Comments on: J.M. Coetzee: Foe

By: Heba Mansour from Egypt

Heba Mansour from Egypt — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:29:44 +0000

I really enjoyed your comments esp. the introductory part on the power of language & its importance, it helped alot in my research.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:44:31 +0000

Thanks for the comments everyone. I’m interested to see your verdict on Coetzee, Randy. I’m also a fan of non-plot driven fiction, but this one just didn’t quite work for me. But Coetzee is very worth reading.

By: Kerry

Kerry — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:15:46 +0000

I think I will try Life and Times of Michael K then, and possibly before Summertime comes out here in the US. Thanks for the guidance.

By: Randy

Randy — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:01:53 +0000

Interesting review. I have not read any of his novels, but need to remedy that soon as I carve out a space in the TBR list…I have most of them, and was planning to start with Foe, since Bloom mentioned this and I believe Disgrace (but then again Bloom likes Paul Auster, who I find pretentious)…I love non-plot driven fiction, so maybe Foe won’t be an issure for me…

By: Deucekindred

Deucekindred — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:28:18 +0000

I haven’t read Master of Petersburg but I think Age of Iron is better than foe and Disgrace and I preferred it to life and times… but that’s solely my opinion there loads will disagree.

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:04:01 +0000

Should have read that comment before posting — acknowledging not acknowledge.

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:03:17 +0000

I should have noted that I will read Summertime as well. I’m hoping that acknowledge my prejudice will at least enable me to approach it in a neutral frame of mind.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:55:29 +0000

Kerry, I think I'm in the minority, but I liked Life and Times of Michael K more than I liked Waiting for the Barbarians. Both are better than Foe. I actually hoped that Life and Times . . . would get nominated for best of the Booker last year, I liked it that much. However, I think putting Disgrace in was the better choice between the two. Kevin, after Foe I think I'll have to be pretty selective about Coetzee. I'm not looking forward to Summertime for the same reason you named, but I will read it when it comes out here. Well, I guess I can't promise that, but it is my intention now. DK, when I bought Foe I also bought Master of Petersburg, but I almost bought Age of Iron. Not that I regret my purchase, but I would have liked to enjoy this book more. Has anyone read Master of Petersburg? It'll be a a while before I read it, but should I go with Age of Iron instead?

By: Deucekindred

Deucekindred — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:32:58 +0000

I’ve read quite a few of Coetzee’s books but the one I thoroughly enjoyed was Age of Iron. I found it a poignant read. Also style-wise it’s in the form of a series of unsent letters. I know it’s been done before but I found it a nice touch.

By: KevinfromCanada

KevinfromCanada — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:28:30 +0000

I’m a Coetzee skeptic. Some (the three you read before this one, as it happens) I certainly recognize as very good — others seem to show not nearly as much talent. Frankly, from your review, this one falls into the category. One of the aspects of Coetzee that I don’t like that much is turning his literary theory thoughts into works of fiction which seems to be the case here. Diary of a Bad Year would serve as a more recent example. I do appreciate your review — it will keep me away from a book that I am pretty certain I would not like.

And unlike much of the rest of the reading world, I am not particularly looking forward to Summertime. I’m afraid the whole notion of “fictionalized autobiography”, sold in multi-volume parts, rubs me the wrong way.