William T Vollmann Central discussion
This topic is about
The Dying Grass
Seven Dreams
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2015 The Dying Grass (Seven Dreams #5)
The last I heard (from Jordan Rothacker, who's actually read some of this one), was that typeset he thinks it's at around 1,200 pages. Who knows where the 864 came from. I also remember reading at the back of my edition of The Royal Family, WTV explaining that the publisher wanted to cut a chunk off that, but agreed to keep everything and cut his royalties instead. Hopefully a compromise that doesn't leave WTV short-changed will be made with this one.
I also hope the size, whatever it ends up being, doesn't take away from the content.
I'm speculating here, but I have a sense that the title could be, in part, an allusion to Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass (1855 and beyond). Since he's focusing on the soldier who hunted down Chief Joseph, Oliver Otis Howard (he's gonna have fun with that name), and there are flashbacks to the Civil War (flash forwards to the 1870s, and of course, the present day I would guess), it makes sense for Vollmann to weave some Whitman into the text. Just a thought . . .
An expensive book this will be -- US$55. Today, if you do amazon pre-orders with their pre-order price guarantee thing -- it's 43% off. Also ::
"Hardcover: 1408 pages"
!!!!!!!!!
Nathan "N.R." wrote: ""Hardcover: 1408 pages""That put a smile on my face!
Geoff wrote: "Nathan "N.R." wrote: ""Hardcover: 1408 pages""That put a smile on my face!"
That's good. Because enjoy the smile while we can -- this is going to be a brutal novel.
Sorry, I tried to do some emoji thing but failed, and then deleted my comment, and don't feel like trying to figure it out. But yes.
Jonathan wrote: "hm...Uk site still says 864 pages... "Publisher has confessed to the larger number ::
http://www.penguin.com/book/the-dying...
Nathan "N.R." wrote: "An expensive book this will be -- US$55. Today, if you do amazon pre-orders with their pre-order price guarantee thing -- it's 43% off. Also ::
"Hardcover: 1408 pages"
!!!!!!!!!"
That's a big ole book.
Lovely. Well I pre-ordered my copy back in November so will probably still end up getting it delivered about a month after everyone else...
The way Vollmann described the book, there will be a lot of blank space on the page. I'm curious to see how this will look.
Pre-ordered. Cannot wait.
"Hardcover: 1408 pages"
!!!!!!!!!"
Nice!! Pre-ordering now.
Oh, 500 of those 1408 pages probably consist of footnotes, maps, drawings, pictures and references ;-)
Chris wrote: "Oh, 500 of those 1408 pages probably consist of footnotes, maps, drawings, pictures and references ;-)"I hope he tips his new book designer well!
In case you were wondering ::"William Vollmann’s upcoming novel is “quite a bit shorter than ‘War & Peace'”"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/s...
"With that special paper, the advance copy still weighs 4 pounds, 3.8 ounces."Another weapon to add to my bookshelf.
I love how the whole piece seems to be suggesting producing a big book is somehow a bad thing.
Release date, July 28. Can't be a coincidence that Chief Joseph Days -- "Always the last week in July"!http://www.chiefjosephdays.com/rodeo/
and....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Jo...
Nathan "N.R." wrote: "Release date, July 28. Can't be a coincidence that Chief Joseph Days -- "Always the last week in July"!As is my birthday! Guess what I will be getting for a present...
I haven’t yet read “The Dying Grass,” but I can anticipate the dying trees. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/s...
What no one is talking about is that the paper used for The Dying Grass will be made from pulp generated by a Native American owned and operated lumber mill located in the Great Pacific Northwest.
http://www.yakamaforestproducts.com/
[this has been an nr=sponsored internet rumor]
Jonathan wrote: "As is my birthday! Guess what I will be getting for a present... "Tix to Chief Joseph Days?
Nathan "N.R." wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "As is my birthday! Guess what I will be getting for a present... "Tix to Chief Joseph Days?"
Man, for an event named after a Native American, that site seems full of very white faces...
Actually I want to go to the "“Tough Enough to Wear Pink” PRCA Night", though I am not sure if I am actually man enough to wear such a shockingly womanish colour
Jonathan wrote: "Man, for an event named after a Native American, that site seems full of very white faces..."wiki demographics ::
"The racial makeup of the city was 94.7% White, 0.7% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.5% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population."
The Nez Perce reservation is Northeast from there, in Idaho.
According to its website it is the "Little Switzerland of America", which conjures up some very weird images...This, however, looks like a much more interesting place for a visit:
http://www.wallowanezperce.org/
Jonathan wrote: "This, however, looks like a much more interesting place for a visit:http://www.wallowanezperce.org/"
I'm thinking we'll be reading about it in the Endnotes!!
I can see why publishers might bulk at producing a 1,376 page novel that costs $55. It's not going to be the the next teen blockbuster with film adaptation. But I'm glad they're willing to back books the aren't going to be the next BIG thing.
Greg wrote: "I can see why publishers might bulk at producing a 1,376 page novel that costs $55. It's not going to be the the next teen blockbuster with film adaptation. But I'm glad they're willing to back b..."agreed...I just have my fingers crossed that it does well enough to mean that the final two dreams get finished/published...
Nathan "N.R." wrote: "In case you were wondering ::"William Vollmann’s upcoming novel is “quite a bit shorter than ‘War & Peace'”"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/s......"
This appears under the Style Blog. Are we to make anything of that? May it please fall to Steven Moore to review.
Jeff wrote: "This appears under the Style Blog..."Yeah, I spent much of the morning having a conniption fit over the current state of journalism and what it says about the new dark age we're living in...
I mean, how does someone go to college, graduate, get a sweet journalism gig with the Washington Post, and unashamedly comment on a book while stating "I haven't read it," comment only on the length... "Ron Charles is the editor of The Washington Post's Book World."... and what self-respecting chief editor (oh wait, do they employ those anymore?) is going to fail to throw this back at the writer and say "tell me why this book was or wasn't worth publishing, based on the contents of the book or else go get a job writing for High Times"?...
And then I see it's something called a "style blog." I don't know if that makes me feel better or worse.
On the other hand, press is press.
Jeff wrote: "This appears under the Style Blog."Oh. That's what they mean by 'style'..... How Bruce Jenner’s ... perfectly captured ... genuinely love ... Kardashians
No but we can juxtapose that headline with the Vollmann bit. No problem!!!
As a longtime WaPo print (yes, print!) subscriber, they used to publish a stand-alone Washington Post Book World each weekend, but they killed it about five years ago and stuffed book reviews into the Style section. Twas a sad time.
More on that Fifty Five Dollar thing ::http://www.mhpbooks.com/should-hardco...
At least they have something to talk about?
I preordered mine way back in November, with a 50% off coupon from Amazon. $20! ;)
T.R. wrote: "I preordered mine way back in November, with a 50% off coupon from Amazon. $20! ;)"BINGO!!
Well, I suppose Viking could have sold it in three volumes of about 458 pages, each with a cost of (let's say) $25 for a grand total of $75. How is that any better?
I'm sure Vollmann's critics will think the book has only 500 pages of story anyway.
I'm too lazy to check my pre-order price but it's low to mid $30.
I'm sure Vollmann's critics will think the book has only 500 pages of story anyway.
I'm too lazy to check my pre-order price but it's low to mid $30.
Greg wrote: "Well, I suppose Viking could have sold it in three volumes of about 458 pages, each with a cost of (let's say) $25 for a grand total of $75. How is that any better?"Yes! Good point.
And it should be noted that that article on the $55 thing is posted on the Melville House blog. Melville House of the 80 page ELEVEN=dollar novella ::http://www.mhpbooks.com/books/the-uni...
Which would mean, if Melville pub'd The Dying Grass, it would cost $189.00!
Chris wrote: "I'm speculating here, but I have a sense that the title could be, in part, an allusion to Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass (1855 and beyond). Since he's focusing on the soldier who hunted down Chief..."Can confirm the Whitman speculation. William The Blind rightfully invokes Walt Whitman throughout his own book’s Inaugural Speech . The phrase “Long have they pass’d” is repeated a few times, not without notice. Be excited, fellow travelers.
The Kirkus blurbable review ::https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
"Telegraphic and episodic—so much so that it recalls the later work of Eduardo Galeano—Vollmann’s saga is a note-perfect incantation. Stunning."
This is going to be a good read.
I am more excited about this than any new book for quite some time...if only he would come to the UK!
Wait what's this new Gass??And of course I preordered The Dying Grass duh!
William T Vollmann Central
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The 2000 pages were I think manuscript. I think one of his other anecdotes was that he initially sent in 1300 pages ; they sent it back with edits ;; he returned it with 1700 pages. Adding as one edits and proofs! But I doubt he's cut any more on this one than he has on his others ; especially assuming he's got the same editor who's sort of learned to put up with Bill's resistances.
ps --;
Re :: amazon -- they own all your content here on gr. You and me and Vollmann Central and wholly=owned subsidiaries of amazon.Inc. But I'd rather not discuss amazon further in this particular group....