I'm going to begin reading Bellow's Herzog tonight. How do you begin reading a new novel? How about a new author? Fast? Slow? Reluctant? Eager? For me it's some combination of the last three. This usually results from a kind of hangover from the novel before. Regardless of the quality of it, it's tough for me to transition. It's like having to make a new friend. And I'm not particularly gregarious in my real life, and not really in my literary life either. I like to go with what I know.
Actually I have read about half of Bellow's Henderson the Rain King, and some short fiction, so he's not entirely new. But I haven't really gotten caught up in his work. And some people I admire say that you must read (and this means indirectly that you must like) him. So here goes. The positives are that if it's good, then there's a lot of material to cover, and the friendship can become long term. As it is becoming with MacEwan. As it has been (and still is in rereadings) with McCarthy, Carver, and Ford.
The ride in: Temp -16'C Wind NNW 20 ks
The ride home: Temp - 15'C Wind ESE 15 ks
1 comment:
Bellow has a way of bringing the reader into Herzog's mind as he pulls apart each section of it and brings it to light, besides just using a series of letters to narrate. It's a good read... enjoy!
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