Hey Chris, I know this video is a few years old but I just wanted to express my appreciation for it. This not only helped further my interest in Vollmann but also was critical in me wrapping my head around YB&RA. I hope you continue to cover more by him in the future.
Very, very kind of you to say. YBaRA is a trip! And totally different from the rest of his repertoire. I’ll be doing plenty of Vollmann on the channel, including his two books of photographs coming out in July! All my best to you.
Chris, do you have any videos where you discuss your reading / note taking process? I'm curious what you generally use post-its and highlighting for... i.e. first character references? words new to your vocabulary? phrases to be recalled?
I watched your other Vollman video last night and now I'm definitely going to check his stuff out. Everything about this guy makes him more and more intriguing.
He is definitely one of the most interesting people out there. Here is my short review on a collection of Vollmann interviews: www.raintaxi.com/conversations-with-william-t-vollmann/
@@LeafbyLeaf i just did, although I’m having a bit of trouble with the baroque language of it, which is fine but difficult for a non-native speaker, same problem I had with Pynchon’s against the day, these guys tend to imply or narrate what’s going on in very very oblique ways, which again, is pretty cool, but not easy. Maybe I’m just obtuse. Also, good work on your infinite jest video-essay. That’s been the most informed video I’ve seen on it yet. Q= ¿do you have any advice for non-American people when reading American literature? Sometimes is a bit difficult to keep up with historic references and stuff, Pynchon for instance seems to be very informed about esoteric bits of history. W/respect to ‘against the day’ I was very excited because I’d heard It was about math, Quaternions, maps-territory relations, etc. But I can’t see the whole picture yet. Very oblique stuff.
@@omarelric Es algo reconfortante leer que a alguien más le sucede lo mismo con estos autores. Como dices, además de la distancia idiomatica (a pesar de leerlos en inglés), hay mucho que se nos escapa por ser de otro país y cultura, pero como dice Lezama Lima, sólo lo difícil es estimulante. ¿De dónde eres?
@@estebanmejia3473 que tal Esteban? Soy de México, un ejemplo de Pynchon en against the day es el breve interés romántico de Kit Traverse: Umeki Tsuragane (ゆめきつらがね), me parece que el nombre de la nipona es un juego de palabras sobre Kit Traverse: "You make kit sure again ~~ umeki tsuragane". Me parece que el personaje Kit es una emulación del protagonista de la novela anarquista "The Princess Casamassima", pero para saber 🤷🤷. Es especulación mía, tienes razón, encontrar ese tipo de innuendos es entretenido y estimulante. ¿De dónde eres tú?
I read "The Ice shirt" last year and started "Fathers and Crows". I find his prose style a bit obtuse and off putting yet I recognize that he is an excellent novelist. Especially as a researcher. I am willing to put in the work for difficult novels and maximilist fiction (I have read Pynchon and 'Ulysses' many times). So my question is ---what secondary sources, if any, do you recommend for accompanying the Seven Dreams?
For concision The Rifles is a favorite among many, but, after my passion for Fathers and Crows, I would say WTV really opens up in The Dying Grass (all this too say: give one or both of those a shot). As for secondary sources, WTV includes all of his sources in the backs of each of the Seven Dreams and I recommend starting there is you want to supplement your experience.
That’s the first in his Seven Dreams series. The second one, Fathers and Crows, is remarkable. The whole project-a close look at the history of the forming of North America (through the clashes of Vikings and Europeans with Natives), with its extensive research and blistering imagination-is unmissable.
I got onto Vollman after reading Franzen's essay about their friendship, and the camping trip that didn't happen at the Salton Sea with David Wallace. Europe Central > The Rainbow Stories > currently on Volume Two of Seven Dreams (Fathers & Crows).
You are literally the only person posting Vollmann content on UA-cam
My mom always told me I’d grow up to do something great.
I like to imagine young Bill in his cube at night, screen lighting his glasses, eating some Twix
Haha, yes! And reading every magazine in the break room, every book in their technical library, and every manual on his colleagues’ desks.
God am I one happy reader since I found your channel.
🙏
Hey Chris, I know this video is a few years old but I just wanted to express my appreciation for it. This not only helped further my interest in Vollmann but also was critical in me wrapping my head around YB&RA. I hope you continue to cover more by him in the future.
Very, very kind of you to say. YBaRA is a trip! And totally different from the rest of his repertoire. I’ll be doing plenty of Vollmann on the channel, including his two books of photographs coming out in July! All my best to you.
Chris, do you have any videos where you discuss your reading / note taking process? I'm curious what you generally use post-its and highlighting for... i.e. first character references? words new to your vocabulary? phrases to be recalled?
Another long Vollmann video? Yes, please!
And stay tuned because I'll be doing one-off videos dedicated to each of his books!
@@LeafbyLeaf Wonderful! I'm looking forward to your thoughts on The Royal Family, my favorite of his fiction so far.
I watched your other Vollman video last night and now I'm definitely going to check his stuff out. Everything about this guy makes him more and more intriguing.
He is definitely one of the most interesting people out there. Here is my short review on a collection of Vollmann interviews: www.raintaxi.com/conversations-with-william-t-vollmann/
Dang, I need to get my hands on this one asap
Yes, you do!
@@LeafbyLeaf i just did, although I’m having a bit of trouble with the baroque language of it, which is fine but difficult for a non-native speaker, same problem I had with Pynchon’s against the day, these guys tend to imply or narrate what’s going on in very very oblique ways, which again, is pretty cool, but not easy. Maybe I’m just obtuse. Also, good work on your infinite jest video-essay. That’s been the most informed video I’ve seen on it yet. Q= ¿do you have any advice for non-American people when reading American literature? Sometimes is a bit difficult to keep up with historic references and stuff, Pynchon for instance seems to be very informed about esoteric bits of history. W/respect to ‘against the day’ I was very excited because I’d heard It was about math, Quaternions, maps-territory relations, etc. But I can’t see the whole picture yet. Very oblique stuff.
@@omarelric Es algo reconfortante leer que a alguien más le sucede lo mismo con estos autores. Como dices, además de la distancia idiomatica (a pesar de leerlos en inglés), hay mucho que se nos escapa por ser de otro país y cultura, pero como dice Lezama Lima, sólo lo difícil es estimulante. ¿De dónde eres?
@@estebanmejia3473 que tal Esteban? Soy de México, un ejemplo de Pynchon en against the day es el breve interés romántico de Kit Traverse: Umeki Tsuragane (ゆめきつらがね), me parece que el nombre de la nipona es un juego de palabras sobre Kit Traverse: "You make kit sure again ~~ umeki tsuragane". Me parece que el personaje Kit es una emulación del protagonista de la novela anarquista "The Princess Casamassima", pero para saber 🤷🤷. Es especulación mía, tienes razón, encontrar ese tipo de innuendos es entretenido y estimulante. ¿De dónde eres tú?
I read "The Ice shirt" last year and started "Fathers and Crows". I find his prose style a bit obtuse and off putting yet I recognize that he is an excellent novelist. Especially as a researcher. I am willing to put in the work for difficult novels and maximilist fiction (I have read Pynchon and 'Ulysses' many times). So my question is ---what secondary sources, if any, do you recommend for accompanying the Seven Dreams?
For concision The Rifles is a favorite among many, but, after my passion for Fathers and Crows, I would say WTV really opens up in The Dying Grass (all this too say: give one or both of those a shot). As for secondary sources, WTV includes all of his sources in the backs of each of the Seven Dreams and I recommend starting there is you want to supplement your experience.
@@LeafbyLeaf Thanks! So I take it they can be read in any order.
Yes, and in fact he isn’t even publishing them in chronological order.
Wow! I'm reading this book as Well! After taking a shower, i'll be back to listen to your review! See you later!
Excellent! I'd love to hear your take on this book too!
I haven't read any Vollmann, but I'm definitely intrigued...which book would you recommend as a good place to start?
Fiction: The Ice Shirt.
Nonfiction: Carbon Ideologies, Vol. I.
@@LeafbyLeaf Thank you! I ordered The Ice Shirt - sounds amazing! :)
That’s the first in his Seven Dreams series. The second one, Fathers and Crows, is remarkable. The whole project-a close look at the history of the forming of North America (through the clashes of Vikings and Europeans with Natives), with its extensive research and blistering imagination-is unmissable.
Leaf by Leaf That sounds very interesting and your description of the series would make an excellent book blurb! :)
Why thank you!
I'm going to save this video till after I read the book. But here's a question: why in the hell is Risen Angels out of print???
It is?! I thought Penguin had rights to print paperbacks.
@@LeafbyLeaf Maybe I'm wrong but the latest paperback edition I can find online is dated 1988.
G. S. Shameful.
I got onto Vollman after reading Franzen's essay about their friendship, and the camping trip that didn't happen at the Salton Sea with David Wallace. Europe Central > The Rainbow Stories > currently on Volume Two of Seven Dreams (Fathers & Crows).
I'm pretty sure it was Vollman who brought me to the attention of your channel, and I'm glad he did!
Fathers and Crows is an amazing achievement! I plan to read it again over my Christmas break.
Thanks so much!