[ilduclo]

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

i forgot to report that i finished reading bolaño’s “la literatura nazi en américa” a while ago.

took me long because i read it slowly and at first i looked up some characters to see how realistic they were, their historical context, etc.

it’s such a fucking masterpiece! so beautifully constructed, at once lyrical and satyrical, erudite and complete utter bullshit...

i want to read it and reread it like people used to read the encyclopedia hahahahaaaa

the encyclopedia of tlön...

there are many many many many many many but MANY latin american writers, and writers from other places, who tried to imitate borges, and of course failed.

this guy read borges extremely well, but instead of imitating him, bolaño took the old man’s concepts to another fucking galaxy, and made them absolutely his.

talk about the anxiety of influence. holy fuck!

this was a triumph.

a glorious work of fiction. best thing i’ve read in ages. aaaaaaaaaaages.

i mean, seriously, the power of invention of this guy... something else entirely. and the best thing is: so subtle. almost invisible.

plus many other virtues, like his moral judgment (the perspective from which characters are described), and his use of language... the guy used to be a poet and he hides it very well. by which i mean: the book reads like a novel, but the sentences are the sentences of a poet.

hats off. all the way. such a pity i didn’t meet him sooner. just incredible. eternal.

I thought you did mention it? I agree it is a wonderful book. I've read a lot of his stuff and thought it the best.