Eddings
In my younger days, I enjoyed David Eddings' fantasy series, the Belgariad and the Mallorean. I haven't read any of it since, because I think it might be a little corny. Today, however, I discovered he and his wife, Leigh, who co-wrote his books, had a dark secret: it seems around 1970, both of them spent a year in prison (in a rural town) for the brutal child abuse of their 4 year old adopted son. They had a fenced cage in the basement, restraints, and they beat the poor kid. It was pretty awful. So switching jobs from university lecturer to working in a grocery store was less about "fixing their relationship" than being fired for being in prison. This was all covered up pretty thoroughly by the time they became well-known. The son and a younger adopted daughter were taken into care.
How does one draw the line between an artist and their work? Can you still enjoy someone's work while finding the artist despicable?
Others in that category: Marion Zimmer Bradley, Orson Scott Card (I'm actually convinced that most people named Scott are problematic), Charles Dickens (never liked his books though), H. P. Lovecraft, Jack London, Roald Dahl. This entry was originally posted at https://claidheamhmor.dreamwidth.org/1104331.html. Please comment there using OpenID, or here.
How does one draw the line between an artist and their work? Can you still enjoy someone's work while finding the artist despicable?
Others in that category: Marion Zimmer Bradley, Orson Scott Card (I'm actually convinced that most people named Scott are problematic), Charles Dickens (never liked his books though), H. P. Lovecraft, Jack London, Roald Dahl. This entry was originally posted at https://claidheamhmor.dreamwidth.org/1104331.html. Please comment there using OpenID, or here.