Asking because I'm reviewing the new Jose Saramago book and wanna start with a graph about magical realism. what say you?
― Beatrix Kiddo, Friday, 19 September 2008 12:09 (eighteen years ago)
personally ive never thought of his stuff in that way at all. which novels would you characterize that way?
― johnny crunch, Friday, 19 September 2008 12:32 (eighteen years ago)
i'm thinking of "underworld" specifically.
― Beatrix Kiddo, Friday, 19 September 2008 13:19 (eighteen years ago)
hmm if i was forced to put that in a specialized genre its closer to historical fiction or something than magical realism
― johnny crunch, Friday, 19 September 2008 13:26 (eighteen years ago)
the correct answer is no
― Mr. Que, Friday, 19 September 2008 13:47 (eighteen years ago)
isn't there, like, actual magic in magical realism novels?
there is a dream-like quality to a book like The Names. a mundane sort of shadow world surrealism.
probably the most surreal Delillo i've read is his play The Day Room. The Day Room is total dream logic kafka/ionesco kinda stuff. i think. i haven't read it since the 80's. or maybe he was just ripping off pinter. i forget.
i never read The Body Artist. that was supposed to be pretty strange, wasn't it?
― scott seward, Friday, 19 September 2008 15:29 (eighteen years ago)
call it technomagical realism or something. characters reacting to shit as if it were completely mundane and needed no explanation, which for most of us is exactly what it is 99% of the time, but he writes with a sidelong glance that says "hey you! yeah, you, reader. you can see that this is some completely crazy shit, right?"
NB I have not read any DeLillo in like, 4 years. and I'm mostly just thinking of White Noise here.
― it be me, me, me and timothy (bernard snowy), Friday, 19 September 2008 15:36 (eighteen years ago)
"shit" = WONDERS OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY
yeah i agree w/ scott here - couldnt the body artist be termed magical realism?? cant remember anything that happened in underworld that was like that tho
― t_g, Friday, 19 September 2008 16:59 (eighteen years ago)
I thought MR was reserved for writers from developing countries only, ie., those peddling the oriental exotique
― David Joyner, Saturday, 20 September 2008 00:25 (eighteen years ago)
Cosmopolis, seeing his future on the screen?
― alimosina, Saturday, 20 September 2008 01:57 (eighteen years ago)
the term you are looking for is "science fiction"
― thomp, Sunday, 21 September 2008 06:37 (eighteen years ago)
― Mr. Que, Friday, September 19, 2008 9:47 AM (2 days ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
― update prefs (ice crӕm), Sunday, 21 September 2008 06:38 (eighteen years ago)
guy is super trippy tho - and his best work is never repped
i miss him - anyone read the 9/11 book?
― update prefs (ice crӕm), Sunday, 21 September 2008 06:41 (eighteen years ago)
ok i just buyed it
― update prefs (ice crӕm), Sunday, 21 September 2008 06:52 (eighteen years ago)
oh fuck
i meant "cosmopolis," not underworld.
― Beatrix Kiddo, Friday, 26 September 2008 16:25 (eighteen years ago)
how fucking weird, this thread-title popped into my head about 1 minute before it was revived
an old tutor of mine tells me to read cosmopolis, i probably should
― J4gger Dynamic Pentangle (Just got offed), Friday, 26 September 2008 16:30 (eighteen years ago)
if by "magical realism" we mean "cloying" then yes?
― s.clover, Monday, 29 September 2008 15:35 (eighteen years ago)