Iain Dunken Smith’s Book ‘The Devil’s Tune’ Is Terrible

Thursday, 6 November 2003

‘I hate to kick a man when he’s down, but…’

“Peter Preston in the Guardian wrote: “Duncan Smith’s gift for dialogue is strictly British B movie circa 1953. (‘Are you all right, Ursula?’ he asked gently, laying a hand on her shoulder. ‘Oh John,’ she choked, ‘it’s awful.’)” He does commend the soon-to-be-ex-Tory leader for having “oodles of British pluck” and “awesome bravery” for daring to publish the book in the first place, but he adds: “His prose ranges from lumpen to beserkly lush… the plotting is full of clumsy clotting.””

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3242959.stm

Thanks to Chloe George for the IDS info.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV5Q8_-Vjfs