A comment from the blogkeeper at Underbelly (thank you Buce) inspired me to look this up. I was fairly certain that I had reviewed the book in the recent past, and so I discovered this. a good book is worth appreciation--over and over and over again. Also, while you are appreciating, you might want to take in Underbelly's look at Helena as well. La Belle Hélène on March 18, 2005 8:11 AM In reading Helena last night I stumbled across a large number of passages I would like to share. But I thought the more important thing to share was an observation. Evelyn Waugh liked this best among his books. There are a good many reasons why this might be so: it is splendidly written--both the prose and the coherence are several notches above some of his earlier, more frenetic work. It is tightly done, with just the right strokes and exactly the right selection of detail. But I suspect the reason Waugh prized this above all the other works is that in t...
Steven, if I were to recommend half a dozen books written in the last twenty five years that everyone must read, McCarthy's BLOOD MERIDIAN would certainly be included in that limited list. So, what are you waiting for now? Read it! And then tell me what you think.
ReplyDeleteDear RT,
ReplyDeleteI've started it several times and found it not to my taste--but I tend to be a very moody reader. So, how 'bout this--I'll pick up Blood Meridian when you pick up Ulysses! I know, you're embarking on Bleak House (another I need to revisit) shortly, but surely you can fit Ulysses into a gap somewhere in your book list?
I will be picking up Blood Meridian soon--but I have several books of short stories I need to get through first--most importantly The Streams of Affection, but also Pastoralia and perhaps Wells Tower's opus d'annee.
shalom,
Steven
Let me know when you begin BLOOD MERIDIAN. That will be my provocation to begin (and complete?) ULYSSES. Deal?
ReplyDeleteDear RT,
ReplyDeleteAbsolutement!
shalom,
Steven