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Joseph McElroy
Topic Started: Feb 11 2007, 01:53 PM (5,911 Views)
WilliamTwellman Feb 11 2007, 01:53 PM Post #1
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skull-walker
[ * * * * * * ]
 I am currently trying to finish up A Smuggler's Bible. pretty fascinating stuff, a little uneven and meandering at times. Similar to Gaddis in a lot of ways. I like this book. I've also heard great things about Lookout Cartridge and Women and Men. Has anyone read Joey McEll?
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WilliamTwellman Feb 21 2007, 10:48 PM Post #2
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skull-walker
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 No one?
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obliqueone Feb 21 2007, 11:15 PM Post #3
Literary lunatic
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 I read Lookout Cartridge and really disliked it. I would love for someone who disagrees to explain why it doesn't suck because I was really frustrated upon finishing it.
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onefatman Feb 22 2007, 11:26 AM Post #4
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 I've been thinking about purchasing one of Mr. McEllroy's novels for some years but...well. Too many "more important" novels interceded.

What do you mean by "uneven", William? (Btw., I hope that John Terry misses enough games so Chelsea will lose its next FA cup and Champion's League Game)
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WilliamTwellman Feb 22 2007, 12:27 PM Post #5
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skull-walker
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 Terry's injury was a big blow but don't expect us to lose anytime soon! Smuggler's just has some parts that are more interesting than others. It's also very confusing, but the form of the interconnected parts of the book is pretty brilliant, and when McEllroy is on, he writes as well as Gaddis. I'd be interested to know specifically what the poster disliked about Lookout Cartrdige beyond the general "dude, it sucked" comment.
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obliqueone Feb 23 2007, 12:22 AM Post #6
Literary lunatic
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 I remember he's a decent writer and built a fair amount of tension early in the book. About halfway through I was asking myself: where's he going with this? Towards the second half I had the creeping suspicion that he had no idea why he was writing the book and was simply playing on the theme of 'paranoia' in a superficially complex way. It ended with my suspicion more or less confirmed.

There is a stark contrast between the revelatory tone of the book and its complete lack of substance: no real characters, no development of any real theme, and a few well written scenes that add up to nothing. I think either I missed something (which is a possibility) or the book isn't that good.
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onefatman Feb 23 2007, 11:27 AM Post #7
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obliqueone
Feb 23 2007, 05:22 AM
I remember he's a decent writer and built a fair amount of tension early in the book. About halfway through I was asking myself: where's he going with this? Towards the second half I had the creeping suspicion that he had no idea why he was writing the book and was simply playing on the theme of 'paranoia' in a superficially complex way. It ended with my suspicion more or less confirmed.

There is a stark contrast between the revelatory tone of the book and its complete lack of substance: no real characters, no development of any real theme, and a few well written scenes that add up to nothing. I think either I missed something (which is a possibility) or the book isn't that good.

is it strange that that comment has whetted my appetite for the book?
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WilliamTwellman Feb 23 2007, 01:16 PM Post #8
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 haha me too man. I'm a sucker for unnecessary confusion.
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onefatman Jun 13 2007, 09:46 AM Post #9
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 Any of the new guys here read books by Ellroy...?

I am itching to buy me a new thick novel.
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plechazunga Jun 13 2007, 10:55 AM Post #10
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onefatman
Jun 13 2007, 03:46 PM
Any of the new guys here read books by Ellroy...?

I am itching to buy me a new thick novel.

(you mean McElroy, right?)

i've ordered Lookout Cartridge a few weeks ago, but it hasn't arrived yet (Eastern-Central Europe)

(actually that's how i found this forum, ive googled Lookout Cartridge)
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WilliamTwellman Jun 15 2007, 06:08 PM Post #11
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 Smuggler's Bible is kind of a miasma. There is good writing in there, no doubt, but I'm stuck about halfway through. don't know if I'll be going back.
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kline19 Jun 16 2007, 12:05 AM Post #12
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plechazunga
Jun 13 2007, 11:55 AM


(actually that's how i found this forum, ive googled Lookout Cartridge)

plechazunga: you might wanna share your insights on A/S/D thread in Off-Topic section... no? :P
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plechazunga Jun 16 2007, 06:43 AM Post #13
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kline19
Jun 16 2007, 06:05 AM
plechazunga: you might wanna share your insights on A/S/D thread in Off-Topic section... no?    :P

Done


by the way, my books just arrived, but i have lot more in my queue, so it will be august or september when i get to Mr McElroy.
Until then, you might wanna check out these links:

an interview with McElroy (pdf)

electronic book review (you can find here a lotta stuff about McElroy, and some writings by McElroy himself)
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onefatman Jun 16 2007, 11:50 AM Post #14
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plechazunga
Jun 13 2007, 03:55 PM
onefatman
Jun 13 2007, 03:46 PM
Any of the new guys here read books by Ellroy...?

I am itching to buy me a new thick novel.

(you mean McElroy, right?)


yes.

Quote:
 
by the way, my books just arrived, but i have lot more in my queue, so it will be august or september when i get to Mr McElroy.


looking forward to it.
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suzannahhh Apr 3 2008, 01:45 PM Post #15
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Forum junkie
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 I have Women and Men here as well
but I'm not ready for another fat book right now
and besides i want to finish Laura Warholic first
and I have Smuggler's Bible on order
but here sat Actress in the House
so I picked it up
and right off the bat
it read gooooooood

a vastly different kind of good
from Louise Erdrich
which, Marcel
i think you will
really love.
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onefatman Jun 5 2008, 07:43 PM Post #16
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 so. any new ellroy-ian hereabouts? fausto, did you have a peek?
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Fausto Jun 6 2008, 01:14 AM Post #17
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 I have Letter left to me (his smallest here) but have yet to read it. I know I must. I have had strange comments on him. Someone said his reaction to the first book was "impressed!", the second "shocked!", the third "surprised!", the fourth "scared!", or sth of the sort. I'm told the one to read above all is Women and men.

(Any way to correct the title of the thread? It's McElroy, one L).
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Tatzelwurm Oct 11 2008, 02:23 PM Post #18
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Gran madrugador y amigo de la caza
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 According to some comments his latest novel about the war in Iraq Cannonball is finished, but he can't find a publisher...
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Tatzelwurm Oct 11 2008, 03:50 PM Post #19
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Gran madrugador y amigo de la caza
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Fausto
Jun 6 2008, 01:14 AM

(Any way to correct the title of the thread? It's McElroy, one L).

I'm also wondering. William has bunked off, but his typos remain.
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ions Oct 13 2008, 10:04 AM Post #20
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Lost at sea
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Fausto
Jun 6 2008, 01:14 AM
I have Letter left to me (his smallest here) but have yet to read it. I know I must. I have had strange comments on him. Someone said his reaction to the first book was "impressed!", the second "shocked!", the third "surprised!", the fourth "scared!", or sth of the sort. I'm told the one to read above all is Women and men.

(Any way to correct the title of the thread? It's McElroy, one L).

I've been searching for Women and Men for a while now and have been unable to find it used locally. The online retailer in Chapters lists it as unavailable to order new. Dalkey Archive has it listed in the back of my copy of Gass' The Tunnel yet the Dalkey site makes no mention of it. It's proving almost as illusive as Darconville's Cat.
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