Mark Twain was underestimated by his fans; Henry James was largely ignored by his countrymen and preferred to live in England (he even became a British Citizen). America was, alas, a country of great eccentrics and great prudes, of great writers and few readers.
edmund white
Precision is easier to master than artful vagueness, especially now when, thanks to Google, novels are fact-heavy. We no longer refer to "flowers" but to particular varieties of roses. The whole valuable distinction between foreground (precise) and background (blurred) has been lost, and now everything is crowding toward the viewer, clamoring for attention.
Edmund White’s recommendations
The grand dame of gay letters, Edmund White, published The Unpunished Vice: a Life of Reading back in June, and I'm pleased to report to all who care that the 78 White is just as trenchant and charming as the 19 White who witnessed Stonewall.
