Comments on: In Which Kingsley Amis & I Disagree

By: Why Modern Technology Is Important | Karen Healey

Why Modern Technology Is Important | Karen Healey — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 04:30:40 +0000

[...] Larbalestier will try to tell you that YA writers never drink. Justine Larbalestier wrote a book from the point of view of an accomplished compulsive liar. I [...]

By: Tweets that mention In Which Kingsley Amis & I Disagree | Justine Larbalestier -- Topsy.com

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:58:03 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mon, Mon. Mon said: Books,Book and Books In Which Kingsley Amis & I Disagree | Justine Larbalestier: Why, back then eve… http://bit.ly/ce02Ae mybookstop.info [...]

By: Pam Adams

Pam Adams — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:21:28 +0000

Ooh- more books to read! Thanks for the recommendation. By the way, I have finally purchased/read LIAR, and am now eagerly anticipating visiting the LIAR spoilers thread!

By: Alisa

Alisa — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:27:40 +0000

If you would like to disagree with Mr. Amis some more, you should read Elizabeth Jane Howard’s autobiography “Slipstream”, which contains several instructive views of Sir KA. Ms. Howard was one of those wives and such. She was also a fantastic novelist.

Among other things, she tells about the time she and Kingsley agreed to try to write each other’s novels. (Perhaps you and Scott should give this a go?)

By: JMS

JMS — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:54:59 +0000

He says some great things about boozeahol in both The Green Man and his James Bond book.

Also, The Alteration is a magnificent alt-hist.

He is probably my very favorite dead misogynist.

By: Ali

Ali — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:12:35 +0000

Justine, you continue to write blog posts about all the things I like best (YA, feminism, wine, sarcastic people), and this was one of my favourites I think Kingsley Amis and I would have got on very well, except for his needless attack on dry white wines. Also:

‘It is a miracle that anything at all was achieved in those decades in the US, UK or Australia.’

- I think this just proves that some of the best things are invented when not entirely sober. Except for YA novels, of course. (non-YA novels are another matter entirely)

By: Tim

Tim — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:11:03 +0000

Ah, I love it when I can disagree with someone but the fact that they’re so amazingly witty and funny means that I can overlook their seriously bizzare views of things and just concentrate on how marvellous it is to read what they’re saying.

By: Bookewyrme

Bookewyrme — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:12:17 +0000

I just want to say, I love the little end-notes you append to most of your posts. They make me giggle every time! Today’s were particularly gigglitious!

By: Tracy

Tracy — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 06:42:47 +0000

I was laughing all the way through this post, and I don’t even drink alcohol of any sort. I had no idea people wrote such opinionated books on booze. Thanks for the giggle.

P.S. I totally agree with the toilet paper thing. I even change it when people get it wrong, which may be a bit rude, but how can you not prefer to have it roll over? Rolling under is just not natural, I tell you.

By: veejane

veejane — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 04:04:46 +0000

If you need a dry white wine rec, I’d suggest the Sancerre: my mother and I have opposite palates, hers dry and mine sweet, and we find a happy medium with a Sancerre demi-sec. I don’t know Kingsley Amis from a hole in the wall, but I bet even he could be persuaded to like it!

My grandfather, who is the gin drinker in the family, feels strongly about explaining to his audience (i.e. me) every time he orders a martini, “Beefeater, up, with a twist,” that actually “up” means without a twist. But that if you don’t say “up” you will get a martini with vermouth, which is some sort of abomination against god and man, almost as horrifying as vodka in a martini. And so despite the inaccuracy (which he will explain), he continues to order his martinis in his special way.

I suspect my grandfather and Kingsley Amis would get along swimmingly.