(np) Forward review of Bailey/Roth

[Mark Kohut]

I am afraid I disagree with that meme (from articles) going around that he
tried to control the narrative of his life post-life.
Bailey had full access but Roth had NO countermanding conditions....no
final read and edit.

One of Roth's deepest themes is one CAN'T control one's life.....this is
what happens to his characters who think they, like all of us so, are in
free will "control' of our lives...

All he did after he stopped writing was get his affairs in order as the
phrase goes, reconnect with a lifetime of friends and acquaintances, play
with other kids children, send
working people who could not afford it to school for the career they wished
they had; buy things for others......reconnect with his past.....time every
day just to actively remember
his past....



On Sun, May 30, 2021 at 9:48 AM rich <richard.romeo at gmail.com> wrote:

> if there is any solace it's the fact that the time of the massive literary
> biography is probably near its end. Times are different. The number of
> worthy subjects is dwindling or voices have become so diffuse (not a bad
> thing) or the state of publishing, novel writing as a career, etc.
> I'm not talking of literary criticism since I gather there will be plenty
> of that for a slew of current writers in future. I mean a traditional bio.
> who will really warrant one?
> The irony of the Roth situation is his attempt to control the narrative of
> his life post-life so like what he wrote about in many of his stories while
> he was alive
> Begs the question about Mr P of course. captive audience I know but I cant
> think of another writer with potential for a trad biography. But like the
> chance of any further new work by the man I remain highly in doubt.
>
> rich
>
> On Sun, May 30, 2021 at 8:13 AM Jochen Stremmel <jstremmel at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> You probably knew the quote, I didn't. And I didn't want to support the
>> tenor, only give an impression of the climate. (A man shouldn't have
>> written this, if you ask me.)
>>
>> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
>>
>> >
>> --
>> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
>>
>