Great review! I went back and reread the five volumes last year, knowing we'll likely never get the final 22, and I think it stands quite well on its own. So much is left open, obviously, but I don't think that really matters, because it's so vivid, with such an amazing atmosphere and such great characters that the five volumes are a beautiful snapshot of a particular, surreal moment in a world with a million different connections that are felt but rarely seen. Which certainly resonates with me.
Works which play with the book form shade into the historical avant-garde (often produced as unique objects) and far predate their appearance in the mainstream. One key work is Tom Phillips' A Humument, a treated Victorian novel which has been highly influential, published originally in 1970. Well worth checking out. Also, on the maximalist front, have you read Georges Perec's Life: A User's Manual? He also wrote a novel without the letter 'e' and was part of the OULIPO group that included Calvino.
This reminds me of how Faulkner had an idea to color-code certain parts of The Sound and the Fury but it was determined to be too expensive. In the end, I'm glad it was published like it was, though I've heard color-coded versions have been electronically published. The disorientation should be part of the book, I feel; imagine if Gaddis's JR was color-coded. (Not to get too off-topic, but I thought this worth mentioning)
I agree. I wouldn’t want to see color-codings on Faulkner’s masterpiece or Gaddis’s opus. Especially where Gaddis exemplifies his ability to handle a cacophony of voices without attribution. How else to simulate this bombardment of the Information Age?
To be fair-they are very robustly built. And I pride myself on my care for books (e.g. I never ever crack the spines in any way). But I do apologize for any anxiety I’ve caused you. No books were harmed during the filming of this video. 😁
Just stumbled onto your channel (with Gravity's Rainbow) and saw these book in your bookshelf :) So I went through your video titles and I'm pretty interested in checking some of the books you mention out! :) But yeah, it feels so funny too when you realize someone has a book with your own signature in it. In the cat collage of Volume 1, and the same cat again in Volume 2 (with my mother's handwriting). 😄 Great review!! And when you mention easter eggs like the pink "familiar" there's also the blue "house" on the very same page. And, as you probably also know, the consistent misspelling of "allways" in this series as well as Only Revolutions, coming from House of Leaves as well (Hallways, allways).
Ok, it is on my TBR, as my library is still closed I will have to go on a hunt and search for this. It sounds absolutely amazing !! Thank you !! I can't wait !! Lee
@@LeafbyLeaf This reminds me of a series of books that was written by Jasper Fford, the Tuesday series that answers the question: What do you think all of the characters in books you read are doing whilst you are not reading them ??
Hi my friend, during this quarantine I have been cleaning and reorganizing and I found that I have 2 copies of the bio of Paul Dirac by Famalo. There are very few out there and this is one of the best mostly about him and not focusing on his maths. If you would like to have it and add it to your science book collection it would be my pleasure to send it to you.
I really need to give this guy a chance, sounds like my cup of tea, I reckon House of Leaves is a good start? Dont have access to physical versions tho, so I hope it doesnt take away from the experience
I can't say with authority, having never seen the digital versions, but I would think HoL would be much easier to digitize than Familiar. Plus, yes, if you read one Danielewski, I would motion for HoL. Let me know what you think!
MZD is my favorite author, and his digital versions of Only Revolutions and The 50 Year Sword are amazing. However, I highly recommend you pick up a physical version of HoL and the familiar series as you would be missing out on a large part of the experience especially on the case of HoL.
My pleasure, George! I really liked this series. It’s a shame it got canceled after the first season. Sherds podcast has a video up that covers HoL, which is still my favorite MZD.
I remember reading House of Leaves way back when and liking it so much I ended up with two signed copies of the book---which really came down to a big Z covering the title page. I didn't really care all that much for Only Revolutions which if I remember correctly was a novel in verse and I don't think I have it anymore. The Familiar sounds pretty interesting though--I think I'm going to give it a shot.
I did not care for Only Revolutions when I first took a look at it but upon giving it another shot and just going with the flow (and reading 8 pages at a time on each side) it became one of my favorite of his books. I'd recommend giving it another shot!
@@RedHedDes Well Patrick I have the Familiar 1 rainy day in May so that's where I'm going next with Danielewski. We'll see how that goes first and then go on from there. If I like that series of books though I will probably do exactly that. Sometimes I do reread. I will have to buy it again though. I will get to that rainy day in May soon--I'd actually like to start before the end of the month because it is May. Right now though I'm on a Martin McDonagh play Hangmen.
Leaf by Leaf I have heard about the House of Leaves a lot. This one sounds interesting too but it is too long of a commitment and that he never got to fulfil his original plan gives it a feeling of incompleteness.
Consider these two points, though: (1) each of these whoppers reads like a 300-page book; and (2) both The Man without Qualities and 2666 were left unfinished. :-)
Isn’t it great when we realize we still have so many great book ahead of us?! I would say 2666 (I’m finishing a reading series of it-note yesterday’s video). TMWQ is sublime but at 1,774 pages it is a commitment.
So, maybe that's why there were good ng to be 27 books. I always thought that was an odd number to choose especially considering he always said each season would have five episodes. I never noticed the multiples of three. You really do have to read every little thing so carefully in his books. I'll have to do reread at some point and see what else I'm definitely missed lol
Great review! I went back and reread the five volumes last year, knowing we'll likely never get the final 22, and I think it stands quite well on its own. So much is left open, obviously, but I don't think that really matters, because it's so vivid, with such an amazing atmosphere and such great characters that the five volumes are a beautiful snapshot of a particular, surreal moment in a world with a million different connections that are felt but rarely seen. Which certainly resonates with me.
Very well said!
The usual great job--particularly notable is the breadth of enthusiastic encompassing of variety.
Thanks, Rick! Should we help Logan find a friend? He seems so desperate.
@@LeafbyLeaf Logan and I have something private going on...it's new, tenuous, and I fear rocking the boot.
Works which play with the book form shade into the historical avant-garde (often produced as unique objects) and far predate their appearance in the mainstream. One key work is Tom Phillips' A Humument, a treated Victorian novel which has been highly influential, published originally in 1970. Well worth checking out. Also, on the maximalist front, have you read Georges Perec's Life: A User's Manual? He also wrote a novel without the letter 'e' and was part of the OULIPO group that included Calvino.
I'm very familiar with the OuLiPo group, but I haven't heard of Tom Phillips' A Humument. Thanks for this!
This reminds me of how Faulkner had an idea to color-code certain parts of The Sound and the Fury but it was determined to be too expensive. In the end, I'm glad it was published like it was, though I've heard color-coded versions have been electronically published.
The disorientation should be part of the book, I feel; imagine if Gaddis's JR was color-coded. (Not to get too off-topic, but I thought this worth mentioning)
I agree. I wouldn’t want to see color-codings on Faulkner’s masterpiece or Gaddis’s opus. Especially where Gaddis exemplifies his ability to handle a cacophony of voices without attribution. How else to simulate this bombardment of the Information Age?
I'm very anxious about how violent you are with that book.
To be fair-they are very robustly built. And I pride myself on my care for books (e.g. I never ever crack the spines in any way). But I do apologize for any anxiety I’ve caused you. No books were harmed during the filming of this video. 😁
Just stumbled onto your channel (with Gravity's Rainbow) and saw these book in your bookshelf :) So I went through your video titles and I'm pretty interested in checking some of the books you mention out! :)
But yeah, it feels so funny too when you realize someone has a book with your own signature in it. In the cat collage of Volume 1, and the same cat again in Volume 2 (with my mother's handwriting). 😄
Great review!! And when you mention easter eggs like the pink "familiar" there's also the blue "house" on the very same page. And, as you probably also know, the consistent misspelling of "allways" in this series as well as Only Revolutions, coming from House of Leaves as well (Hallways, allways).
Gotta love MZD!!!
This channel is fantastic.
Thanks so much!
Totally agree! I just found it and am going to binge hard!
🤘🤘
Ok, it is on my TBR, as my library is still closed I will have to go on a hunt and search for this. It sounds absolutely amazing !! Thank you !! I can't wait !! Lee
Excellent! You’re welcome. Hope you acquire it soon.
@@LeafbyLeaf This reminds me of a series of books that was written by Jasper Fford, the Tuesday series that answers the question: What do you think all of the characters in books you read are doing whilst you are not reading them ??
I’ve only read The Eyre Affair-but it was a fun ride for a bibliophile for sure!
Hi my friend, during this quarantine I have been cleaning and reorganizing and I found that I have 2 copies of the bio of Paul Dirac by Famalo. There are very few out there and this is one of the best mostly about him and not focusing on his maths. If you would like to have it and add it to your science book collection it would be my pleasure to send it to you.
I really need to give this guy a chance, sounds like my cup of tea, I reckon House of Leaves is a good start? Dont have access to physical versions tho, so I hope it doesnt take away from the experience
I can't say with authority, having never seen the digital versions, but I would think HoL would be much easier to digitize than Familiar. Plus, yes, if you read one Danielewski, I would motion for HoL. Let me know what you think!
@@LeafbyLeaf will do! Thx for the response and content as always :)
MZD is my favorite author, and his digital versions of Only Revolutions and The 50 Year Sword are amazing. However, I highly recommend you pick up a physical version of HoL and the familiar series as you would be missing out on a large part of the experience especially on the case of HoL.
Great review!
Thanks!
No esperaba encontrarme al bebeibis por aquí, buenos gustos, hombre de cultura xd
Awesome review. I’m finishing up my second trek thru H.O.L. and I’ve been curious about this series. Definitely gonna check it out.
Thanks! HoL is still my favorite. But MZD really pushes the boundaries of printed fiction with The Familiar.
Thanks for showing the guts of this. I just bought the first 3 volumes. When I will get to them is another story lol. Still haven't read HoL or OR.
My pleasure, George! I really liked this series. It’s a shame it got canceled after the first season. Sherds podcast has a video up that covers HoL, which is still my favorite MZD.
I remember reading House of Leaves way back when and liking it so much I ended up with two signed copies of the book---which really came down to a big Z covering the title page. I didn't really care all that much for Only Revolutions which if I remember correctly was a novel in verse and I don't think I have it anymore.
The Familiar sounds pretty interesting though--I think I'm going to give it a shot.
HoL is a great reading experience. One of a kind. Hope you enjoy The Familiar!
@@LeafbyLeaf I ordered the first book so I will get to it.
I did not care for Only Revolutions when I first took a look at it but upon giving it another shot and just going with the flow (and reading 8 pages at a time on each side) it became one of my favorite of his books. I'd recommend giving it another shot!
@@RedHedDes Well Patrick I have the Familiar 1 rainy day in May so that's where I'm going next with Danielewski. We'll see how that goes first and then go on from there. If I like that series of books though I will probably do exactly that. Sometimes I do reread. I will have to buy it again though. I will get to that rainy day in May soon--I'd actually like to start before the end of the month because it is May. Right now though I'm on a Martin McDonagh play Hangmen.
Great review. I don’t think I’ll ever read this one but will definitely try ‘House of Leaves’.
To be honest, much as I did enjoy this project, House of Leaves remains my favorite.
Leaf by Leaf I have heard about the House of Leaves a lot. This one sounds interesting too but it is too long of a commitment and that he never got to fulfil his original plan gives it a feeling of incompleteness.
Consider these two points, though: (1) each of these whoppers reads like a 300-page book; and (2) both The Man without Qualities and 2666 were left unfinished. :-)
Leaf by Leaf ok. I’m afraid I haven’t read either of them. Which one should i go for? Man without qualities or 2666
Isn’t it great when we realize we still have so many great book ahead of us?! I would say 2666 (I’m finishing a reading series of it-note yesterday’s video). TMWQ is sublime but at 1,774 pages it is a commitment.
Do you know if he chose to do 27 volumes (whether he actually accomplishes it not) because there are 27 books to the NT or is that just a coincidence?
I’m not really sure where that odd number came from, but that is a pretty clever suggestion!
So, maybe that's why there were good ng to be 27 books. I always thought that was an odd number to choose especially considering he always said each season would have five episodes. I never noticed the multiples of three. You really do have to read every little thing so carefully in his books. I'll have to do reread at some point and see what else I'm definitely missed lol
Precisely--there are likely still undiscovered Easter eggs in MZD's oeuvre!
it getting cancelled is so perfect
😜
Great review! He is a genius! Way before his time. 👏🏻👏🏻🙌🏻♥️
Thank you! And-yes, he is! There’s no telling what he will do next.
Leaf by Leaf oh I know! I met him once and he is so kind. I got HOL and TF 1-3 signed. I can’t say enough about him! GOALS! 👏🏻🙌🏻♥️
I didn't come here for a description of House of Leaves!
I'm sorry. :-(