On Style

by Peter Cherches

Samuel Beckett claimed he wrote in French, his second language, in order to write “without style.” If that was really his intention he failed miserably, but then, in a sense, a theme of much of Beckett’s work is the paradoxical success of failing miserably. Beckett is perhaps the writer I admire most, but concerning the question of style I disagree vehemently. Style is the only thing I’m interested in. It’s substance I try to avoid. Of course, I usually fail miserably, but sometimes, I like to think, I come pretty close.

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Peter Cherches blogs about food and travel here.