DeLillo

[jd]

I think you can still see what Charles refers to as "more pizzicato
than sonorous" in the prologue of Underworld, but overall I think it's
the strongest passage I've read in the book so far, especially on the
first read when you aren't being quite as analytical and critical.
Very much draws you in.  I think that perhaps DeLillo is a pretty damn
good writer as he stands, but I think that part of my feelings towards
him arise from where I see a talent that blows away most of his
writing in pieces of his works that sort of make me, personally, judge
the other parts more harshly.

On 6/3/06, bekah <bekah0176 at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> At 5:30 PM -0500 6/2/06, Matthew Ryan wrote:
> >I pretty much agree with you on White Noise. I'm hoping to get
> >around to Underworld this summer which seems to be where a lot of
> >the DeLillo "hype" is coming from.
>
>
> My first DeLillo was Underworld in 1999 or so and I was hooked.
> Attracted by the cover art,  I picked it up off the shelf of my local
> indie bookstore.    I hadn't heard anything about it or DeLillo.  I
> stood in the aisle and read that whole miraculous Prologue.  Then I
> bought it at that no discount price.  Too bad.  I wanted this book
> that was speaking to me in my language - American.
>
> I went home and read it cover to cover and then I reread it.  I've
> read it 3 or 4 times now and the language and the themes and the
> subject-matter still touch my heart.   It's probably my favorite book
> of all time.
>
> So I went on a DeLillo bender reading White Noise (the weakest, imo),
> The Names,  Libra,  Mao II,  Cosmopolis,  The Body Artist,  Running
> Dog (not in that order)  and probably more - I know I have others on
> my shelves.  The pervasive theme in DeLillo's work is paranoia.  Read
> The Names or Mao II.
>
> The hype is what ruins DeLillo.  He is sooo good that the lit crits
> gave him massive kudos and that kills him for some readers who go
> forth and expect some kind of spiritual enlightenment.   He's not
> perfect.  He writes a great sentence.
>
> Bekah
>