I don’t think he could have written a story like this, with this level of quality, without having lived as much of his life as he had before he started writing.
The copying a short story, or any literature you like, is a great tip. By copying someone else you can start to see the structure they used to make it, and then you can use that structure as a kind of guideline for your own writing. I don't feel like I need those guides in my own writing anymore, but I still do it whenever I have writing block or just want to understand something better.
Thuggy Thursdays I remember hearing that Hunter Thompson did this with the Great Gatsby when he was young. It really is a pretty great tip. It helps for sure.
The message of encouragement found within this video was most definitely something that I needed to hear. Another thing I appreciate is you sharing Pollock’s back story. That’s pretty nifty, if I do say so myself. Also, I independently thought that Pollock’s work gives off the same vibe as McCarthy’s writing. Happy to hear that this comparison wasn’t some sort of lame projection that I had. Sometimes, self-doubt can be a son of a bitch. Anyways, if you actually read this sleep deprived post, I kindly thank you. If not, I completely understand. And lastly, thank you for making this channel, sharing your insights, and your library. It is much appreciated, sir. Peace ✌🏻 and Respect ✊🏻.
Wow, this sounds like an absolutely incredible book! I definitely need to check it out! And just another reason, why I am happy to support the channel!
I absolutely love Pollocks atmosphere, it’s such an intense version of noir that reminds me a lot of shows like True Detective. No really redeemable characters, dreary locations, the naked underbelly of humanity
Donald Ray Pollock is easily one of my favorite authors. I had the same reaction you did when reading Knockemstiff and The Devil all the Time. I think one of my favorite aspects of Pollock is his ability to develop characters. Although there is no real "hero" in his stories, he has this ability to humanize even the darkest of characters. I cannot wait to see what Netflix does with this book, and I'm so thrilled Pollock is getting the recognition he deserves.
I had the pleasure of only recently reading the book and immediately watching the movie adaption. The movie does a great job but cannot give the complete picture the book gives.
It’s never too late. My late wife had been a nurse for 30 years but went back to school in her 50s. Got her Bachelors degree online then her Nurse Practitioner degree at Vanderbilt. She got a interview and a job as a NP within a week of graduating. She increased her income by 6x. It’s never too late.
If you're curious, you were a bit misinformed about the weather in Texas. I live between Austin and San Antonio, and it snowed a couple of inches here. But the last time wasn't 80 years ago. San Antonio got 13 inches in the winter of '86-'87. And it snows in the Panhandle quite frequently, seeing as how far north it is.
I found out about this book from the announcement of the upcoming netflix film and when I read the summary, I knew for sure it was the kind of book I would like. I got the book. It has exceeded all my expectations. One of my top three books for far.
Amazing book. They rarely make these. It's not your usual crime story. Every chapter is just punching you in the guts. Each character goes through some crazy shit. The intro is dark and so well written that you can't put it down. I hope his other books are as good.This is a first novel for Christ s sake...like Bukowski never too late to write.
You ought to check out the works by Larry Brown. Like Pollock, he has a similar and interesting background on how he started writing, and eventually got published. I actually came across him through discovering Pollock. I bought a collection of short stories titled, "Facing The Music," and on the back cover, one of the authors who gave him praise was Harry Crews.
D. R. Pollock's success story is truly inspiring. John Gardner, one of my favorite novelists (gone too soon), also applied a similar practice technique. In ON BECOMING A NOVELIST, Gardner specifically recommends typing out James Joyce's "The Dead." I don't consider myself a writer nor do I intend to write someday, but I've devoured all of Gardner's work and his books about writing definitely gave me a different and more appreciative perspective on the art of writing. Great review!
I really loved this review. You should read and review Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie and The God Of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. Pretty sure you'll love them!
One of my all time favorites. Deserves a place in the absolute echelon of the best-of-the-best. And this channel kicks fucking asses. I'm obliged, Mr. Clifford Lee Sargent.
As a Midwestern writer who has lived my whole life in a myriad of Minnesota small towns, this sounds EXACTLY like my cup of coffee and whiskey. I absolutely love your style and vision, man. Question: are you in the business of critiquing lesser known authors? I've had several short stories published but still working on ye ol novel. Thanks Cliff, you're one of a kind
Great review. I really enjoyed this. My wife grew up near Donald and I'm looking forward to connecting with him sometime. Seems like such an honest man for sure.
Getting the book tomorrow!! Can't wait for you all to come to my hometown of Jacksonville, Alabama and start filming!!! I can't wait to read the book and then see how well the movie is portrayed!! Good luck with everything!! Here's to hoping that my little family will be able to see, and maybe even meet, some of you! My girls would think I'm the coolest Mom ever if they could meet Robert Pattison!! 🤩🤩👋👋👋👋👌👌👌👀👀💘💘💘
Hey Clifford, love the show, you're my go-to when I'm in the market for a new read. (Working through 'Swann's Way' and DRP's 'The Heavenly Table,' which me and my wife like to read aloud to one another.) Can't support the show right now as we're desperately poor but I'm hoping one day to be able to buy your coffee. Great content and all the best from Syracuse. - Simon.
Revisited this as i watched the film adaptation last week and needed to remind myself of a few things. You mention William Gay in this, ever read any of his stuff? I have Provinces Of The Night but haven't got round to it yet.
Hey, great review man. Top dollar shit if I may say so myself. Will definitely be donating when I'm more financially stable. Wondering if you've read Nick Caves book "And the ass saw the angel"? an absolutely beautiful book, every sentence just seems like... better than food. Good shit man.
I wonder if anyone may have a recommendation to a book similar to this? Well-written southern gothic with multiple characters that isn't holding gritty stuff back. Thank you.
A few years ago Terri Gross interviewed Pollack to good effect. I’m sure you could look up the podcast.BTW- this is the only book I’ve ever thought was as fabulously seedy lurid and violent as Blood Meridian.
Think you might like or appreciate the song WOE TO ALL (ON THE DAY OF MY WRATH) by Lingua Ignota its a hardcore industrial opera about the terrifying old testiment version of god lol reminds me of diamanda galas meets early swans/the body
HideoMaximus he pretty much gets off to the pictures of sandy with the dead victims they picked up. He actually does this all throughout the book. As it’s pretty much the only way he finds sexual pleasure...
No thank you. Saw a bit of the movie, and i felt dirty and needed a shower. None of my family liked it. And ive seen the devils rejects from rob zombie...........
Coffee/Book Giveaway: 17:43
"You have to have lived a life before you have something to right about." Very powerful thing to say. I always have to remind myself I'm not too late.
I don’t think he could have written a story like this, with this level of quality, without having lived as much of his life as he had before he started writing.
The copying a short story, or any literature you like, is a great tip. By copying someone else you can start to see the structure they used to make it, and then you can use that structure as a kind of guideline for your own writing. I don't feel like I need those guides in my own writing anymore, but I still do it whenever I have writing block or just want to understand something better.
Thuggy Thursdays I remember hearing that Hunter Thompson did this with the Great Gatsby when he was young. It really is a pretty great tip. It helps for sure.
Heard writer / director Paul Thomas Anderson suggest that at a writers guild too.
The message of encouragement found within this video was most definitely something that I needed to hear. Another thing I appreciate is you sharing Pollock’s back story. That’s pretty nifty, if I do say so myself.
Also, I independently thought that Pollock’s work gives off the same vibe as McCarthy’s writing. Happy to hear that this comparison wasn’t some sort of lame projection that I had. Sometimes, self-doubt can be a son of a bitch.
Anyways, if you actually read this sleep deprived post, I kindly thank you. If not, I completely understand.
And lastly, thank you for making this channel, sharing your insights, and your library. It is much appreciated, sir.
Peace ✌🏻 and Respect ✊🏻.
Wow, this sounds like an absolutely incredible book! I definitely need to check it out!
And just another reason, why I am happy to support the channel!
I absolutely love Pollocks atmosphere, it’s such an intense version of noir that reminds me a lot of shows like True Detective. No really redeemable characters, dreary locations, the naked underbelly of humanity
Yep. That's Ohio, all right.
Donald Ray Pollock is easily one of my favorite authors. I had the same reaction you did when reading Knockemstiff and The Devil all the Time. I think one of my favorite aspects of Pollock is his ability to develop characters. Although there is no real "hero" in his stories, he has this ability to humanize even the darkest of characters. I cannot wait to see what Netflix does with this book, and I'm so thrilled Pollock is getting the recognition he deserves.
@@cornettino295 This was the greatest news I've heard all day! Can't wait till the 15th!
I had the pleasure of only recently reading the book and immediately watching the movie adaption. The movie does a great job but cannot give the complete picture the book gives.
It’s never too late. My late wife had been a nurse for 30 years but went back to school in her 50s. Got her Bachelors degree online then her Nurse Practitioner degree at Vanderbilt. She got a interview and a job as a NP within a week of graduating. She increased her income by 6x. It’s never too late.
Hunter Thompson also typed his favourite stories to learn how to write.
Nice!
I got to see Thompson who did a lecture at my college in the 70s.
This book and blood meridian are my all time fav thanks to your reviews i picked them up and never looked back.
Check out S. Craig Zahler
Kill Count:
Willard Russell: 4
Natural Causes: 3
Carl & Sandy Henderson: 6
Roy Laferty: 1
Arvin Russell: 4
Total: 18
If you're curious, you were a bit misinformed about the weather in Texas. I live between Austin and San Antonio, and it snowed a couple of inches here. But the last time wasn't 80 years ago. San Antonio got 13 inches in the winter of '86-'87. And it snows in the Panhandle quite frequently, seeing as how far north it is.
I found out about this book from the announcement of the upcoming netflix film and when I read the summary, I knew for sure it was the kind of book I would like. I got the book. It has exceeded all my expectations. One of my top three books for far.
Amazing book. They rarely make these. It's not your usual crime story. Every chapter is just punching you in the guts. Each character goes through some crazy shit. The intro is dark and so well written that you can't put it down. I hope his other books are as good.This is a first novel for Christ s sake...like Bukowski never too late to write.
You ought to check out the works by Larry Brown. Like Pollock, he has a similar and interesting background on how he started writing, and eventually got published. I actually came across him through discovering Pollock. I bought a collection of short stories titled, "Facing The Music," and on the back cover, one of the authors who gave him praise was Harry Crews.
D. R. Pollock's success story is truly inspiring. John Gardner, one of my favorite novelists (gone too soon), also applied a similar practice technique. In ON BECOMING A NOVELIST, Gardner specifically recommends typing out James Joyce's "The Dead." I don't consider myself a writer nor do I intend to write someday, but I've devoured all of Gardner's work and his books about writing definitely gave me a different and more appreciative perspective on the art of writing. Great review!
I really loved this review. You should read and review Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie and The God Of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. Pretty sure you'll love them!
Man..every time u review a book, I wana buy it and read! Keep up the great reviews!
One of my all time favorites. Deserves a place in the absolute echelon of the best-of-the-best. And this channel kicks fucking asses. I'm obliged, Mr. Clifford Lee Sargent.
A great review and thoughts on this, thank you. I just randomly watched the movie and now need more deeper details of the book. Ordered today.
Great review! I’ve been watching since day one and can’t get enough! Could you possibly review some John Cheever or Raymond Carver?
Joaquin Contreras Live Cheever's Falconer, me, and Carver, well, hell yes!
..for more small town goodness, tory Pop. 1280 by Jim Thompson, or any Thompson novel, probably
As a Midwestern writer who has lived my whole life in a myriad of Minnesota small towns, this sounds EXACTLY like my cup of coffee and whiskey.
I absolutely love your style and vision, man.
Question: are you in the business of critiquing lesser known authors?
I've had several short stories published but still working on ye ol novel.
Thanks Cliff, you're one of a kind
A great book by a guy who worked 32 years in a paper mill in West Virginia.
Your review and info about the author was so damn inspirational. Thank you man. I just discovered this channel and I’m so glad I did.
Great novel, can't wait for Donald's next one. Awesome that you mentioned "Murder Ballads"!!
Great review. I really enjoyed this. My wife grew up near Donald and I'm looking forward to connecting with him sometime. Seems like such an honest man for sure.
Getting the book tomorrow!! Can't wait for you all to come to my hometown of Jacksonville, Alabama and start filming!!! I can't wait to read the book and then see how well the movie is portrayed!! Good luck with everything!! Here's to hoping that my little family will be able to see, and maybe even meet, some of you! My girls would think I'm the coolest Mom ever if they could meet Robert Pattison!! 🤩🤩👋👋👋👋👌👌👌👀👀💘💘💘
Hey Clifford, love the show, you're my go-to when I'm in the market for a new read. (Working through 'Swann's Way' and DRP's 'The Heavenly Table,' which me and my wife like to read aloud to one another.) Can't support the show right now as we're desperately poor but I'm hoping one day to be able to buy your coffee. Great content and all the best from Syracuse. - Simon.
All the best back to you and your wife, what a great thing to do together. Thank you for watching!
read "no longer human", feel you would like it
my homie you nailed this one perfectly, now tell him what he should read in 2023
@@Graenelolz hahaha, I know right. He finally got around to Dasai
The lived experience Pollock has is definitely his magic key.
Ayyy fellow Floridan. It's freezing man
Revisited this as i watched the film adaptation last week and needed to remind myself of a few things.
You mention William Gay in this, ever read any of his stuff? I have Provinces Of The Night but haven't got round to it yet.
Pollock also wrote an entire book of connected vignettes about Knockemstiff, Ohio.
Good stuff, very bleak.
Sounds interesting! Really like how you tied in William Gay’s story
Hey, great review man. Top dollar shit if I may say so myself. Will definitely be donating when I'm more financially stable. Wondering if you've read Nick Caves book "And the ass saw the angel"? an absolutely beautiful book, every sentence just seems like... better than food. Good shit man.
Sittin on ma shelf staring me down.
Thanks for watching man
some great prose in this book although it drags a bit
Have you read The mandarins by simone de beauvoir really clever and doesnt get enough coverage, would love it if you did a review.
Again, Clifford, thx for the review and turn on, yet another TBR ... I will talk about it, too.
I wonder if anyone may have a recommendation to a book similar to this? Well-written southern gothic with multiple characters that isn't holding gritty stuff back. Thank you.
Another great review mr. Sargent. I think that "Memories of My Melancholy Whores" by Marquez could be a great material for your next review.
Wasn’t the phrase “knockemstiff” used in the movie?
After the trailer ?!!
I rather like the cover of it!
A few years ago Terri Gross interviewed Pollack to good effect. I’m sure you could look up the podcast.BTW- this is the only book I’ve ever thought was as fabulously seedy lurid and violent as Blood Meridian.
This whole book felt like a Big Black album to me. In other words it's all I've ever wanted from a story.
Think you might like or appreciate the song WOE TO ALL (ON THE DAY OF MY WRATH) by Lingua Ignota its a hardcore industrial opera about the terrifying old testiment version of god lol reminds me of diamanda galas meets early swans/the body
13:00 Raymond Carver, yes ...
Kerosene, man... what a great jam.
All the cutting in this video drives me absolutely crazy. But...the book sounds good, thanks.
I want to re-read Homeboy, by Seth Morgan, too ...
this comment might not get seen, but what jacket is that? I love it
What was that scene with Carl in the bathroom?
HideoMaximus he pretty much gets off to the pictures of sandy with the dead victims they picked up. He actually does this all throughout the book. As it’s pretty much the only way he finds sexual pleasure...
Just finished it. The hell of a good written book. Every chapter left a will to continue reading.
Knockemstiff is genius.
amazon keeps trying to sell me this due to my JR Lansdale love, sold dude.............maybe its not too late..........
12:00 Harry Crews did same thing, as you know by now, lol.
No thank you. Saw a bit of the movie, and i felt dirty and needed a shower. None of my family liked it. And ive seen the devils rejects from rob zombie...........
Well this is a book review, so...
Hahaha
I think Spielberg recommended copying entire screenplays as an exercise to young screenwriters.