A special edition of García Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude, to mark this year's 40th anniversary of its publication, will include a prologue by Vargas Llosa.Apparently this is a big deal because thee last time the two spoke to one another was 30 years ago, when they brawled inside a Mexican cinema. One wonders what movie they were watching?
Truth is I was never aware of their fight, and it sure as hell diminish my enjoyment of both their books. Ben Macintyre says in Times Online, "Bury the hatchet? How very boring." I am not sure if he had his tongue in his cheek or not.
But from his story, this is common. Norman mailer appears to fight with everyone - punched Gore Vidal, sat on Capote, stabbed his first wife with a pen knife (not for criticising his work, though) … (Read about Norman mailer's all-time hate-list here: http://nymag.com/arts/books/features/26285/)
Macintyre quotes: In 1936 Wallace Stevens the poet, drunk, accosted Ernest Hemingway at a party and sneered: "So, you think you're Ernest Hemingway?" The resulting punch-up left both writers battered, and even more famous.
Nothing like a good schoolyard-type punch-up to get the blood pumping, right? (A dreadful thought just crossed my mind!)
Full story: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,6-2543309,00.html
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