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Tue, Oct. 28th, 2008, 07:59 pm
Running Off On Things I Find Interesting
I am willing to accept that this might be some sort of macho thing tied to my need to run a marathon, lift heavy weights, etc, but I am totally fascinated by really, really long books; and I have read my share of them. After reading this piece on Salon about The Stand, I am again thinking of picking up that monster, but am not sure it is worth the time. The Salon article got me going down a weird rabbit hole of google searches. The article claims David Foster Wallace (r.i.p.), the author of one of the great massive books of the modern era, was a fan of the Stand. I found that kind of hard to believe, so I did some searching. I think the Salon writer is probably referencing this list, which is likely some kind of joke or a hopelessly meta thing/statement/critique that I will never understand because I am not one tenth as smart as DFW. Man, his suicide still bums me out. Moving on though, the "david foster wallace" + "the stand" google search also lead me to this awesome page of nerds talking about really long books which includes this choice quote on Vollmann: I'm very curious as to what William T. Vollmann's writing process is like.
Considering that he's managed to release a new 800+ page novel every year for the last 6 years, I'm seriously begining to believe that the man is either some sort of literary savant that can sit down at a manual typewriter and crank out a novel from cover-to-cover without so much as a drop of white-out, or an incredibly sophisticated computer program that comes very close to passing the Turing test, yet is oddly obsessed with prostitutes.Ok, that’s it, gotta cook dinner. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 01:49 am (UTC)
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) labrujah
oh I was a big fan of the Stand...when I was 14? peak quantity reading time. I liked the movie too. I could see it being a fun read now/again, especially in these more apocalyptic times. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 02:31 am (UTC)
atthesametime
when I was 14? peak quantity reading time. Totally. I will probably never read as much as I did in those days... Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 02:36 am (UTC)
labrujah
yeah, thinking back, from 8-13 I would put in more time reading than anything else. I used to read at the table while eating. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 02:31 pm (UTC)
heavyleg
I used to read at the table while eating at that age too! And get in trouble with my mom about it. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 01:59 am (UTC)
villagecharm
Are you one of those people who can't stop reading a book, even if you hate it? I can see being wary of a monster investment in your time if that's the case. I'm a bit like that, so anything over the 400-page mark has to come with impeccable references. I've never read The Stand, but it's from King's prime, so there's probably something decent there. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 02:26 am (UTC)
atthesametime
I am totally a if you start it you have to finish it kind of reader. That is insane, I know, and e makes fun of me for it, but it is who I am. I have never read King, so I should probably start with something smaller... but I probably will just jump in on the deep end. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 02:39 am (UTC)
labrujah
never read King?! I went through almost all of his books back then. he's kinda great. oh the best book of his is Four Seasons. I mean - just that book gave us Stand By Me, the Shawshank Redemption and I think something else big (though the 4th story was awful if I remember correctly). Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 12:10 pm (UTC)
atthesametime
Yeah, for whatever reason, I never thought King was worth the time, now I think I need to read him if I want to be considered literate in America. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 12:46 pm (UTC)
snarkophone
yeah - you are right on all counts here. I also like The Other Half, though many people find it terribly mediocre. I suppose I figure that I am already reading fair-to-middling work, so I may as well go for the gusto. In other news, your dinner sounds delicious. Sage is apparently the official herb of late October; Nina made a really tasty white bean and turkey sausage casserole last night for dinner. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 01:02 pm (UTC)
atthesametime
Well having tasted Nina's cooking, I am sure her dinner was better. But yeah, our was kind of awesome. I am amazed that I made something so good... Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 02:07 am (UTC)
alicetiara
I love The Stand (not that I'm making a claim that it's high quality or anything). It's SUCH a fast read, though; such a page-turner. My favorite long book is The Crimson Petal and the White. My copy of Anathem just came in at the library so we'll see if I can get through it in 2 weeks. Not likely, and I'm a FAST reader. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 02:30 am (UTC)
atthesametime
Anathem is kind of hit and miss, I'll be curious to read what you think of it. I am about 2/3rds done and wish it would just conclude already. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 03:13 am (UTC)
mistersmearcase
Oh wow, I am just the opposite. I think if you can't say what you need to in 300 pages, you're not editing enough. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 12:11 pm (UTC)
atthesametime
300 pages? why bother? Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 02:41 pm (UTC)
mistersmearcase
Grace Paley wrote 3-page short stories with more in 'em than many a long novel! Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 02:50 pm (UTC)
atthesametime
It is ridiculous, but I can't read short stories, for some reason they just don't seem worth the time... I know that's stupid and I am missing out on a lot of good stuff, but I like more of a time commitment from my reading. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 02:38 pm (UTC)
microbie
My book club tries to stick to books with ~300 pages. I usually pick nonfiction, and I've had a hard time finding interesting titles that fit the limit. I don't dare go very far over 300 pages because some members already bitch about having to read nonfiction (science). Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 03:33 am (UTC)
bing_crosby
The Stand is probably a good vacation read-- it may be long, but it is pretty far from literature. I read it one summer when I was a medical receptionist temp. East of Eden is the book I always think of when I think of long books that made me feel accomplished when I was done. It was the first serious-seeming tome that I really loved. Of course, I just looked it up and it is a lot shorter than The Stand. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 12:12 pm (UTC)
atthesametime
East of Eden is another megabook I need to read at some point, the only Steinbeck I have read is Of Mice and Men. I know, pathetic. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 04:18 am (UTC)
danschank
this is only sorta related, but i just read the first 90 pages of zola's germinal earlier tonight so this was an appropriate thing to read shortly after. germinal is pretty fucking awesome thus far, if you've never attempted it. also, i meant to reply to your right as rain post, b/c i just read it too. i pretty much agree with everything you said, though i don't think it quite gets to the depth of the wire, and a few of the shoot-outs seemed needlessly pulpy maybe? i'm definitely gonna keep reading pelecanos though. i'm getting more and more into mystery/crime type books for some reason. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 12:07 pm (UTC)
atthesametime
I keep saying I am going to read those long winded Frenchies, but I never get around to it. I really want to read Hugo and Zola, but they'll probably have to wait till after law school is over. And yeah, I hear ya on the shoot ups, it almost seemed like his editor was pushing him to include it. Have you read the Night Gardner? I think that is his best crime/not crime book. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 05:16 pm (UTC)
danschank
not yet, maybe i'll pick that up yet. in used bookstores, i always find the hardcover version. i have some weird bias against hardcovers; i guess it's because i end up carrying books around in my man-purse. i've attempted the hunchback of notre dame several times, to no avail. ditto swann's way (which is gorgeous, just not very accessible). my other favorite long-winded frenchie novel is probably stendhal's the red and the black. apparently it's al gore's favorite book, which i find totally weird and kinda cool. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 05:39 pm (UTC)
atthesametime
stendhal! shit! another frenchie i need to read. i am totally opposed to crime novels in hardcover, I always buy the massmarket, it just doesn't seem write to be reading genre fiction in hardcover. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 06:07 pm (UTC)
danschank
if you ever want to read a book about totally calculated opportunism, the red and the black is about as good as it gets... if people were more literate, it'd be a controversial "best book" choice for someone political like al gore. it's all about bluffing your way into situations and so forth. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 11:12 pm (UTC)
essence_rare
I'm telling you, there's no reason to put off reading Zola - something like Germinal is the perfect end-of-a-long-day-read-a-bit-before-bed book. I also heartily second the Stendhal recommendation.... I'm with you on short stories - i WANT to want to read them, but I don't. Raymond Carver was the only guy who could hold my attention in that department. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 05:40 am (UTC)
troubler
I'm a huge fan of Moby Dick, my favorite of the famous big books. Highly recommended Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 12:08 pm (UTC)
atthesametime
oh man, I am obsessed with Moby Dick. Amazing book which explains the industrialization of america through a story of a whale. Wed, Oct. 29th, 2008 12:23 pm (UTC)
the_sikh_geek
In my American Studies seminar we just read a piece by someone who argues that Moby Dick is canonical for all of these historical, political and cultural reasons having little to do with the text itself. But several times he will jump out from his argument to praise Moby Dick and demand that it is amazing and should be canonical despite the reasons he himself lays out. |
