For some people - sex was the avenue for keeping their employment at my last job. The assistant manager at the grocery store spent an hour bent over the store manager’s desk after she underperformed.
Oh well dang I feel like I missed out a little bit on the torrid love affair part but I got the excellent education on fiction so it all evens out in the end. I prefer my education in a dance studio over going to some college MFA program. Just waiting on NYT to tell me yes and I will add my name to the long list of legendary PNW authors. You know then getting your writing education in some backroom will be popular again.
Did anybody else have trouble getting through Blood Meridian? The Road was a great read. I enjoyed it and weeped. Win-Win. But Blood Meridian just wasn’t something I had the patience to work through. Maybe I should blame my phone for that.
Yup. And his “genius” voice. It’s like, I’m trying to watch all this bloodshed in front of me and he is waxing and waning his prose all up in my face along with it. It’s like trying to watch a country-western parade from a cafe while an MFA student, an MFA in window painting, draws cowboys and Indians on the window I’m looking through while I’m sipping my soy latte with one pump of mocha. I honestly just couldn’t see what the story was about. Purple Prose and bloodshed, that’s all I remember. Or maybe there was a parade?
But, I’m glad I read The Road first or else I would have only ever read up to the last fifty pages of his Blood Meridian and never looked at his name again. I may look to something else of his in the future.
Yes, I did. As sometimes happens with challenging fiction, getting beyond the first 100 or so pages shifts the mental gears. The violence didn't subside at any point.
Not my favorite of his books, no matter how much it's been praised.
I highly recommend his final two books, Passenger, and Stella Maris. Brilliant, extraordinary, but more accessible.
I made the effort to read it twice this year (well one of those was via audiobook) and I enjoyed it a whole lot more the second time around. I think it helps if you frame it as a fever dream rather than a linear narrative. I put Heart of Darkness and Apocolypse now in the same category.
Probably not the best timing to reveal myself as Mccarthy head given the recent news. Hearing about that gutted me.
I feel Augusta’s view is summed up by Hempel’s quote: “He wondered how we know that what happens to us isn’t good”.
And if you feel bad about looking like a McCarthy fan for his relationship to a minor, at least you’re not an open Burroughs fan. Always relieve yourself with a good comparison!
But yeah, I heard it was rumoured that Cormac became a Malthusian in his later days. Which, if the “littered lawn” is true, it shows how “rules for thee but not for me he is” which makes me see him as a hypocrite, if true. And when “professionals” call someone a “literary genius”, I question if the audience has gone placebo.
With Blood Meridian, instead of feverish, I saw it more as trying to stay in REM stage while, on the other side of my bedroom wall, my room mate natters to themselves with their hand down their silk pyjamas.
The Road was spectacular, Blood Meridian was…fine…and The Passenger was the worst book I’ve ever read. I continued through the end hoping something would redeem it, and was left with nothing.
I'm reminded about the the design for the movie cover of "World's Greatest Dad." It's Robin Williams wholesomely smiling and holding a mug. For the longest time I thought it was a Disney movie. No it is not. No. I was shocked at how cutting and awesome it was and the design kept me away for so long.
I always loved the African version of the Fight Club Poster. Not sure what country it was. Bob finally got the respect he deserved.
But, yeah this is why self-publishing seems more and more appealing to me. Losing control would really suck. Especially if you not only lost control, but also only had marginal success — or none at all haha. You’d be left wondering if those assholes in marketing are to blame.
We had to design book covers in one of my graphic design classes. My friend was designing the "Frankenstein" book cover. He bought those fetal pigs that are used for dissecting in classrooms. He hacked up the pig and then stitched it back together with grimy needle and thread and then photographed it. It was glorious.
It was! And it came out beautifully! One girl adopted a white bunny as a pet in order to photograph it for the "Alice In Wonderland" book cover! Ha! I can't imagine! lol
Man, if only my wife was a publisher. I'd be all set. I guess i'll have to do it the old fashioned way: Win the lottery, self publish, buy a million copies of my book, make all of the best sellers lists, and then finally sign with a publisher. I wonder what the jackpot is up to this week.
It reads like a documentary about a relationship between a writer and manic pixie dream girl with a touch of lolita, 'cause, you know, the 70s. Only in this version the girl has real depth.
I think it is interesting that the physical intimacy of their relationship was so quickly eclipsed by something else; dare I say, something more intimate and profound. What can I say, I'm a romantic at heart and this feels like a love story.
He was obviously lucky to find someone willing to live with the weight of being his muse while not seeking any apparent reward in return. She seems to have found something emotionally valuable in their relationship that was sufficient to sustain her through the years. I imagine her temptation to trade on their relationship would have been great. To maintain outright secrecy, or at least quietude in the face of his need for strict privacy, would have required real strength. That it didn't become corrosive or collapse under the weight of either of their egos is the most impressive part of the story, I think. It says a lot about her character. And his I suppose. Though more hers.
As for the pixie girl trope, I do wonder if she isn't the kind of female character fictional writers always strive to write but never manage to stick the landing. The journalist, I think, does a pretty decent job of revealing her character to us without straying into cliches like victim, etc.
On the other side, I sure wish I knew how McCarthy managed to translate her so successfully onto the page. Taking bits and pieces from the real world I get, but I have to think you have to filter the world through an interesting lens to extract the flavour of someone's character without injuring them or your relationship with them in the process. Having a muse is of little value if you can't take what you see and learn and turn it into a powerful story. Sounds like he found the secret to doing so.
Hey Chuck, have you watched The Whale yet? I can't remember when I recommended it. I just thought that movie made use of some Minimalist concepts. Chorus, reusing objects, very limited settings.
To be honest, I've actively avoided 'The Whale' because 'The Wrestler' almost killed me. Someday I'll watch 'Precious' and 'The Wrestler' and 'The Whale' in one sitting and feel really sad.
I love that answer, you gotta big heart. And yes, if you want to speedrun depression, watch all three in one sitting.
Precious was a fucking devastating movie btw. It's like the director literally took everything horrible that could happen to a person and gave it to Precious. And the book it's based on, "Push" by Sapphire, is extremely voicey. I've only read a couple pages. You talk about characters getting things wrong, that book does that with Precious a lot. I guess it's pretty easy when your protagonist is illeterate.
Oh dear, I forgot about Requiem for a Dream. I've seen that one. IDK if I can handle that amount of suffering in one day! Not even Atlas himself can carry that weight. Cheap tryna kill me lol
OMG I just watched it last night. It's not quite the same quality of storytelling as the other movies mentioned but it's absolutely brutal. I couldn't stop watching. lol Although when the cheerleader kicks the guys in the balls...I laughed my ass off. I laughed a lot during that movie but it's also traumatizing.
“If this is your first night at fight club, you have to jump naked from a pile of money.”
LOL. I've been laughing for for quite a while over that! LOL
I'd post the picture, but don't want to embarrass the publisher.
Make a contest and we can win one!!!
Who do I have to fuck to get a book deal? Also, do I have to like it, and is it okay to cry?
Thom Jones had a great essay in "Why I Write" about how he actually thought sex was the avenue to a book deal.
For some people - sex was the avenue for keeping their employment at my last job. The assistant manager at the grocery store spent an hour bent over the store manager’s desk after she underperformed.
Oh well dang I feel like I missed out a little bit on the torrid love affair part but I got the excellent education on fiction so it all evens out in the end. I prefer my education in a dance studio over going to some college MFA program. Just waiting on NYT to tell me yes and I will add my name to the long list of legendary PNW authors. You know then getting your writing education in some backroom will be popular again.
What are you trying to share with the class Charles
Few if any skeletons here.
Looking for protege. Serious inquiries only.
You and Tom??!!!
Hah! I was not going to pay AND put out.
Well Capote will say anything...and I somehow always listen. I just watched his interview on Tubi last night.
Did anybody else have trouble getting through Blood Meridian? The Road was a great read. I enjoyed it and weeped. Win-Win. But Blood Meridian just wasn’t something I had the patience to work through. Maybe I should blame my phone for that.
I found the endless violence draining.
Yup. And his “genius” voice. It’s like, I’m trying to watch all this bloodshed in front of me and he is waxing and waning his prose all up in my face along with it. It’s like trying to watch a country-western parade from a cafe while an MFA student, an MFA in window painting, draws cowboys and Indians on the window I’m looking through while I’m sipping my soy latte with one pump of mocha. I honestly just couldn’t see what the story was about. Purple Prose and bloodshed, that’s all I remember. Or maybe there was a parade?
But, I’m glad I read The Road first or else I would have only ever read up to the last fifty pages of his Blood Meridian and never looked at his name again. I may look to something else of his in the future.
After about 60 pages I was getting bored. Like it was so much and so packed that by page 70 I just didnt care any more. The Road was wonderful!
Yup, can’t say more than “packed.”
lolol yep
Yes, it's a grueling read.
Yup. Did you make it through the whole book?
Yes, I did. As sometimes happens with challenging fiction, getting beyond the first 100 or so pages shifts the mental gears. The violence didn't subside at any point.
Not my favorite of his books, no matter how much it's been praised.
I highly recommend his final two books, Passenger, and Stella Maris. Brilliant, extraordinary, but more accessible.
Thanks for the recommendation!
I made the effort to read it twice this year (well one of those was via audiobook) and I enjoyed it a whole lot more the second time around. I think it helps if you frame it as a fever dream rather than a linear narrative. I put Heart of Darkness and Apocolypse now in the same category.
Probably not the best timing to reveal myself as Mccarthy head given the recent news. Hearing about that gutted me.
I feel Augusta’s view is summed up by Hempel’s quote: “He wondered how we know that what happens to us isn’t good”.
And if you feel bad about looking like a McCarthy fan for his relationship to a minor, at least you’re not an open Burroughs fan. Always relieve yourself with a good comparison!
But yeah, I heard it was rumoured that Cormac became a Malthusian in his later days. Which, if the “littered lawn” is true, it shows how “rules for thee but not for me he is” which makes me see him as a hypocrite, if true. And when “professionals” call someone a “literary genius”, I question if the audience has gone placebo.
With Blood Meridian, instead of feverish, I saw it more as trying to stay in REM stage while, on the other side of my bedroom wall, my room mate natters to themselves with their hand down their silk pyjamas.
I said what I said.
The Road was spectacular, Blood Meridian was…fine…and The Passenger was the worst book I’ve ever read. I continued through the end hoping something would redeem it, and was left with nothing.
I hate committing and getting a womp in return.
Child of God is good.
I'm reminded about the the design for the movie cover of "World's Greatest Dad." It's Robin Williams wholesomely smiling and holding a mug. For the longest time I thought it was a Disney movie. No it is not. No. I was shocked at how cutting and awesome it was and the design kept me away for so long.
I always loved the African version of the Fight Club Poster. Not sure what country it was. Bob finally got the respect he deserved.
But, yeah this is why self-publishing seems more and more appealing to me. Losing control would really suck. Especially if you not only lost control, but also only had marginal success — or none at all haha. You’d be left wondering if those assholes in marketing are to blame.
We had to design book covers in one of my graphic design classes. My friend was designing the "Frankenstein" book cover. He bought those fetal pigs that are used for dissecting in classrooms. He hacked up the pig and then stitched it back together with grimy needle and thread and then photographed it. It was glorious.
That's serious commitment!
It was! And it came out beautifully! One girl adopted a white bunny as a pet in order to photograph it for the "Alice In Wonderland" book cover! Ha! I can't imagine! lol
I'm not as impressed about the bunny. Unless she cut it up. 😂
LOLOL. Naaaah. She didn't do that...as far as I know...mwahahahaha!
Bunny stew. 😁
Now I'm having flash backs of the terrible scene from that crazy lady movie..."Fatal Attraction" AAAAAA! lol
Now that is creative!
Completely!
Man, if only my wife was a publisher. I'd be all set. I guess i'll have to do it the old fashioned way: Win the lottery, self publish, buy a million copies of my book, make all of the best sellers lists, and then finally sign with a publisher. I wonder what the jackpot is up to this week.
It reads like a documentary about a relationship between a writer and manic pixie dream girl with a touch of lolita, 'cause, you know, the 70s. Only in this version the girl has real depth.
I think it is interesting that the physical intimacy of their relationship was so quickly eclipsed by something else; dare I say, something more intimate and profound. What can I say, I'm a romantic at heart and this feels like a love story.
He was obviously lucky to find someone willing to live with the weight of being his muse while not seeking any apparent reward in return. She seems to have found something emotionally valuable in their relationship that was sufficient to sustain her through the years. I imagine her temptation to trade on their relationship would have been great. To maintain outright secrecy, or at least quietude in the face of his need for strict privacy, would have required real strength. That it didn't become corrosive or collapse under the weight of either of their egos is the most impressive part of the story, I think. It says a lot about her character. And his I suppose. Though more hers.
As for the pixie girl trope, I do wonder if she isn't the kind of female character fictional writers always strive to write but never manage to stick the landing. The journalist, I think, does a pretty decent job of revealing her character to us without straying into cliches like victim, etc.
On the other side, I sure wish I knew how McCarthy managed to translate her so successfully onto the page. Taking bits and pieces from the real world I get, but I have to think you have to filter the world through an interesting lens to extract the flavour of someone's character without injuring them or your relationship with them in the process. Having a muse is of little value if you can't take what you see and learn and turn it into a powerful story. Sounds like he found the secret to doing so.
Hey Chuck, have you watched The Whale yet? I can't remember when I recommended it. I just thought that movie made use of some Minimalist concepts. Chorus, reusing objects, very limited settings.
Great movie!
To be honest, I've actively avoided 'The Whale' because 'The Wrestler' almost killed me. Someday I'll watch 'Precious' and 'The Wrestler' and 'The Whale' in one sitting and feel really sad.
I love that answer, you gotta big heart. And yes, if you want to speedrun depression, watch all three in one sitting.
Precious was a fucking devastating movie btw. It's like the director literally took everything horrible that could happen to a person and gave it to Precious. And the book it's based on, "Push" by Sapphire, is extremely voicey. I've only read a couple pages. You talk about characters getting things wrong, that book does that with Precious a lot. I guess it's pretty easy when your protagonist is illeterate.
Make sure to add "Mope" and "Requiem for a Dream" in there too. It's...a lot.
Oh dear, I forgot about Requiem for a Dream. I've seen that one. IDK if I can handle that amount of suffering in one day! Not even Atlas himself can carry that weight. Cheap tryna kill me lol
I gotta watch Mope though.
OMG I just watched it last night. It's not quite the same quality of storytelling as the other movies mentioned but it's absolutely brutal. I couldn't stop watching. lol Although when the cheerleader kicks the guys in the balls...I laughed my ass off. I laughed a lot during that movie but it's also traumatizing.
The Greek business model.