Steven’s Comments (group member since Aug 23, 2016)

Steven’s comments from the Dalkey Archive Devotees group.

Erik F. wrote: "I'm adding this and several other of Figes' books to my list now. I only had Waking on there before. Sounds like someone I need to read."


I can't vouch for the oeuvre, but Nelly's Version cracked my Top 50 All-Time Fiction list and is the first book to do that since I read House of Leaves about 8 years ago. Need-to-read, yes, and I don't go beyond ought-to-read very often.

It's been a while since Dalkey Archive's smacked me in the mouth, but Figes' book is a quiet little masterpiece. Somewhere between Camus and Stoppard's R & G are Dead, this depiction of being dropped into a middle-aged woman's body/life ex nihilo is heartbreaking, dark and absolutely hilarious.

Mirko wrote: "Steven wrote: "Basara's Chinese Letter & Inez, Aura, and Adam in Eden by Fuentes - been meaning to revisit Fuentes since his recent death"

Of these, I have read Chinese Letter, which I enjoyed rea..."

I can't remember what first brought me to Dalkey. I'd probably read several of their books before I started taking note of publishers. I read Tomb for Boris Davidovich a long time ago and don't remember much of it (true of about 80% of what I've read at this point). I'll put Kis back on my readlist - thanks

Mirko wrote: "If you don't mind me asking Steven, which ones by Basara and Fuentes have you read?"

Basara's Chinese Letter & Inez, Aura, and Adam in Eden by Fuentes - been meaning to revisit Fuentes since his recent death

I've read Basara, Fuentes and Castel-Bloom and since I'm a fan of all three will have to check these out - thanks Mirko!

Making my way through Dalkey's Slovenian Lit. Novak's poems are pretty great.

'touch is the nearest neighbor of the untouchable'

'The past is ever changing,
Only the future stays the same.'

'I am the rapid disintegration of the world.'

Currently reading Vitomil Zupan's Minuet for Guitar and losing patience with it. It's a wry Celine/Joseph Heller-like look at War & Peace & the in-between.

I get the feeling this group is moribund, but I'd love to hear about any new experiences with Dalkey Lit.!

interesting approach which has been retrod to death since this was published, so difficult to judge the experiment retroactively - evocative, but ultimately insubstantial

Steven wrote: "I just finished Susan Daitch's masterful (if oddly traditional for Dalkey) Lost Civilization of Suolucidir. I highly recommend. Anyone else read any good Dalkey books lately?"

(just realized it's not a Dalkey book, which explains much - Daitch is a Dalkey author)

I just finished Susan Daitch's masterful (if oddly traditional for Dalkey) Lost Civilization of Suolucidir. I highly recommend. Anyone else read any good Dalkey books lately?

It's about 400 pages too long (can only imagine what a workshop would do to her), but some ravishing stuff therein - I faded in and out with it (as I did all through Proust), but the fade-ins are indelibly etched in my aesthetic memory - grossly under-read author (as is the case with so many Dalkey authors)

Jim wrote: "Erik wrote: "Thanks for inviting me to the group, Steven. I'll attempt to get a discussion going:

Which Dalkey Archive books is everyone planning to read next? I currently own eight that I haven't..."

I tend to 'reread' on audio, since there are so few quality audio books I haven't read and so many new books I want to read (when my hands are free) - Joyce's Ulysses audio is amazing, for example

Erik wrote: "Thanks for inviting me to the group, Steven. I'll attempt to get a discussion going:

Which Dalkey Archive books is everyone planning to read next? I currently own eight that I haven't read yet:

1..."

I thought Rios' Poundemonium was incomprehensible and didn't care for the Skvorecky I read either - can't ever go wrong with Barth imo - Del Paso coming up next for me

just finished Marguerite Young's Miss MacIntosh, My Darling - Ewa Kuryluk, Fernando del Paso, and Leon Roudiez on my radar - just noticed there was some discussion here, sorry for delayed response