Genre Profiling

Much as I lack the temerity for crosswords I have little patience for detective fiction given my latest rants against Chesterson's Father Brown and arching back to Rankin's Rebus and whatnot. Sunday's essay in the Book review was on historical fiction in the subjunctive mode -- what would Wittgenstein and Duncan have spoke about? I read Ackroyd's mystery of Elizabeth Cree last month and while I enjoyed the overlap of Gissing, Marx and others the narrative itself was of minimal interest.

I first heard of Michael Dibdin last week upon his obituary notice in the Guardian. It was quickly discovered that the local library had a dozen of his books I decided upon his first novel a historical mystery involving Robert browning during his time in Florence. I gave up after 100 pages. This nature of mine plagues me. Should failure indicate character? I have fallen off track with the Bolano inexplicably, I am not sure if I am attempting to prolong the experience or if my habits have become rather crapulous.