You Sure That Was Banville, Mate?

Matthew Price encounters an uncharacterictically chirpy and cheerful Irish author:

"...he takes a particular delight in recalling the words of a BBC reviewer who concluded, Banville tells me, that 'The trouble with The Sea is that it's this very elaborate thing but when you look closely there's not much there.' This suits Banville just fine: 'That's a perfect description of life. It's immensely complicated, immensely detailed, but when you look closely there really isn't much there at all.' You might think the man who uttered these words is a maladjusted crank, but Banville, 60, exudes good cheer. 'Being in the world is the most glorious adventure imaginable, far more fun than heaven,' he enthuses."