Of course, as a Miami girl I especially appreciated his accurate portrayal of my birthplace, a character unto itself. Haven't read it, I'm afraid. I'm somewhat cut off from the buzz of Book world while I'm here in Florida teaching. Tough question, much debated. But I suppose one must somehow forgive such flaws of character, else feminists could never read Flaubert, etc.
All artists tend to lead messy, inappropriate lives.
In my own case, I've been leery about meeting authors I admire in the flesh. A friend who loved V.S. Naipaul's work was once insulted by the writer and couldn't look at the man's books again for years. These include some of my favorite authors - Joyce Cary, B. Traven, Fitzroy MacLean, etc. Thanks for your help. Sometimes the covers break or crack when reading because of the stiffness of cardboard and finish.