NP--Cormac and New Vollman

[Mark Flaum]

Well, I have read the upcoming Vollmann book _The Royal Family_ (got 
a copy through ebay), and I was quite impressed.  Though I recall you 
(Rich) in particular expressed distaste for Vollmann's fascination 
with prostitutes and their environment, so perhaps you won't enjoy it 
as much as I did.

I've also heard, by way of the Vollmann mailing list, that the next 
book in the Seven Dreams series is finished.  I don't know when it 
will be published.

As for upcoming books, John Crowley's next book in the Aegypt series 
is also due next month. And Lawrence Norfolk has a new book coming 
out in the UK in September.  And the reissue of Haruki Murakami's 
_Norwegian Wood_ should probably be happening soon.  It's just a 
great summer for us readers, sez I (and by the way, all of these 
authors I recommend in a sort of "if you like Pynchon" way, for those 
who don't know them.  I first heard all these names here on the list).

Good to hear about McCarthy, too, though I guess we'll have to wait a 
while yet.  Him and that Pynchon fellow...

Anyone else read _The Book of Lazarus_ by Richard Grossman?  I'm 
about halfway through, and like it so far.  Document/scrapbook sort 
of thing, kind of like _House of Leaves_ transposed from horror film 
to mafia flick, without footnotes.

And all that discussion of Stanislaw Lem not long ago has pushed me 
halfway through _Imaginary Magnitude_, with _Perfect Vacuum_ on the 
'to read' shelf.  Along with some Victor Pelevin stories and a 
collection of Indian fiction selected by Salman Rushdie.

Okay, now everyone knows my summer reading.  Back to the regularly 
scheduled silence.

Mark


P.S. as for Amazon.com database silliness, my 'personalized home 
page' front is now displaying an ad for _The Tunnel_ by William Gass, 
plus mention of Gaddis and some hiphop.  Obviously, I spend too much 
money at that web site.






'Decisions are never made - at best they manage to emerge, from a chaos of
peeves, whims, hallucinations, and general assholery' - GR




At 2:03 AM -0500 7/19/00, Richard Romeo wrote:
>Hi all--
>
>Just wanted to let folks know that supposedly Cormac McCarthy's next novel
>will apparently take place in New Orleans--no details other than that.
>
>Reviews of Vollmann's new novel have been mixed--anyone get an advanced copy
>for reviewing and such?
>
>Rich