[Michael Bailey]

Kai Frederik Lorentzen wrote:
>
> I don't like his style.
>
> Being interested in the sociology of law, I read about 120 pages of "A
> Frolic of His Own".
>
> All these lengthy dialogues, perhaps Gaddis should have become a playwright
> himself ...
>

this is purely subjective, but I think his early work is his best.
They get shorter and less great (still pretty great, but still...) as
you go on, and you can't help thinking about the composer guy in JR
who started off to write a symphony and ends up writing (or trying to
write) a little chamber piece.

JR was fantastic, I thought.  I'd like to have some occasion to read
The Recognitions, because by interpolation anyway, it would be the
best of all.  Therefore I would welcome a read.

I had the same thought about Gaddis: to stage it, all you need is a
black box, some motivated actors, a devoted audience enough for a
really long play (or do it in installments), and just use the dialogue
as he wrote it.  If I ever win the Lotto or otherwise acquire great
wealth and ample leisure, I will stage it as a warm-up for my cinema
production of Gravity's Rainbow.