charlottetown a short while ago, and wanted to say that you read well, and in a lively way, with the voices of the characters differentiated nicely. Your intelligence came through both _The Golden Mean_ and the answers to audience questions.
I mentioned my book to you. If you do read it, you'll likely recognize some remarks about, allusions to, and quotations from, classical writers. Hopefully it'll add to your enjoyment.
Again, thanks for the reading. I think everyone there enjoyed it. It was nice talking with you after.
regards,
Jeff Bursey
www.jeffbursey.com
Thanks for these kind words, Jeff! It was lovely to meet you last night, and I'll look forward to reading your book.
Hello Annabel,
I read your wonderful profile on Edith Iglauer in Geist recently, and I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed it. I've read quite a few of her Geist offerings too and always enjoy them.I understand that your profile on Iglauer is one in a series of 'British Columbians who ought to be better known' and I hoped, perhaps, the wonderful photographer Uli Stelzer might be one of them.
All the best,
Rebecca Schram
Dear Mrs Lyon,
I am your reader from Brazil. I really liked your book.
So, I been write a critique for it.
Read here: http://soldeausterlitz.blogspot.com/2011/05/o-filosofo-e-o-imperador.html
Sorry for my very poor english.
Best regards,
Carter
(carterbatista@gmail.com)
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