On 31st October I posted a message referring to the "The Times" news story
about a book by a Christopher Booker " The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell
Stories", which was reported as showing that there have been just seven
plots since story-telling began. I obtained a a copy of the book.
I now have been sent a copy of an article in the Sydney Morning Herald
[Australia] magazine, 7-8 Sept 2002, by an Australian Journalist David Dale
"The greatest stories ever told" ; this commences "How many plots are
there? Aristotle ..two; Rudyard Kipling said there were 69 but he didn't
specify what they were." Can someone say where this statement allegedly
by RK was published? [Not in 'The Finest Story in the World', in Many
Inventions, as far as I can see.]
I tentatively agreed with our Meetings Secretary Dr Jeffery Lewins to give
a talk on the Booker thesis as applied to Kipling's fiction. However I now
feel that there is little merit in trying to fit his stories into any
particular plots classification, of which there are many, and I suggested I
open a discussion on what is most significant to a reader, plot,
characterisation or language. Does anyone like to comment on this, before
I discuss further with Jeffrey in April?
Bryan Diamond
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