Earthly Powers
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1Macumbeira
Just finished Burgess's Earthly Powers. Anybody interested about discussing it ? Rick uyou finished yet ?
2RickHarsch
Mac, I have read several books since, but I can always back up for a Belgian (of the right kind). What did you make of the Tamil black magic in the section in Malaya?
3Macumbeira
showoff ! : )
Well the Tamil Black Magic is one example of Evil, which is a major theme in the book.
It reminded me of De Stille Kracht by Louis Couperus, a well known Dutch Novel where Indonesian Black Magic played a big part. Quite a few western colonial writers were impressed by these magical powers. Often it was a first encounter with the dark forces of a religion other than Christianity.
In EP, Burgess points at several parallel magical aspects still occurring in the Catholic church : the miracle, the exorcism and finally... the Eucharistic symbolism gone wrong.
Well the Tamil Black Magic is one example of Evil, which is a major theme in the book.
It reminded me of De Stille Kracht by Louis Couperus, a well known Dutch Novel where Indonesian Black Magic played a big part. Quite a few western colonial writers were impressed by these magical powers. Often it was a first encounter with the dark forces of a religion other than Christianity.
In EP, Burgess points at several parallel magical aspects still occurring in the Catholic church : the miracle, the exorcism and finally... the Eucharistic symbolism gone wrong.
4RickHarsch
showoff (Couperus)...
Were you in any way affected by the ending? I was, finding it rather a cheap trick. Besides, I thought Burgess was at his best outside the US...I didn't much believe the whole business with the semi-Jim Jones figure. And so I was quite disappointed that it was supposed to matter in the ending, the all too novelistic shock ending.
Were you in any way affected by the ending? I was, finding it rather a cheap trick. Besides, I thought Burgess was at his best outside the US...I didn't much believe the whole business with the semi-Jim Jones figure. And so I was quite disappointed that it was supposed to matter in the ending, the all too novelistic shock ending.
5Macumbeira
No, I was not affected, because I knew it was coming. I carelessly read some EP reviews earlier, so that surprise was robbed from me. On the other hand it brought two narrative strands neatly together. It was as if Burgess wanted to say, that any magical interference in the "normal course" of things, even if it is to save a child, will bring Evil.
But there are so many things in the book ! At the end, when Toomey is beaten up by the four thugs, it looks like a jab at his own Clockwork orange success...
But there are so many things in the book ! At the end, when Toomey is beaten up by the four thugs, it looks like a jab at his own Clockwork orange success...
6Macumbeira
Just bought You've had your time, FIRST EDITION and first printing. A fine hard back in a fine dust wrapper. SIGNED by the author on the title page. This is the second part of the Confessions of Anthony Burgess.
