2006-05-17 beyond catagory

Not particularly distinguished as a storyteller, or a travel expert, or a memoirist, what Mr Dyer is primarily is a writer - he has the rare quality of rendering anything he alights on into literature, no matter what the genre. His wide-ranging interests, reflected in his bibilography, are a result of his admitted indolence, his oft-stated desire to run away from any kind of graft and 'watch telly'. A curse for him perhaps, but a definite blessing for all who read him. Every sentence which isnt simply descriptive resonates and lingers; better to say that every sentence is a kaleidoscope, lighting on things half-remembered, half known by us all. The biggest compliment you can pay him is that while reading you wish that he would tackle your own favorite subjects so that he can illuminate them in all the ways you would wish to. Midway through this book he quotes George Steiner as saying 'The best readings of art are art' going on to say that 'in such instances the distinction between between imaginative and critical writing dissapears'. He's not Lawrentian enough to claim this status for his own work, but most who read this would I think agree it fitting.