I think McCarthy took the Biblically inspired prose and did it better. Like I say, Faulkner used so many words just for the sake of using them, but McCarthy didn't tend to use his words superfluously. There was a greater focus with McCarthy I think; less ostentation. He said what he wanted to say and he said it beautifully, but he didn't ramble on and on and just keep using high level diction for its own sake like Faulker did. If Faulkner had actually been concise with his sentences this book would have been much shorter than it was. XD
Thank you for your thoughtful discussion. I'll admit that I'm often a fan of Faulkner's "goofy" prose! But yes, I would really love to have a conversation with him about why he chose to write with so much repetition. But when it works, gosh it works!
I'm betting he wrote repetitiously because he knew most people probably wouldn't be familiar with words like shibboleth and attenuation and he was like: (cracks knuckles) "Time to wow 'em!" 😂 Lol, Hemingway called him out for it.
I love Faulkner but couldn't finish Absalom. Will try again later. Perhaps you could find a way to display the book on-screen without having to hold it up all the way through? Thanks.
I like your reviews. They are insightful and usually not giving away too much (except on Later). Your sometimes contrarian views are interesting and I am quite a contrarian myself. A few years ago I became interested in southern literature. I've read McCarthy's The Road, Daniel Woodrell's Give Us A Kiss and Michael Ferris Smith's Rivers and Desperation Road so far. I still have Winter's Bone, The Fighter, Blackwood and the Bayou Trilogy on my reading list from mentioned authors. And all of McCarthy's novels.
Thanks for your personal opinion on Faulkner's writing style. I also have trouble comprehending his long sentences, which seem to ramble on forever. He's the only author that I have to back up a page when I take a day off from reading to catch up on the story. Even though he's a challenge to read sometimes, I enjoy his knowledge on this certain era, which sucks me in.
I agree with everything you said about Faulkner, although perhaps I appreciate purple prose more than you. But when the language soars successfully, nobody writes better, especially on such large canvases. As I Lay Dying might be his funniest novel.
Indeed, like I say, when Faulkner actually had his eye on the prize, he was breathtaking. I just wish he had had such focus more of the time. XD And I expect As I Lay Dying will be the next Faulkner I read. :)
If you're from the Deepest South and of a certain age, you have to come to grips with Faulkner sooner or later. And I agree with you on both Faulkner and "Absalom, Absalom".
Well, I'm from Arkansas, and it doesn't get much deeper south than that! XD And yeah, Faulkner is kinda the poster child for southerners in terms of literature, but honestly I think some of those he inspired actually outdid him. XD
Dog days of summer in a dirty Dog Town with my chewed up, pissed-on paperback, Budweiser bottle, and tomato sauce stained wife-beater. Robert Plant dancing with his Black Dog on the dusty K-Mart radio hey hey mama say the way you move gonna make you sweat gonna make you groove, Faulkner in August with the sound and the fury.
Good on you for calling out the classics. While they did pave the way, many of them are so overrated. I haven't read Faulkner, but have noticed the same things in authors like Hemingway and Steinbeck.
Hemingway actually called Faulkner out on the same bs, lol. Something to the effect that he used ten dollar words just for flash and dazzle. At this point I think he was probably right. XD
Neutral on Faulkner but high on McCarthy. Interesting. I usually find similar levels of enthusiasm from people on the duo
I think McCarthy took the Biblically inspired prose and did it better. Like I say, Faulkner used so many words just for the sake of using them, but McCarthy didn't tend to use his words superfluously. There was a greater focus with McCarthy I think; less ostentation. He said what he wanted to say and he said it beautifully, but he didn't ramble on and on and just keep using high level diction for its own sake like Faulker did. If Faulkner had actually been concise with his sentences this book would have been much shorter than it was. XD
Thank you for your thoughtful discussion. I'll admit that I'm often a fan of Faulkner's "goofy" prose! But yes, I would really love to have a conversation with him about why he chose to write with so much repetition. But when it works, gosh it works!
I'm betting he wrote repetitiously because he knew most people probably wouldn't be familiar with words like shibboleth and attenuation and he was like: (cracks knuckles) "Time to wow 'em!" 😂 Lol, Hemingway called him out for it.
I love Faulkner but couldn't finish Absalom. Will try again later. Perhaps you could find a way to display the book on-screen without having to hold it up all the way through? Thanks.
Yeah, I could really use like an easel or something to display the book, lol. XD
I like your reviews. They are insightful and usually not giving away too much (except on Later). Your sometimes contrarian views are interesting and I am quite a contrarian myself.
A few years ago I became interested in southern literature. I've read McCarthy's The Road, Daniel Woodrell's Give Us A Kiss and Michael Ferris Smith's Rivers and Desperation Road so far. I still have Winter's Bone, The Fighter, Blackwood and the Bayou Trilogy on my reading list from mentioned authors. And all of McCarthy's novels.
Do give William Gay a look if you're into southern literature. He was a fantastic writer. And Larry Brown too. :)
@@TH3F4LC0Nx Thanks for the recommendation, will do!
Thanks for your personal opinion on Faulkner's writing style. I also have trouble comprehending his long sentences, which seem to ramble on forever. He's the only author that I have to back up a page when I take a day off from reading to catch up on the story. Even though he's a challenge to read sometimes, I enjoy his knowledge on this certain era, which sucks me in.
Yeah, some of those sentences are so long and winding that you can forget what the point originally was by the time you get to the end. XD
Have you read any Thomas Wolfe?
No, but I do have a copy of Look Homeward, Angel that I found at a flea market. I do need to get around to reading that eventually. :)
@TH3F4LC0Nx Well get ready. His heart is unmatched.
I agree with everything you said about Faulkner, although perhaps I appreciate purple prose more than you. But when the language soars successfully, nobody writes better, especially on such large canvases. As I Lay Dying might be his funniest novel.
Indeed, like I say, when Faulkner actually had his eye on the prize, he was breathtaking. I just wish he had had such focus more of the time. XD And I expect As I Lay Dying will be the next Faulkner I read. :)
If you're from the Deepest South and of a certain age, you have to come to grips with Faulkner sooner or later. And I agree with you on both Faulkner and "Absalom, Absalom".
Well, I'm from Arkansas, and it doesn't get much deeper south than that! XD And yeah, Faulkner is kinda the poster child for southerners in terms of literature, but honestly I think some of those he inspired actually outdid him. XD
I'm from New Orleans, so I always think of there as as deep as the South gets... But I think you're very right about some people he inspired.
Dog days of summer in a dirty Dog Town with my chewed up, pissed-on paperback, Budweiser bottle, and tomato sauce stained wife-beater. Robert Plant dancing with his Black Dog on the dusty K-Mart radio hey hey mama say the way you move gonna make you sweat gonna make you groove, Faulkner in August with the sound and the fury.
Sounds like the life right there. XD
Good on you for calling out the classics. While they did pave the way, many of them are so overrated. I haven't read Faulkner, but have noticed the same things in authors like Hemingway and Steinbeck.
Hemingway actually called Faulkner out on the same bs, lol. Something to the effect that he used ten dollar words just for flash and dazzle. At this point I think he was probably right. XD