Comments on: Gilbert Sorrentino: Splendide-Hôtel

By: Nadia

Nadia — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:57:46 +0000

I remember that I really enjoyed The Jade Cabinet and Three Lives. Holy Smoke was a bit more experimental in its writing style for my taste. Overall, they are all worth exploring.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:31:32 +0000

I’m shamed to say I’ve not only not read any of them but also not heard of most of them! The only one that is in my conscious is Stein’s Three Lives, and I think I’ve perused it a bit as a primer and never got myself primed for it.

By: Nadia

Nadia — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:11:24 +0000

Hi Trevor. I can’t remember all of the books we read, but I do remember some of them. Here they are:

The Talking Room by Marianne Hauser
Holy Smoke by Fanny Howe
The Jade Cabinet by Rikki Ducornet
98.6 by Ronald Sukenick
Three Lives by Gertrude Stein

Those are the only I can remember. I have to admit that they were all rather interesting and unique in their own way.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:57:00 +0000

Did you receive this book as a present?

In a way, yes, Isabel. The Dalkey Archive sent it to me based on my expressing an interest in Sorrentino. I’m hoping to pay them back by reading more of his books that they’ve published.

By: Isabel

Isabel — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:19:09 +0000

Sounds like a treasure! Did you receive this book as a present?

John – your son is becoming more adorable! Love the new picture.

By: John Self

John Self — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:07:06 +0000

Many of the what texts?!

Oh. I thought you said pomo for a minute there.

It’s OK, I’m going; you’ll find the tone will rise naturally now.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:35:11 +0000

Nadia, what are the other books you remember reading for that course? I’m more of a modernist, but I enjoyed the theory behind many of the pomo texts I read, even if not the texts themselves.

By: Nadia

Nadia — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:19:47 +0000

Sounds like an interesting read. I have only read one book by Sorrentino called Aberration of Starlight. I read it for a postmodern fiction class I was taking in college and that book was one of the few books from that course that I really enjoyed. Sorrentino definitely had an imaginative mind – the book was hilarious and interesting and definitely a great read.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:32:31 +0000

Until I met my wife, who also feels that way, I thought I was the only one who felt that way. And then I thought, perhaps that’s the reason my wife and I met and were attracted to one another, so possibly we’re the only ones who feel that way. I guess it’s just one of those things, like pretending you’re a statue when cars pass by . . . or am I the only one who did that as a kid?

I am glad you put some reasoning behind it, though, John. I could never quite figure it out, but your theory makes sense!

By: John Self

John Self — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:16:20 +0000

He’s right about grey/gray – or right that they have a different ‘feel’ anyway. I’ve always held that a word with an ‘e’ in it looks more ‘open’ to the eye because of the open bottom half of the letter… And grey/gray is a perfect example. The ‘a’ is somehow more opaque than the ‘e’… Anyway, I am in danger of sounding like a lunatic here, but I am pleased because I’d always thought I was the only one who felt that way!