Dip a Toe in Vollmann

Bookforum on Vollmann:

The truly prolific author, as distinct from the merely respectably productive one, is either a genre writer or a relic. From our distant vantage, the exhausting labors of a writer such as Trollope are merely an instance of his era's diligence and discipline (those Victorians and their steady habits!); the hypercaffeinated energies of Balzac, too, seem of a piece with the transformative currents that coursed through the nineteenth century. But these days writers reap greater rewards if they publish less frequently. Those who write on a grand scale can shape an entire career around a few magisterial efforts, usually spaced a decade or so apart, with well-placed excerpts offered as teasing previews of the masterpiece in the making. This of course is the Joycean model, and it's rather shrewd. Had Joyce published eight or nine massive novels in the seventeen-year interim between Ulysses and Finnegans Wake, would we regard either of those books, or Joyce himself, in quite the same way?

By amassing such a vast bibliography in less than two decades, Vollmann has probably denied himself the readership he might otherwise have enjoyed.

Couldn't agree more. My own experience with Vollmann was similar. Long before I read him I had heard of the massive output and, well, I regarded him as something of a curiosity. Subconsciously I made the connection: If he's written that much it can't be that good. This guy must get his notoriety from his output, not his skill.

Not only that, but I suffered from the question of Where to start? Monumental productivity can be daunting, and if you're not an initiate it's hard to know where to begin. Plus, if each book is a brick it's that much more intimidating to think you might make the wrong decision. Not only are you saddled with a bad book, but a huge bad book.

Well, I'm here to tell you two things.

#1 Based on what I've read, and conversations I've had with other Vollmann readers whom I trust, Vollmann really is that good.

#2 If you want to get started on Vollmann, but don't know where, here are some ideas:

• An Afghanistan Picture Show--Pgs: 286. Period: Early. Non-fiction. This is Vollmann's story of his idealistic and haphazard time fighting the Soviets with the mujahadeed in Afghanistan. It's pretty easy by Vollmann standards and is a good intro to non-fiction Vollmann. The one problem is it's out of print. Amazon has lots of copies used.
• The Rainbow Stories--Pgs: 560. Period: Middle. Fiction--Short stories. I'm calling this The Royal Family-lite. It's about lowlifes in San Francisco, but instead of one massive novel, it's a fairly large collection of 13 stories. In-print and of moderate difficulty.
• You Bright and Risen Angels--Pgs: 656. Period: Early. Fiction--Novel. This is Vollmann's first work, the one that put him on the map. It immediately drew comparisons to Pynchon's V.
• Expelled from Eden--Pgs: 512. Period: Mixed. Fiction/Non-fiction. For those who truly can't decide, you can have the Vollmann reader. Includes miscellaneous bits and pieces from throughout Vollmann's career. Also has the picture of him pointing a gun to his head.
• The Rifles--Pgs: 411. Period: Middle. Fiction. If you want to try on of Vollmann's Seven Dreams series, this is the shortest (so far).

So there you go, 5 good Vollmann recommendations. Now you have no excuse. Go out and try Vollmann today.

Comments

[ed]

Actually, Scott, given that The Rainbow Stories is his second book, wouldn't it be early Vollmann? :)

Also, I think it's a surprisingly accessible book. Certainly nowhere nearly as arduous as his Elizabethan language or the pomo pastures of "You Bright and Risen Angels."

[Alysson Oliveira]

I'm reading "The Rainbow Stories" -- my first Vollman -- and enjoying a lot. Really good, moving. I also have "Central Europe" and "The Royal Family", and I intend to read them shortly.

I decided to read "Raibow" after being suggest by this website.

Thank you.

[Tom]

I am reading "Fathers And Crows" and it's amazing. Of course, it's taking me a long time to read, but it's certainly a labor of love. I get so much out of it, and I save it for my special time of reading, mostly in the morning with my first cup of coffee. And it keeps on giving, like at about page 600, it dawned on me on how hilarious it actually is, meaning that ever so subtley Vollmann is giving us the hugest of jokes. Now maybe I am naive, but I don't think so because it can be read on so many levels. Damn, it's good! My first Vollmann was "The Ice Shirt" and that compelled me to read further. I also read "Poor People" which for accessibility, I think this is a good starter. I enjoyed but not nearly as much as this Dream Series. Read him today. Not a second gets wasted if you do.

[Jayma]

Yes, Bill is fearless and a great guy.
Never could get into "You Bright and Risen Angels"
Love his books and articles that are as raw as life is. Why cover our eyes ?
"Open my eyes and my mouth will sing your praise."

[Deniz]

The Rainbow Stories has the standard this is a work of fiction any resemblance to actual persons living or dead thing on the copyright info page, but it's actually a mixture of fiction and non-fiction.