William T Vollmann Central discussion

Bill isn't known for writing about virgins, but I'll ask, "With which volume did you lose your Vollmann cherry?"

I lost mine in the hyperborean The Ice-Shirt. Fortunately, that week coincided with happy nuptials and we have lived in wedded bliss hence and always.

The Rifles kicked my butt.

Europe Central. I came for the WWII, and stayed for the WTV.

Aubrey wrote: "Europe Central. I came for the WWII, and stayed for the WTV."

Nice how that happens. It seems like there are a number of WWII novels that have come to my attention recently, but fortunately I've already got the WTV bug, so his will be my WWII novel. I'm curious if I'll have an interest in another WWII novel after his. Not that he'll exhaust the topic, but wither my interests will run.

The Ice-Shirt as well. I used one of the Norse dream sequences on a few of my students I was tutoring in fiction writing.

Kissing the Mask: Beauty, Understatement, and Femininity in Japanese Noh Theater. That was the perfect book to turn me into a Vollmanniac. Asian culture speaks to me, in particular the Japanese and the gender studies. Being a woman and Asian, that's obvious.

I lost my cherry on Whores for Gloria. Mama always warned me about books like these.

Europe Central was mine. After that, I knew I needed more.

I hadn't read the author blurb, so I had assumed that the author was a 70-year-old German man instead of a 40-50-something American one. Funny how that works.

Whores For Gloria here too...

I have had a rather interesting path to WTV – I hated Europe Central, as evidenced by my review, and had (and still have) some serious issues with some of his views on women expressed both in interview and demonstrated by his choices in his novels and stories I have read (but I will not re-open that can of worms here...). But I am also strongly of the opinion that an author's personal life, and personal opinions are entirely irrelevant when it comes to his work. I also respect many of you enough to keep giving him a try.

Kissing the Mask was very good, but still problematic for me at times. Ice Shirt, however, knocked my socks off, as did Fathers and Crows. I have no doubt that he is both extraordinarily talented, and has ambition and shear bloody guts which should be celebrated. I also agree that he is right up there with the most “important” writers alive. I plan to read the rest of the Dreams next, and then see how the Royal Family goes.

You Bright and Risen Angels was the first Vollmann for me. It was instant love, and even though it's probably not the most typical of his books, it remains my favorite - so beautiful and funny and sad. I actually managed to read it all the way through before, confused at the sudden ending, getting why it was called "Transcendental contents"...

Marc wrote: "You Bright and Risen Angels was the first Vollmann for me."

I reeeeaally want that second half of YBARA ; but I know that my wanting it means that I totally didn't 'get it' ;; and but too, Bill's not 26 any more. But what a fantastic book.

Jonathan wrote: "I plan to read the rest of the Dreams next, and then see how the Royal Family goes."

Jonathan, your Vollmann reading has shored up my thesis about the diversity among Bill's books. I know any writer worth their salt has a diverse set of voices showing up in each book ; but I'm finding Bill's books to a little more than average, differing among themselves -- although, to be sure to remark, there is, on each and every book, something of Vollmann roundly stamped upon their pages. Looking forward to both your reading of The Royal Family, and your possible eventual re-attempt at Europe Central, should that reading possibilize itself eventually.

Nathan "N.R." wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "I plan to read the rest of the Dreams next, and then see how the Royal Family goes."

Jonathan, your Vollmann reading has shored up my thesis about the diversity among Bill's books..."

Agree, and the dislike is more about taste than talent - as I have said elsewhere, some people hate Miles Davis' 80s albums, and some people love them. But both agree on his Genius.

Mine wasnt one of his works, but an introduction he did for Simenon's novel Dirty Snow.

If I pick an actual work, I'm jumping in the deep end. I'm starting with RUaRD.

JK wrote: "If I pick an actual work, I'm jumping in the deep end. I'm starting with RUaRD. "

I feared that it might be your First. A most rewarding place to begin. But, if you find yourself (I mean, Vollmann) getting a bit bogg'd down in Lincoln or Caesar or Trotsky, don't hesitate to dip into the journalism in volumes V & VI. Overall, though I found RURD an incredible page-turner, because even though Lincoln may have gotten a bit long, there was always the What is he going to do in the next chapter?

And congrats on beating the market=pricing for a gorgeous set of you own. Very nice!

I'm sure it will be quite some time before I get to those volumes, but I will endeavor to not let those sections bog me down. I might try to pull a Brian and branch off here and there to read some of the sources for RUaRD. I'm only 30-some pages in and I'm already wanting to read them.


Thanks! I am pretty happy with the price and the condition, it's perfect.

JK wrote: "I might try to pull a Brian and branch off here and there to read some of the sources for RUaRD."

Since those volumes on your shelf ain't going nowhere notime soon, let them leisure there while you like Brian stroll where Bill strolled. And, yep, a great deal of must-reading can be checked off by following Bill's lead.

Working on Europe Central now, and going to read The Royal Family next year. I'm really appreciating all that WTV can offer a reader. His life alone is fascinating.

I stumbled over WTV when I was in undergrad browsing the library stacks one day—I had heard his name thrown around but the size of those hardcovers all in a row (The Royal Family/Fathers and Crows/Poor People/Imperial) really piqued my interest.

Started off with something more manageable in The Butterfly Stories (and got it used from The Strand in NYC for $4.) Followed up with YBARA, and then The Rainbow Stories. His first two definitely impressed me more than The Butterfly Stories, and I am eagerly awaiting starting The Rifles (and then the others in Seven Dreams) which sits on my shelf right now.

It should've been You Bright and Risen Angels, which I stumbled upon in that used bookstore in Denton - can't remember the name but they always have a ton of Vollmann - anyway I "thought it looked cool". But I couldn't finish. (It wasn't a failure on my part; I accidentally left it in a classroom, and it disappeared... Hopefully somebody else fell in love with it!)

But I would've remembered the author's name even if I'd only read the table of contents. I picked up The Rifles about a year later, and I've never thought of it as one of my favorite WTVs, but it was probably the most depressing thing I'd ever read at the time. What really struck me was how different it was from his debut novel. I had to see what else he was capable of.

Sosen wrote: "What really struck me was how different it was from his debut novel. I had to see what else he was capable of. "

I had that same first impression, having started with The Ice-Shirt and then nothing was like it again.

stumbled into "The Ice Shirt" last year and loved it (very mythical, that.) read "The Royal Family" half-way next and set it aside, then picked up "Fathers and Crows" and just finished it yesterday. "Argall" is sitting right next to me as i type, the plan being to read all of the Seven Dreams (and fervently hoping they get all written.)

i always have at least one other book going at the same time (usually a LOT lighter reading) -- and those secondary books keep zipping by while WTV flows more slowly.

love his stuff. and love the *fact* of his stuff.

None of my business, but I want to know how the dude stays married. Anybody know? Cuz if he is then I want what he still has going for him, whatever that is.

Mine was popped by European Central, which I thought was great, and have been hooked since. Just finished Fathers and Crows, next up is The Ice-Shirt, then The Rifles, back to back to back.

Doubledf99.99 wrote: "Mine was popped by European Central, which I thought was great, and have been hooked since. Just finished Fathers and Crows, next up is The Ice-Shirt, then The Rifles, back to back to back."

Sounds nice! Got Argall too?

Yes sure do, after I read European Central, I then read The Dying Grass followed by Argall, those I read on my reading device since they were readily available for download. Waited and waited for Ice-Shirts, Fathers and Crows, and The Rifles to be available for reading devices but that never did materialize.
Pulled the trigger last month and ordered the books, Ice-Shirts and Fathers and Crows are Penguin paperbacks, and The Rifles in hardback.

Cherry popped with The Dying Grass which remains the coolest reading experience of my life. Followed it up with The Rifles and Fathers and Crows. Plan is to continue with Seven Dreams and then Europe Central. Although Carbon Ideologies might have to be read this year as well.

Dax wrote: "Cherry popped with The Dying Grass which remains the coolest reading experience of my life. Followed it up with The Rifles and Fathers and Crows. Plan is to continue with Seven Dreams and then Euro..."

Very nice to hear. and way to start at the top! The Seven Dreams are my favorites of his and pretty much anyone's.

Europe Central. One day a few years ago while looking for something new to read, I was just going through the names of past National Book Award winners. Europe Central seemed to be the mot interesting and the one that stood out the most for me. It also happened to be the only Vollmann book available at my local library (i think that there a few more now..) Next book was Fathers and Crows. It took me about 2 years to read (I'm a slow reader) but holy crap, I plan on reading it again. I accidentally spilled coffee, food and ripped out pages of my first copy, so I will even buy a new one. I'm about halfway through the Dying Grass (I go through phases) and currently plowing through The Ice Shirt.

I started way back when - You Bright and Risen Angels. When it was 1st published (in pb that is)

Paul wrote: "I started way back when - You Bright and Risen Angels. When it was 1st published (in pb that is)"

Very nice! Good to have you around these parts then. Did you pretty much read his books as they were published?

Actually no I didn't. A few were published that didn't appeal at the time, so for instance I've finally caught up with Seven Dreams only last year.

My favourites are probably still You Bright and Risen Angels and Europe Central.

I've read most of them now (the fiction that is). Really glad I finally got round to Seven Dreams.

Angels is a terrific novel. I wrote a review, but didn't give it justice, it's difficult to communicate the thrill of its scrappy, scrawny energy. And also how sad the book is, but in a resigned, funny way.