TODAY'S GIGGLE

Keyes as "accurate history?!?" Thanks for today's giggle. -- The Historian

The historical settings in Frances Parkinson
Keyes' novels are indeed accurate in the sense of
conforming to the period. When discussing a novel
or work of literature, one does not speak of faithful
inventions as historical inaccuracies.

Yours, Larry Parr



The Historian wrote:
On Nov 25, 3:50 am, " wrote:
FRANCES PARKINSON KEYES

I've found it surprisingly good. I'd not expected it to have much insight into Morphy or chess, but she does create a more 'human' Morphy than, say, Lawson does. (Lawson's biography is the best we have, and it's very good, but there's a sense that

the author thought his subject was made of marble.) The Historian

Sigh.

That Neil Brennen would even compare a David Lawson with
a genial novelist such as Frances (not Francis, of course)
Parkinson Keyes speaks volumes -- ah, so to speak.

The Chess Players is a novel about its subject
title, and we see a brilliant woman writer digging and
delving far more deeply into the likely personae of
people than any purely chess writer will ever do.

Agreed. Which is why I posted on the subject. But, to put it mildly,
there's a degree of speculation and invention of 'facts' involved that
a chess historian should shy away from.

For those interested in learning about Keyes, read
Honor Bright or that exceptional work, "Steamboat Gothic."

Keyes was a leading novelist of the 1940s and
1950s, as well as a Catholic convert. What is
particularly compelling about her work is that she
examines the plight of characters whom she places in a
framework, most today would call it a straitjacket, of
traditional Christian morality. Her characters are
seen to suffer or meet very demanding challenges
because they try to live up to standards
stratospheric. She is a telling, sympathetic, yet
demanding writer.

David Lawson? Well, really, to be surprised
that Keyes is so insightful, more so than a chess
writer, is to be expected when written by a chess type.

You do know Lawson's book is a biography, not a novel, don't you,
Larry? You do know Keyes is a work of fiction? Lawson, as a
biographer, probably didn't feel up to the task of inventing a
murdered lover for Morphy, or giving him an amusing encounter with a
riverboat chess hustler, as Keyes did.

Chess was essentially nuthin' to Frances
Parkinson Keyes. People, accurate history and locale,
and fine style were everything.

Keyes as "accurate history?!?" Thanks for today's giggle.