Barth, Pynchon, heirs etc.

[Paul Mackin]

On Sep 20, 2005, at 6:51 PM, James Kyllo wrote:

> I'd say "You Bright and Risen Angels" if only because it's his  
> first (and the first I read, and very good.. and taking it down  
> from the shelf now, I see why I bought it in the first place - from  
> the Publishers Weekly quote on the back "..a comic-surrealistic  
> assault upon reason that should appeal to those who enjoy Thomas  
> Pynchon").  Another approach for the Pynchonist would be through  
> "The Ice Shirt" & "Fathers & Crows" which share concerns (and at  
> one point source material) with "Mason & Dixon".   Not sure what  
> you mean about "what to aim for", as for why - well, for me anyway,  
> it's as literate and compelling as almost anything I've read bar  
> Pynchon and Gaddis.
>
> Paul - I have yet to read "Europe Central", and he certainly isn't  
> consistent, but I'd happily recommend the three above and "The  
> Royal Family"

James-thanks for the tip. I'm eventually going to give Vollman  
another chance.]

P
>
> all the best
>
> James
>
>
>
> On Sep 20, 2005, at 3:16 PM, Dave Monroe wrote:
>
> > Of everyone periodically mentioned along these lines,
> > it's Vollman I'm least familiar with.  I don't recall
> > him even coming much in the critical apparatus or
> > whatever, unlike Barth or Barthelme or DeLillo or ...
> > anyway, any recommendations ion where to start?  Where
> > to aim for?  And why?  Let me know.  Thanks!
>
> I don't know much about Vollman  but I'd definitely advise
> against Europe Central.
>
> Vollman is encyclopedic all right I guess. But the knowledge
> feels like it was assembled by computer rather than by a human
> author.  He's more a researcher than a writer, was my general
> feeling.  Pynchon is both a researcher and a writer.
>
> I  know James is generally sound and i hope I'm not doing Vollman
> an injustice with just the experience of this one book.
>
> P.
> >
> > --- James Kyllo < jkyllo at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> >> What an odd selection! I'll certainly speak up for
> >> Vollman, who is for me the only serious (living)
> >> competitor to TRP - his best stuff matches
> >> Pynchon's but his quality control is even worse....
> >>
> >
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>
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