I just read this, it was very satisfying, and as always i was happy to find a thoughtful review from you to help digest it. The style drew me in right away, especially the long, evocative passages mixing beautiful description of the scenery and allusive digressions into philisophy, literature, astronomy, sailing, etc. And the symbolism and sense of crippled inaction in the shadow of ever impending doom kept me engaged almost all the way through (though there were some portions, particularly in the second half, that dragged). It was so dense in places, I expect to revisit eventually. Thanks as always.
I would recommend the documentary: "Volcano, An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcom Lowry". On the You Tube NFB channel. (National Film Board - Canada).Narrated by Richard Burton. Very haunting production. Lots of good interviews with people who knew Lowry. Could not have picked a better Narrator. Burton being an alcoholic himself.
I actually just bought a copy of this book like a month ago! XD Better Than Food reviewed this book and made it out to be basically just a character study of an alcoholic, but you really make it sound like much more; something highly subtle yet profound. I'm really interested to see what it's like now. (And coincidentally I'm reading The Orchard Keeper right now, so maybe I'll bump Under the Volcano up the tbr list since you say they compliment each other! :D)
Oh there is definitely a reading of the book that is A Portrait of the Artist as an Alcoholic, but I find everything else to be more compelling. The vicious narrative juxtaposed with highly intentional symbolism reminded me of my earliest experiences with Cormac McCarthy. Hope you’re enjoying The Orchard Keeper. Have a great weekend! Cheers, Jack
I have this novel on my TBR shelf, and really enjoyed the film. You make me right to read it, this year! Thanks for this, Jack. 😎🌄😁 Stay _cool,_ down there 🥵🔥🌶️
Well considered and thoughtful as always. Reminds me of a newer translated fiction release I read called Dog Island, which has a similar setup but is structured like a parable.
I’ll have to check out Dog Island, Fraser. I always appreciate the connections you are able to draw to introduce me to new works. I hope your weekend is off to a great start. Best, Jack
Great discussion/analysis! This has been on my tbr for a while, but you made me really want to get to it soon. The connections to Revelations is particularly interesting.
Thanks, Sean! It’s not a book for every reader, but I do think you’d find quite a bit to appreciate. There are so many forms of apocalyptic literature, but it’s rare to find one that is so steeped in John’s vision of Revelation. William Blake is the only immediate writer who comes to mind. Hope your weekend has started well! Cheers, Jack
I honestly wasn’t sure if I would ever find a way in. It reminded me a little bit of reading Blood Meridian for the first time. Hope you’re off to a restful weekend, Brian. Cheers, Jack
This book has always been on my radar as I love reading about Mexico. Some parts of it that you talked about remind me of Graham Greene in The Power and the Glory and The Honorary Counsel. Lawrence wrote a book set in Mexico called The Plumed Serpent that I haven’t read.
Oh, The Power and the Glory is a great connection! That is a powerful work. The priest is definitely a version of the same archetype as the consul here. Great connection! DH Lawrence is very hit or miss for me, so while I love The Rainbow and Women in Love, most of his other novels fell flat for me. I hope you enjoy Under the Volcano if you do read it, Deb. Have a wonderful weekend! Cheers, Jack
@@ramblingraconteur1616 Found Under the Volcano on ebook for $1 so it will be there when I have time. I’m halfway through War and Peace for the first time and am enjoying it.
It took me awhile to get into this one, comparable to my experience reading Blood Meridian, and I can see how many readers would hate this one, Charlotte. Which part of Mexico did you move to? It’s such a diverse nation with its physical geography and regional traditions. I am most familiar with Sonora, Chihuahua, and Baja California, and even those are quite unique. Hope your weekend is off to a great start! Best, Jack
I just read this, it was very satisfying, and as always i was happy to find a thoughtful review from you to help digest it. The style drew me in right away, especially the long, evocative passages mixing beautiful description of the scenery and allusive digressions into philisophy, literature, astronomy, sailing, etc. And the symbolism and sense of crippled inaction in the shadow of ever impending doom kept me engaged almost all the way through (though there were some portions, particularly in the second half, that dragged). It was so dense in places, I expect to revisit eventually. Thanks as always.
I would recommend the documentary: "Volcano, An Inquiry into the Life and Death of Malcom Lowry". On the You Tube NFB channel. (National Film Board - Canada).Narrated by Richard Burton.
Very haunting production. Lots of good interviews with people who knew Lowry.
Could not have picked a better Narrator. Burton being an alcoholic himself.
I actually just bought a copy of this book like a month ago! XD Better Than Food reviewed this book and made it out to be basically just a character study of an alcoholic, but you really make it sound like much more; something highly subtle yet profound. I'm really interested to see what it's like now. (And coincidentally I'm reading The Orchard Keeper right now, so maybe I'll bump Under the Volcano up the tbr list since you say they compliment each other! :D)
Oh there is definitely a reading of the book that is A Portrait of the Artist as an Alcoholic, but I find everything else to be more compelling. The vicious narrative juxtaposed with highly intentional symbolism reminded me of my earliest experiences with Cormac McCarthy. Hope you’re enjoying The Orchard Keeper. Have a great weekend!
Cheers, Jack
I have this novel on my TBR shelf, and really enjoyed the film. You make me right to read it, this year! Thanks for this, Jack. 😎🌄😁 Stay _cool,_ down there 🥵🔥🌶️
The film never quite worked for me, Allen, but I definitely found a way into the novel. Hope you are doing well!
Best, Jack
Well considered and thoughtful as always. Reminds me of a newer translated fiction release I read called Dog Island, which has a similar setup but is structured like a parable.
I’ll have to check out Dog Island, Fraser. I always appreciate the connections you are able to draw to introduce me to new works. I hope your weekend is off to a great start.
Best, Jack
Great discussion/analysis! This has been on my tbr for a while, but you made me really want to get to it soon. The connections to Revelations is particularly interesting.
Thanks, Sean! It’s not a book for every reader, but I do think you’d find quite a bit to appreciate. There are so many forms of apocalyptic literature, but it’s rare to find one that is so steeped in John’s vision of Revelation. William Blake is the only immediate writer who comes to mind.
Hope your weekend has started well!
Cheers, Jack
Not sure my head will ever be right enough to read this. Great review though
I honestly wasn’t sure if I would ever find a way in. It reminded me a little bit of reading Blood Meridian for the first time. Hope you’re off to a restful weekend, Brian.
Cheers, Jack
This book has always been on my radar as I love reading about Mexico. Some parts of it that you talked about remind me of Graham Greene in The Power and the Glory and The Honorary Counsel. Lawrence wrote a book set in Mexico called The Plumed Serpent that I haven’t read.
Oh, The Power and the Glory is a great connection! That is a powerful work. The priest is definitely a version of the same archetype as the consul here. Great connection!
DH Lawrence is very hit or miss for me, so while I love The Rainbow and Women in Love, most of his other novels fell flat for me.
I hope you enjoy Under the Volcano if you do read it, Deb. Have a wonderful weekend!
Cheers, Jack
@@ramblingraconteur1616 Found Under the Volcano on ebook for $1 so it will be there when I have time. I’m halfway through War and Peace for the first time and am enjoying it.
Loved this book. Have you read Anita Brenner's Idols Behind Altars. It's one of the best books I've read on Mexico. I hated the Plumed Serpent.
Modernist, potentially unredeemed apocalypse, addiction literature; sounds like my exact type of thing. Bought it.
I hope you enjoy these, Quentin. I think they are right up your alley. Have a fantastic weekend!
Cheers, Jack
I haven’t heard of this one! Great, insightful review!
Thanks, Alana! It’s a dark but compelling novel. Hope your weekend is off to a great start.
Cheers, Jack
I read this a few years ago before I moved to Mexico and I hated it. There is also a movie that is awful. Nuff said.
It took me awhile to get into this one, comparable to my experience reading Blood Meridian, and I can see how many readers would hate this one, Charlotte.
Which part of Mexico did you move to? It’s such a diverse nation with its physical geography and regional traditions. I am most familiar with Sonora, Chihuahua, and Baja California, and even those are quite unique.
Hope your weekend is off to a great start!
Best, Jack