Adjacent, but 'life's required sadness' is a lovely phrase and sentiment. Reminds me of the line in Schopenhauer, '…philosophical astonishment is therefore at bottom perplexed and melancholy; philosophy, like the overture to Don Juan, begins with a minor chord.'
Nice. Poignant words. I also had one of my favorite German words, Weltschmerz, in mind as I read the article— "denoting a deep sadness about the insufficiency of the world. The translation can differ depending on context; in reference to the self it can mean "world-weariness", while in reference to the world it can mean "the pain of the world". [wiki] I originally learned it as being "the necessary burden one feels by merely existing in this world."
Thanks, Denise! It's been an intense two weeks cramming everything into shape, but it was such a thrill. -- And, as a paid subscriber, you played a role in bringing this opportunity to fruition, so double thanks.
Every piece of yours I read leaves me more impressed. Amidst imagery of AI machine gods reaching through time to assemble themselves, I'm grateful for human gift and grit extending their strength and scope over social and literal space. What a worthwhile journey and wonderful work here. I'll be happy to support more.
Thanks, Toby! My favorite part of the process is probably whittling those sections down to what seems like their tightest form, I appreciate you recognizing it!
Oh yes, and much more to come after ATFF! I didnt get to explore it in the essay but he's got a completed novel, about 700 pages, that he wrote a few years ago; it's called HOW YOU ARE and it's a sibling book to LUCKY STAR. Very graphic, is the impression I get. He faced some hurdles getting it considered by editors at the time and just set it aside. He said he doesnt want to waste time pushing it through the system, and he has a literary "executrix" who will decide what to do with it.
I loved Lucky Star so that’s welcome news. But I have to say I’m befuddled by the publishing world’s newfound (?) puritanical stance to WTV’s unpublished work. He’s never hidden who he is or what his interests are. Would The Royal Family or Whores for Gloria be published now? I’m not so sure…
Good point. I think there’d be a chance, as of the past year or two, but the reason he fell out with Viking is basically over that sort of controversy: they made him change the title from The Lesbian to The Lucky Star, while also making clear to him that they didn’t mind releasing a book called The Lesbian, they just wouldn’t release a book by him that was called The Lesbian.
I’m half tempted to level curses at the universe for how the fate of certain people is ordered, especially for artists and human beings like Bill. Why should he be facing the grave while evil pieces of shit like the gilded orange turd are blessed with longevity? But I take comfort in knowing the former’s work and their power will never diminish while the latter’s work, if you can it that, will be regarded with contempt and disregard forever.
This is just a masterpiece, Sorondo. I don't know how you keep on cranking these. Just incredible. I have the strange feeling of watching an old master while he is still young
Thank you! I certainly went farther for this piece than anything else I've done, so I'm happy to think the effort might be reflected in the final product
As someone who owns one of those Mustangs, the doors are ridiculous. The front ones have a little lip under the button to pull the door open, but the back ones just have the gap between the door and frame. Very odd design choices.
Well-written and interesting as always, even if, as often the case in re: my own interests, in service of a writer I find overrated. My personal "scales from the eyes" moment regarding how self-serving and insular the publishing world is came when I read Europe Central, so praised, so awarded, so very not good. Not very bad, you understand, just not very good. Mediocre at best and with a tenuous grasp of the political undercurrents it tries to depict.
I'm sorry to hear you didn't connect with Vollmann's genius, but glad you're in the minority. And although I have yet to read EC, considering the sheer amount of research he puts into every project and his lifelong fascination with political undercurrents as you say, I imagine his grasp is stronger than you suggest.
Have you read any other Vollmann? His subject matter varies greatly and if something didn't hit for you something else might
Why do you feel obligated to try to persuade me to read him? As I thought my comment demonstrated, you don’t have to care about Vollmann to appreciate Alex’s work on him and others (although nope, sorry, not going to read about Bret Easton Ellis), nor is testosterone-riven-maximalism the only literary mode worth reviving and taking inspiration from.
As a side note, copious research is not in and of itself any kind of intrinsic good. It bespeaks at least an earnestness as to the project, but you can do lots of research and fail to understand it, or fail to use it well, or even fail to incorporate it at all. It also is no substitute for psychological acuity.
I like it when people like things worth liking, I suppose. And to dismiss a writer of Vollmann's stature off of one book strikes me as a disservice to a vast and varied corpus. But you do you, of course. There is only so much we can read in a lifetime. I enjoy a dose of estrogen-infused-minimalism myself, but generally dig what WTV does much more
What a life. Great interview.
Thanks, Deirdre! Doubly so for being a paid subscriber and helping subsidize my first-ever stretch of travel reporting!
You’re welcome, I’m so glad you were able to go.
Man, that was some special sauce and I didn't even have to ask for it. Delicious with earthy overtones of life's required sadness.
Well shit, dude. Thanks for the kind words, I'm really glad you enjoyed it!
Adjacent, but 'life's required sadness' is a lovely phrase and sentiment. Reminds me of the line in Schopenhauer, '…philosophical astonishment is therefore at bottom perplexed and melancholy; philosophy, like the overture to Don Juan, begins with a minor chord.'
Nice. Poignant words. I also had one of my favorite German words, Weltschmerz, in mind as I read the article— "denoting a deep sadness about the insufficiency of the world. The translation can differ depending on context; in reference to the self it can mean "world-weariness", while in reference to the world it can mean "the pain of the world". [wiki] I originally learned it as being "the necessary burden one feels by merely existing in this world."
So glad you were able to do this. Two powerful writers meet face to face. Thanks for sharing
Thanks, Denise! It's been an intense two weeks cramming everything into shape, but it was such a thrill. -- And, as a paid subscriber, you played a role in bringing this opportunity to fruition, so double thanks.
Every piece of yours I read leaves me more impressed. Amidst imagery of AI machine gods reaching through time to assemble themselves, I'm grateful for human gift and grit extending their strength and scope over social and literal space. What a worthwhile journey and wonderful work here. I'll be happy to support more.
Wow, heavy praise, thank you! I appreciate all your support in these long and risky projects. Every paid subscriber is just as much to thank
I'm from Sacramento and I can testify that it was probably hotter then Satan's nutsack this time of year. 🥵
Very bizarre: 70 degrees at 9 a.m. and 90 by noon
Great piece. WTV is and was a hero to me.
The short sections create this great punchy style. Well observed. The pellegrino winking in the landfill etc
Thanks, Toby! My favorite part of the process is probably whittling those sections down to what seems like their tightest form, I appreciate you recognizing it!
Reminded me a little of Robison’s Why Did I Ever. A great scene-driven style
Thank you for this. He is very likely the most unjustly unrecognized literary talent in this era.
It was a great privilege to even get the opportunity. Fingers crossed that Table for Fortune gets the attention it deserves.
Thank you for this, Alex. It's good to check in with an old master as he wraps things up.
Thanks! It was a great opportunity, I'm grateful I got the chance to pursue it.
Jesus, a lotta feelings here. Terrifying and touching. I am bolstered by the reality of thousands of his pages I’ve yet to read.
Oh yes, and much more to come after ATFF! I didnt get to explore it in the essay but he's got a completed novel, about 700 pages, that he wrote a few years ago; it's called HOW YOU ARE and it's a sibling book to LUCKY STAR. Very graphic, is the impression I get. He faced some hurdles getting it considered by editors at the time and just set it aside. He said he doesnt want to waste time pushing it through the system, and he has a literary "executrix" who will decide what to do with it.
I loved Lucky Star so that’s welcome news. But I have to say I’m befuddled by the publishing world’s newfound (?) puritanical stance to WTV’s unpublished work. He’s never hidden who he is or what his interests are. Would The Royal Family or Whores for Gloria be published now? I’m not so sure…
Good point. I think there’d be a chance, as of the past year or two, but the reason he fell out with Viking is basically over that sort of controversy: they made him change the title from The Lesbian to The Lucky Star, while also making clear to him that they didn’t mind releasing a book called The Lesbian, they just wouldn’t release a book by him that was called The Lesbian.
I’m half tempted to level curses at the universe for how the fate of certain people is ordered, especially for artists and human beings like Bill. Why should he be facing the grave while evil pieces of shit like the gilded orange turd are blessed with longevity? But I take comfort in knowing the former’s work and their power will never diminish while the latter’s work, if you can it that, will be regarded with contempt and disregard forever.
This is just a masterpiece, Sorondo. I don't know how you keep on cranking these. Just incredible. I have the strange feeling of watching an old master while he is still young
Well shit, very high praise, my friend, thank you so much!
This is great work.
Thanks, Bess! There was a lot at stake, and the panic was very centering.
Really grateful to you for writing this. This is without question some of your best work yet.
Thank you! I certainly went farther for this piece than anything else I've done, so I'm happy to think the effort might be reflected in the final product
As someone who owns one of those Mustangs, the doors are ridiculous. The front ones have a little lip under the button to pull the door open, but the back ones just have the gap between the door and frame. Very odd design choices.
Kinda relieved to hear this -- I was half worried there'd be comments saying I misremembered how ridiculous that door was.
Well-written and interesting as always, even if, as often the case in re: my own interests, in service of a writer I find overrated. My personal "scales from the eyes" moment regarding how self-serving and insular the publishing world is came when I read Europe Central, so praised, so awarded, so very not good. Not very bad, you understand, just not very good. Mediocre at best and with a tenuous grasp of the political undercurrents it tries to depict.
I'm sorry to hear you didn't connect with Vollmann's genius, but glad you're in the minority. And although I have yet to read EC, considering the sheer amount of research he puts into every project and his lifelong fascination with political undercurrents as you say, I imagine his grasp is stronger than you suggest.
Have you read any other Vollmann? His subject matter varies greatly and if something didn't hit for you something else might
Why do you feel obligated to try to persuade me to read him? As I thought my comment demonstrated, you don’t have to care about Vollmann to appreciate Alex’s work on him and others (although nope, sorry, not going to read about Bret Easton Ellis), nor is testosterone-riven-maximalism the only literary mode worth reviving and taking inspiration from.
As a side note, copious research is not in and of itself any kind of intrinsic good. It bespeaks at least an earnestness as to the project, but you can do lots of research and fail to understand it, or fail to use it well, or even fail to incorporate it at all. It also is no substitute for psychological acuity.
I like it when people like things worth liking, I suppose. And to dismiss a writer of Vollmann's stature off of one book strikes me as a disservice to a vast and varied corpus. But you do you, of course. There is only so much we can read in a lifetime. I enjoy a dose of estrogen-infused-minimalism myself, but generally dig what WTV does much more
Funny how you assume it was one book I read as opposed to the one book that alerted me to the probem. . .
Well it was the one you mentioned. If you don't vibe with Vman that's fine by me as long as you gave him a fair shot.
May I ask what writing does move your needle?
This reminds me of the late great journalist & writer David Carr x