quote: Literary memisis, the imitation of reality, always holds the potential for authorial heartbreak. You always get something wrong, no matter how hard you try. Yesterday, I was sent this (rather brilliant) link: http://www.streetsensation.co.uk/camden/hs1_west.htm And instantly saw, to my amazed chagrin, that, throughout PATTERN RECOGNITION, I have called Inverness Street, Camden Town, “Aberdeen Street”.
Sometimes one can only say “Arrrrgh!”.
O well. When people ask you where the science fiction is, in PATTERN RECOGNITION, lower your voice and explain that it’s set in an alternate reality in which Inverness Street is called Aberdeen Street.
I took the Waterloo train to Poole while reading PR - weird reading about something that you were actually doing. There's a perfectly good mainline station in Poole so I can only imagine that the caravan must be on the Bournemouth side. Lovely trip once you get to the coast.
I have to say that Waterloo station has been smartened up a bit since the Eurostar terminal opened, much less seedy than the PR description. And the PA was crystal clear.
I found the scenes in the UK kind of dull, having lived in London and Sussex (Poole bournemouth that sort of way) loved the characters but descriptions of Camden high street were a bit like a busmans holiday. Also what coffee shop were they sitting in opposite the Camden tube. Isn't that the Camden Palace? (opposite) that well known shrine to MDMA and worse and they don't serve coffee (at least I don't remember them doing so which is not the same thing) Can we go back to Rydell amd the bridge I felt at home there.
Posts: 9 | Location: Cheltenham. England, UK | Registered: March 03, 2003
quote:Would anyone be interested in a "William Gibson literary tour of London" ?
When friends ask about walking tours of London, I usually refer them to "Donald". Donald does Jack the Ripper However, I think it might be hard for him to do Cayce. (She didn't frequent enough pubs to economically park a tour group in.)
Recent nit-picking of Pattern Recognition on the basis of tiny unimportant details, including the siting and menu and pricing of coffee shops, must, I fear, have been getting Bill Gibson's goat, if he has one, which I expect he does. I have to say that in his position I would take good care to set my next book in the far future, where no-one can come over all smartass about his details...
No. Come to think of it, I bet they'll do it anyway.
I can just hear it:
"Dear Mr Gibson.
Don't be silly. A nanotech plasmology granular inversion acceleration module of the sort you describe in your latest book could never be sited in Ulan Bator, because of the well-researched attack angle of the local magnetic flux and the ever-present odour of camel dung, which, as you must know, is indistinguishable, at a molecular level, from the smoke of certain types of pipe tobacco.
I am, yours respectfully,
Jeremiah Crudpuppy, Phenomenologist and Druid
P.S. My wife enjoyed your previous book."
Posts: 786 | Location: UK | Registered: May 27, 2003
quote: I took the Waterloo train to Poole while reading PR - weird reading about something that you were actually doing. There's a perfectly good mainline station in Poole so I can only imagine that the caravan must be on the Bournemouth side.
Having done this journey myself many times I was impressed by the accuracy of the descriptions, but the Poole/Bournemouth thing did bother me.
My conclusion is simple: yes, the caravan is in or near Poole, but you couldn't walk to the caravan from the station, it's too far. Ngemi has his contact in Bournemouth who lends him the car, and that's why they get off there rather than staying on to Poole... he doesn't know anyone in Poole.
Or something.
Posts: 146 | Location: UK | Registered: March 28, 2003
Recent nit-picking of Pattern Recognition on the basis of tiny unimportant details, including the siting and menu and pricing of coffee shops, must, I fear, have been getting Bill Gibson's goat, if he has one, which I expect he does.
As the person who did the coffee shop nitpicking, I will attempt to defend myself. One reason why I like reading Gibson's novels is his tremendous sense of place. He notices tiny details, and how these are in a very important way what defines a place. He understands that if you look at the tiny details, you can understand the big things petter. (PR is about this. Cayce is someone who herself is unusually sensitive to tiny details, and can put them together in a subconscious way. Digressing slightly, Salam Pax's blog from Baghdad is as good as it is because he is another person who notices details). Gibson's writing is about the details more than that of almost any other writer I know, and therefore they are one of the key things I like to discuss. With most other authors, this is not so.
Posts: 21 | Location: London, England, United Kingdom | Registered: March 02, 2003
Michael, it wasn't a personal attack on you, as you'd understand, so you don't have to defend yourself from me. And I have some sympathy for your view because Gibson does write a very detailed tale. I guess it's a question of degree. I have a high tolerance for inaccuracy when it doesn't matter. For example, when taking my photos for the F:F:F site, I was aware of the Inverness/Aberdeen slip-up, but didn't feel it important enough to mention or document. Cayce takes a short cut through a street market. What does the name matter? If, on the other hand, he based a plot element on some arcane detail that actually wasn't true, then that would be a different situation. I must say I'd hate, especially as an artist of the stature of William Gibson, to be constantly picked up on details that aren't germane.
Then again, if he intends to get a few of these minor details right in the next edition, then I guess that's a differerent matter, but it should be discussed under an editorial heading.
Posts: 786 | Location: UK | Registered: May 27, 2003
Hi, I have literally just finished PR and enjoyed it immensely. I have read a number of Gibson’s previous books, but this one grabbed me like none before.
In the theme of this discussion thread, I particularly enjoyed his descriptions of the London scenes. The observations of an American visiting London are excellent. It is after all, in the small details that such differences are manifest. The effect is exaggerated by the observer being so product and design orientated. I found myself particularly drawn to the discussion between Cayce and Boone about the round plastic fan-like objects, found in some English windows of a certain age. Very weird little things, that have probably never merited a mention anywhere before.
On the location front, I read most of the book while lying in the sun on London’s Primrose Hill. A truly special location and one that pops-up in a number of places (A Chili peppers tune, rather recently). Cayce has a couple of reflective moments there and a meeting with Bigend, If I remember correctly.
Gil, perhaps a few shots of “The Hill” would be good for your modest site?
Posts: 1 | Location: London | Registered: September 23, 2003
I also enjoyed the virtual tour, specially as, apart from Portobello, it shows parts of London I am not familiar with. It is surprising how, with the limited descriptions available, they correspond so well with my mental image. WG wordsmith skill, without doubt.
José
Posts: 2874 | Location: I am behind you | Registered: May 27, 2003
the old match factory is based no doubt on the old bryant and may match factory on fairfield road, E3, a gated enclave of loft apartments.
Used to live at the place myself.
WG missed a great opportunity to correlate the soul-delay of jetlagged dinner party invites with the fact many children would have died in this match factory from flossy jaw, contracted from the chemicals to make the matches.
Camden Palace is the opposite end of Camden High Street from the Tube Station, about 1/2 mile away. The World's End and Electric ballroom are the 2 venues near the station.
I can't recall any coffee shops that are directly opposite the station, but the bottom end of Parkway would have views to the station, as would the High St and Kentish Town road. The rate that coffee shops (and shoe shops) spring up and disappear in London nowadays, I don't discount that there could have been a coffee shop there.
Posts: 5741 | Location: London | Registered: April 02, 2003
