Recent reading: THE LAST NOVEL
I had read four of David Markson's books prior to recently picking up and reading his most recent, The Last Novel. I headed downtown to The Strand on the advice of Gina Myers and grabbed a (signed!) copy for myself.
This is another of Markson's amazing and unique books, formed solely of fascinating snippets about history, particularly of the arts: painting, writing, music. The occasional self-referential observation is made about "The Novelist," who is juggling all of these snippets in an effort to make them - and his life's work (or just life?) - cohere.
Two things among the hundreds of factoids that really stuck out: a mention of Wayne Gretzky; and of global warming!
This is another of Markson's amazing and unique books, formed solely of fascinating snippets about history, particularly of the arts: painting, writing, music. The occasional self-referential observation is made about "The Novelist," who is juggling all of these snippets in an effort to make them - and his life's work (or just life?) - cohere.
Two things among the hundreds of factoids that really stuck out: a mention of Wayne Gretzky; and of global warming!
Labels: recent reading
posted by Steve Caratzas at 10:03 AM
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2 Comments:
I read Markson's This Is Not a Novel and thought that was interesting. Also stood in a bookshop and read a good chunk of Wittgenstein's Mistress.
The Last Novel. Have you read Michael Kruger's End of the Novel? That was pretty good. He's a German writer.
And then there's Sebold, who sort of does what Markson does, but in much more of a prose thing.
I've never read either Kruger or Sebold, but will seek them out.
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