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/lit/ - Literature

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6851341 No.6851341 [Reply] [Original]

I've started reading up on William Gaddis and I'm fairly sold on wanting to read his writing. Should I start with his first and best-known book The Recognitions or would you recommend starting with another book by Gaddis? Also, are there any books I should (emphasis on should) read before reading Gaddis, maybe just some information I should know beforehand?

>> No.6851353

The Recognitions is fine to start, I wouldn't recommend starting with J. R.

Have you read any other postmodernism?

>> No.6851354

>>6851341
http://www.williamgaddis.org/recognitions/preface.shtml

>> No.6851370

>>6851353
I've read a fair bit of postmodern books in the past and it's a fairly consistent genre in my bookcase so I'm guessing I shouldn't have too much trouble in my first read. Thank you.

>> No.6851386

>>6851341
Also if somebody could tell me what the ISBN of the edition in the picture is I would be very grateful.

>> No.6851551

>>6851386
dalkey archive you fool

>> No.6851558

>>6851341
Agape agape is very short and not difficult in any way, but I think it was his last so you may not want to take advantage of that if you're planning to read them all.

>> No.6851559

>>6851341
Why don't you just read something he wrote, you queer, confirmation-needy cuckold?

>> No.6851578

>>6851386
That Penguin edition is full of typos and edition errors. Buy the Dalkey Archive one if you can.

>> No.6851592

>>6851578
Such as?

>> No.6851613

>>6851578
Will do, thanks for the advice.

>> No.6851622
File: 1.63 MB, 2448x3264, IMG_20150719_222256.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
6851622

>>6851341

Start with the Recognitions. It is NOT nearly as hard as Franzen and /lit/ want you to believe. I'm on a note taking reread now. Make sure you've read Goethe's Faust first.

>> No.6851624

>>6851592
what do you want a list of the fucking typos

>> No.6851782

>>6851559
this is /lit/. no one here is able to make the smallest decision on their own.

>> No.6851828

>>6851559
But how will he ensure that he's patrician if he doesn't get /lit/'s approval for every decision in his life?

>> No.6851888

>>6851828
I asked a question of advice for people who have read the book for reference before reading it myself. That's all I was doing, just like many of the other posts made on this thread.

>> No.6851925

>>6851559
some may be better introductions to work so any possible idiosyncratic language or style confusing to non (Gaddis/any other author) readers won't be as confused going into a possibly less inviting work

>> No.6851995

>>6851888
please /lit, tell me how to read a book. I need some advice. I can't read a book without you holding my hand.

>> No.6852185

>>6851353
Why not start with J R?

>> No.6852191

>>6851925
the purpose of reading a book isn't to lead you into another less inviting work.

>> No.6852253

>>6852185
Because you won't get to see his prose

>>6851622
What is a good English edition of Faust?

>> No.6852977

>>6851622
I'm finding this useful while doing a first read:

http://www.williamgaddis.org/recognitions/trguide.shtml

>> No.6854158

>>6852253
That's not a very good reason, man

>> No.6854221

>>6852253
David Luke won an award for his translation of Faust Part I and I really like it.