Tayari's Blog: This Is Why People BURN Manuscripts

Posted by TayariJones on February 24, 2008 07:32 PM
Filed under Bookshelf

Today's NYT has a review of a newly published novel by Richard Wright, A Father's Law. The novel was unfinished at the time of Wright's death in 1960. Apparently his daughter, Julia, authorized literary experts to piece it together from his notes, just in time for the 100th anniversary of Wright's death.

According to the review, it is a hot mess. (If the quotes given are any indication, I am ready, for once, to agree with the NYTBR!)

I can't imagine someone going through my junk, piecing together half-finished projects. You could use this activity as a good test of whether I am actually dead or not-- if there is any life left in me, I will jump up and stop the madness.

Publishing unfinished, unpolished, unedited, and just un-ready work by an author such as Wright does as injustice to his legacy. It's not as though he left such a scant body of work that extra volumes are needed to round things out.

Let the literary dead rest in piece.

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There are 2 comments on "This Is Why People BURN Manuscripts". If you'd like to leave a comment, click here to jump down to the comments entry form.

Comment #1, by Judy [TypeKey Profile Page]

Amen!!!

February 25, 2008 08:51 AM

Comment #2, by Martha Southgate [TypeKey Profile Page]

I couldn't agree more! The thought of having some half-finished stuff of mine hanging out there for folks to comment on fills me with horror. His daughter ought to be embarrassed--I can't imagine what she says in the intro to explain this choice. Just as you say, it's not like the man didn't leave a vital, vital legacy.

February 25, 2008 09:47 AM

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