Comments on: Robert Walser: The Tanners

By: Trevor

Trevor — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 19:15:31 +0000

a book written by someone at odds with the world

I loved this, leroy. Thanks for your comment. I hope that it brings this thread up for some lucky reader who has yet to read Walser.

As for the scene when Simon encounters Sebastian, I don’t remember how I reacted when I read it. It’s been too long since I read the book. The tone and feel remains deep in my memory, but some of the events are a bit hazy. Need to correct that!

By: leroyhunter

leroyhunter — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 11:30:39 +0000

I just finished this Trevor, and I greatly enjoyed it while also finding it a little disconcerting. I think the book is ill-served by blurbs that talk about “lightness…humour” as while those are certainly present, I came away with a stronger sense of melancholy, mystery and a book written by someone at odds with the world.

A phrase you use “rambling…but beguiling” seems to best sum it up for me. Those monologues (and letters)! Yet as you say Simon is so likeable that you stick with him and wish him well.

Peggy’s comment above made me think again about the journey you describe Simon taking, where he encounters Hedwig’s erstwhile friend Sebastian…did that scene not strike you as odd? Probably just a coincidence, but still…

Finally, the introduction, which I mean to back and read again: for a starved Sebald reader, it is indeed worth the price alone. The links between the 2 writers seem so clear and obvious having read it, but had never occurred to me before (I’ve not read enough Walser I guess). Incidentally, the book the essay is taken from shows no sign of being published, worse luck.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 03:38:08 +0000

Thanks for your comments, Peggy. This is a wonderful book; I’m positive you’ll love it. I still need to make my way through the entire Microscripts — and the rest of his work.

As for Kalman’s painting, I have seen it and find it haunting (though not as haunting as the photo it is based on).

By: Peggy Aylsworth

Peggy Aylsworth — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 00:35:11 +0000

I have been a fan of Robert Walser’s writing ever since Susan Sontag revealed it in English. I’ve recently read Microscripts…utterly wonderful and as always, with Walser, deeply honest. I haven’t read The Tanners and am grateful for this review, will
certainly get the novel. Thank you.
Did you know Maira Kalman, that delightful artist/writer, did a painting that she thinks of as Walser dying in the snow?

By: Wandering with Robert Walser » Update on The Tanners

Wandering with Robert Walser » Update on The Tanners — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:40:55 +0000

[...] Nick Buzanski, Drew Toal, Gary Lain, John Goldbach, Terry Pitts, Tom Cunliffe, Tim Bagdanov, and Trevor have to [...]

By: Randy

Randy — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:10:08 +0000

I have this book enroute. I read his Jakob Von Gunten and had a hard time connectiong with its first person narrator. That book is held in high regard at Fictional Woods. I was told one needs to appreciate early Bildungsromans like Wihelm Meister to get a feel for where Jakob’s take off point was. I since read a few short stories from NYRB’s Selected Stories of Robert Walser.The [very short] story Titus is amazing.
Thanks for bringing this guy to the light of blogs.It IS a great time for english readers indeed.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 16:46:12 +0000

How is it you come across such different, but interesting books?

I feel lucky, Nadia! My method is actually nothing more than finding interesting publishers and keeping track of what they’re publishing. New Directions, Archipelago, Melville House, Open Letter Books, NYRB Classics, Pushkin Press . . . and one I just discovered and can’t wait to dig into — Godine! They all have backlists and frontlists that could keep me going for my whole life in reading.

Now, how do they find such interesting and varied books to publish? That’s a question I hope to put to them some day soon! Good luck with Austerlitz! If you like Sebald a lot, it really might be worth looking at one of his influences — Walser — someday :) .

By: Nadia

Nadia — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:17:50 +0000

How is it you come across such different, but interesting books? I don’t really think that The Tanners is my cup of tea but I did enjoy reading your post. Plus it reminded me that I still need to read my copy of Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald. Hope you have a great long weekend! Cheers!