Dream of Scipio
2002-07-22 18:34:46+02 by
Dan Lyke
2 comments
On a positive note, I finished Iain Pears' new novel, Dream of Scipio![[Wiki]](/adbanners/lookingglass.png)
, this weekend. I wasn't much of a fan of An Instance of the Fingerpost, but it was all the rage in my social circles, so I felt like I had to read Dream of Scipio. I enjoyed it. It's a tragedy, but you know that within the first paragraph, so you can get on with enjoying the three tales. The literature references move the story well, but you don't have to get them, he's got some great thoughts on good intentions leading to evil, and keeps it interesting. Recommended.
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#Comment made: 2002-07-22 20:15:09+02 by:
K
A key to understanding An Instance of the Fingerpost is to unravel the extremely unobvious meaning of the quotes from Bacon in the epigraphs to the major segments of the novel. Go to to the 1st or 2nd Edition of Fowler, Modern English Usage (the new 3rd Edition cuts it out) and read the entry on "Idola Fori."
#Comment made: 2002-07-22 20:48:47+02 by:
Dan Lyke
After a short discussion with a few friends, I'd always just seen it as a slightly tedious retelling of the Gospels. The Wikipedia entry on Francis Bacon has some notes on the four idols, I'll try to track down the Fowler at some point.
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