Great stuff here again, Karl. Some of these I am familiar with: others not so much. These days, I am on the look out for new writers. My last decade's worth of reading seems utterly dominated by the same old names, in the same way that I'm still listening to the same music as in 1995. Your words have tempted me to give Schulz and Ligotti a try first. They sound as though they might find a way into my subjective and debateable canon. I'd love your suggestions on where to start. Updike seems to strike you in much the same way as he has always struck me: easier to admire than to like. Lots of lovely sentences about, you know, toasters and bird-baths. I always want a bit more at stake in my fiction. BTW - 'pillowy and humid'! Not too many writers can afford to use up a phrase like *that* on a Substack post. Nice work!
A lot to absorb here, a lot to explore. I love Bruno Schulz, and I've always thought people were gaga over the wrong Murakami. I've read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and A Wild Sheep Chase and I think that's all I need to read. I've never read that Beckett story, but his "siege in the room" trilogy is very important to me, his skeletal, hermetic late stories as well. So much great stuff here! Have you done Gombrowicz yet?
I have to say: some deep cuts. All news to me but Cinnamon Shops, The Sentinel, and of course Ransom of Red Chief.
Great stuff here again, Karl. Some of these I am familiar with: others not so much. These days, I am on the look out for new writers. My last decade's worth of reading seems utterly dominated by the same old names, in the same way that I'm still listening to the same music as in 1995. Your words have tempted me to give Schulz and Ligotti a try first. They sound as though they might find a way into my subjective and debateable canon. I'd love your suggestions on where to start. Updike seems to strike you in much the same way as he has always struck me: easier to admire than to like. Lots of lovely sentences about, you know, toasters and bird-baths. I always want a bit more at stake in my fiction. BTW - 'pillowy and humid'! Not too many writers can afford to use up a phrase like *that* on a Substack post. Nice work!
A lot to absorb here, a lot to explore. I love Bruno Schulz, and I've always thought people were gaga over the wrong Murakami. I've read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and A Wild Sheep Chase and I think that's all I need to read. I've never read that Beckett story, but his "siege in the room" trilogy is very important to me, his skeletal, hermetic late stories as well. So much great stuff here! Have you done Gombrowicz yet?
I have been reading Crane's work recently and I enjoy his subtle but noticeable way of getting his points across.