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A Look at Sam Lipsyte’s The Ask, guest posted by Giancarlo Ditrapano
[The Tyrant writes in with thoughts on one of our most anticipated books of the year, Sam Lipsyte’s The Ask. Here’s Gian… – BB]
You got the new Lipsyte yet? That’s weird. Why not? You bought what instead? No you didn’t. Really? You really bought that? Were you Ex-Lax/Tampax-embarrassed at the counter when you bought that? You must have been. I wish I could have seen you there holding that stupid, stupid book. I wish I were behind you in line so I could’ve coughed all over you, said excuse me, then started up a conversation about the book you were getting ready to buy. I’d say I hadn’t heard much about the author (a lie) and then I’d ask if you knew anything about them. I’d laugh and laugh (on the inside). Then I’d ask why out of all these books are you buying this one. You will probably have called over security by now so, hey, I’ll back off. But really. You shouldn’t have bought that. Take it back. Trade it in for The Ask (can you even do that with books?).
Joking partly-aside, I’m sure whatever new book you bought is just great (I’m just trying out some dickish) but why not get another one? Venus Drive, Sam’s first book, was a huge one for me. I think I read DFW mention it somewhere, so I bought it, read it, fucking loved it, googled Sam, and that led me to an interview where he not only mentioned Lutz and Kimball and Michel but also Paley, Elkin, and Hannah, who were also unknown to me at the time. And it just snowballed from there. I had always just read “classics” up to that point, but paid closer attention to Faulkner and Conrad (both still my top major dudes). Sam was like my gateway drug to good indie-lit. And now I’m strapped in, begging like a bad kid, sucking anything they make me suck for the rare new good stuff.
Although I prefer Sam’s short stories to his novels (and this could be purely sentimental), The Ask is fantastic. Better than Home Land? Yes, in its way. Better than The Subject Steve? That depends. There is so much gorgeous shit in that one. How it got overlooked is fucking confounding. How Sam can keep great humor so close to this Old World romantic poetry should be noticed more than it has been. Like right here, when he’s fucking the cripple in The Subject Steve, he writes, “Compensation is not the word for what Renee does with her hands and her mouth to triumph over her dead half. I’ve discovered marooned colonies of feeling down there, too. We’ll lie under moonlight for hours, tell jokes, sing jingles, make puppets of our private parts. I’ll kiss her breasts, kiss the blue vein in one of them that must flow to her heart, a quiet river running through a church.”
That there is the shit I love love love.
Onto the book at hand, The Ask. You’ll be glad to know it’s got your friend in it. That guy who gets dealt some shit-town cards, always plays them right and then always makes it, sometimes makes it, okay, he never makes it. But what “it” is to you and what “it” is to others is often very unalike. I always see Sam’s protags as heroes, not losers. I hate hearing about these great losers in his books. They aren’t losers at all. Milo, the narrator of The Ask, is a hero as well. One thing: Always pay attention to the names Sam gives to people. Another thing: always pay attention to the words Sam uses for anything at all. They are all double-edged. He’s a trickster, this one. He can heal as well as gut using the same five words in the same order. I’ve even read blurbs he’s written that, with the slightest tweak of definition that the weakest of imaginations could make, could easily be interpreted as a smack in the face to the writer, not book cover praise. One last thing: do both of these things for everything you read. When you pay close attention, you begin to see less bullshit. The bullshit fades out into the margins.
You should see my copy of The Ask. It’s been made a mess by my pen. I just want to show you one clip that should get you going a bit. Would that be alright? Good. Roll ’em.
Later I sat on the patio with a beer and a one-hitter I’d found in Francine’s sewing box. I kept calling Purdy. I kept calling Maura. I even called Don. Nobody was home, or near a phone, or answering. I sat out on the patio in a rubber-ribbed chair with the phone in one hand and the one-hitter and a lighter in the other and the beer like a throttle between my legs and it seemed for a brief moment that I might be the pilot of something, something sleek and meaningful, but I was not the pilot of anything. The night was warm, the night sky gluey, blue. I could smell the neighbor’s fresh-mown lawn. New Jersey was a fresh-mown tomb.
That’s the kind of thing that. That’s the kind of thing that. O Christ, just go get it.
And there have been tons of interviews these past weeks, but check this one: Interview at Vice.
My sincere best,
Gian
[You can pick up a copy of The Ask at Amazon or from the the publisher. This second site also features more quotes from the book, some giveaways, and other Lipsyte love materials. Check it out!]
Tags: sam lipsyte, the ask
When The Subject Steve came out, it was my favorite novel of that year.
When Home Land came out, it was my favorite novel of that year.
Now The Ask is out, and guess what? It’s my favorite book of the year.
When The Subject Steve came out, it was my favorite novel of that year.
When Home Land came out, it was my favorite novel of that year.
Now The Ask is out, and guess what? It’s my favorite book of the year.
it’s fucking amazing all the press sam is getting now. really, really nice guy. he just read in boston last week and ended up remembering some email conversation we’d had like years ago, killed the reading, and then talked about his upcoming story collection w/ me for a little bit. also told me ‘subject steve’ is getting re-released. i’m w/ you gian, ‘venus drive’ is a landmark book for me in my development as both writer and reader. i felt bad having sam sign 3 different copies (open city ed, uk ed, and latest picador ed) but he was more than accommodating.
it’s fucking amazing all the press sam is getting now. really, really nice guy. he just read in boston last week and ended up remembering some email conversation we’d had like years ago, killed the reading, and then talked about his upcoming story collection w/ me for a little bit. also told me ‘subject steve’ is getting re-released. i’m w/ you gian, ‘venus drive’ is a landmark book for me in my development as both writer and reader. i felt bad having sam sign 3 different copies (open city ed, uk ed, and latest picador ed) but he was more than accommodating.
The Ask is mammoth. So good!
The Ask is mammoth. So good!
I’m a latecomer to Lipsyte–this book’s my first exposure. I’m listening to the audiobook and so far it’s outstanding. I’ll throw in that Lipsyte’s a great reader, sharply attuned to intonation and with perfect comic timing. I’m glad that you threw in that you marked up your edition, though, because clearly I’m going to have to go back and see it on the page, too.
I’m a latecomer to Lipsyte–this book’s my first exposure. I’m listening to the audiobook and so far it’s outstanding. I’ll throw in that Lipsyte’s a great reader, sharply attuned to intonation and with perfect comic timing. I’m glad that you threw in that you marked up your edition, though, because clearly I’m going to have to go back and see it on the page, too.
Both of those quoted passages are superb. Might just have to go pick that one up. Cheers, Giancarlo!
Both of those quoted passages are superb. Might just have to go pick that one up. Cheers, Giancarlo!
OK, I still want to check out Sam Lipsyte, but he said in the Vice interview that “Jeff Lynne was the best Beatle. If he’d actually been in the Beatles people would still listen to them now.” Both of those assertions are crazy wrong. Just sayin’
OK, I still want to check out Sam Lipsyte, but he said in the Vice interview that “Jeff Lynne was the best Beatle. If he’d actually been in the Beatles people would still listen to them now.” Both of those assertions are crazy wrong. Just sayin’
I agree, Ray Davies was the best Beatle.
alex chilton was the best beatle.
I agree, Ray Davies was the best Beatle.
alex chilton was the best beatle.
Gregor Samsa was the best beetle
Gregor Samsa was the best beetle
is it alt or not alt to like the beatles? i’m not up-to-date
is it alt or not alt to like the beatles? i’m not up-to-date
i should dial down the snark, but you get my point
i should dial down the snark, but you get my point
ok im being an ass, never mind. i’m just suspicious of people who don’t like or at least appreciate the beatles. yes, the kinks are awesome too, but if anyone thinks “the kinks are superior to the beatles,” i just….it’s hard for me to believe that person. but i’m sure everyone’s attempting to be sincere and/or joking around
ok im being an ass, never mind. i’m just suspicious of people who don’t like or at least appreciate the beatles. yes, the kinks are awesome too, but if anyone thinks “the kinks are superior to the beatles,” i just….it’s hard for me to believe that person. but i’m sure everyone’s attempting to be sincere and/or joking around
yeah, i’m commenting again. sorry bout that. i think it’d be more apt to compare the kinks to the rolling stones or the lovely spoonful. those bands stuck to rock & roll + rhythm & blues + folk + “jug band music” moreso than the beatles. that’s not taking the creativity and awesomeness of “village green preservation society” away from the kinks. they definitely did the concept album thing just as much as the beatles did with sgt. pepper. but it just seems like they dropped less acid or something, because they weren’t as experimental musically, in my opinion (stones took a lot of everything as well and did shit like “ruby tuesday” of course, but i still think more tracks than not are still tied to american roots music).
Village Green Preservation Society is superior to any Beatles album. I don’t think I’d say the Kinks overall were superior (Dylan and others were though!)
oh yeah, and…. Sam Lipsyte! Rock!
yeah, i’m commenting again. sorry bout that. i think it’d be more apt to compare the kinks to the rolling stones or the lovely spoonful. those bands stuck to rock & roll + rhythm & blues + folk + “jug band music” moreso than the beatles. that’s not taking the creativity and awesomeness of “village green preservation society” away from the kinks. they definitely did the concept album thing just as much as the beatles did with sgt. pepper. but it just seems like they dropped less acid or something, because they weren’t as experimental musically, in my opinion (stones took a lot of everything as well and did shit like “ruby tuesday” of course, but i still think more tracks than not are still tied to american roots music).
Village Green Preservation Society is superior to any Beatles album. I don’t think I’d say the Kinks overall were superior (Dylan and others were though!)
oh yeah, and…. Sam Lipsyte! Rock!
that’s definitely a cool album. i guess it’s just “too polite” or “too British” for me personally to rate it over Revolver or the White Album or Sgt. Pepper.
that’s definitely a cool album. i guess it’s just “too polite” or “too British” for me personally to rate it over Revolver or the White Album or Sgt. Pepper.
I would not call Sgt. Pepper a concept album at all. I don’t know why it has that reputation. The “concept” was abandoned in the recording process and only like 3 songs fit into it. The Beatles themselves were always said it wasn’t a concept album.
Brian Wilson in the process of going insane blows away anything the Beatles ever did.
also, “village green” would never have existed if not for the beatles’ trailblazing. i feel even ray would admit that.
I would not call Sgt. Pepper a concept album at all. I don’t know why it has that reputation. The “concept” was abandoned in the recording process and only like 3 songs fit into it. The Beatles themselves were always said it wasn’t a concept album.
Brian Wilson in the process of going insane blows away anything the Beatles ever did.
also, “village green” would never have existed if not for the beatles’ trailblazing. i feel even ray would admit that.
This is an old argument. I love a lot of the Beatles material, but they really werne’t a trailblazing band. They have this big myth about them, but if you actually go back and check the dates they tended to do things about a year or two after everyone else was doing them. I don’t just mean weird obscure bands, but also like Bob Dylan or The Beach Boys.
I wouldn’t call the Kinks particularly trailblazing either though. They just wrote good songs.
This is an old argument. I love a lot of the Beatles material, but they really werne’t a trailblazing band. They have this big myth about them, but if you actually go back and check the dates they tended to do things about a year or two after everyone else was doing them. I don’t just mean weird obscure bands, but also like Bob Dylan or The Beach Boys.
I wouldn’t call the Kinks particularly trailblazing either though. They just wrote good songs.
i think the beatles have more to offer than the beach boys as well. the beach boys are great, obviously having a huge resurgence in the indie music scene with all the influence they’re having lately, and they’re amazing, of course. but just play Pet Sounds side by side with the White Album or Revolver, and for me anyway, i feel so many more emotions and different moods and hear so many different sounds than i get from the more uniform, though sweet, Pet Sounds. it’s weird, beatles are so mainstream and overexposed that i think people forget that they were really cool. only the stones and zep had more cool from that general time period (i’m aware that cool is very subjective), but even then, the beatles had more breadth as songwriters.
true. good point. doesn’t take anything away from the songs or the impact/influence of the album, though. i mean, jimi hendrix covered the title track in concert within the same week it came out. he didn’t cover the village green.
i think the beatles have more to offer than the beach boys as well. the beach boys are great, obviously having a huge resurgence in the indie music scene with all the influence they’re having lately, and they’re amazing, of course. but just play Pet Sounds side by side with the White Album or Revolver, and for me anyway, i feel so many more emotions and different moods and hear so many different sounds than i get from the more uniform, though sweet, Pet Sounds. it’s weird, beatles are so mainstream and overexposed that i think people forget that they were really cool. only the stones and zep had more cool from that general time period (i’m aware that cool is very subjective), but even then, the beatles had more breadth as songwriters.
true. good point. doesn’t take anything away from the songs or the impact/influence of the album, though. i mean, jimi hendrix covered the title track in concert within the same week it came out. he didn’t cover the village green.
Only the stones and Zep? Man, I’d say Bob Dylan, The Velvet Underground, Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, Black Sabbath (if Zepplin counts) and The Band were all way cooler!
village green is super pretty, though. should listen to it again.
Only the stones and Zep? Man, I’d say Bob Dylan, The Velvet Underground, Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, Black Sabbath (if Zepplin counts) and The Band were all way cooler!
village green is super pretty, though. should listen to it again.
it’s just a song like this means more to me than all but the very best kinks song, like “this time tomorrow” or “waterloo sunset,” and i feel like the beatles have piles and piles of songs like this, and they’re all so personal and so unbelievably “just right”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fRSnhL0V-o
Also, Iggy Pop and the Stooges!
it’s just a song like this means more to me than all but the very best kinks song, like “this time tomorrow” or “waterloo sunset,” and i feel like the beatles have piles and piles of songs like this, and they’re all so personal and so unbelievably “just right”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fRSnhL0V-o
Also, Iggy Pop and the Stooges!
as far as bands go, that is (i’m aware no one cares what i think). jimi hendrix, to me, was probably the coolest guy to ever live.
as far as bands go, that is (i’m aware no one cares what i think). jimi hendrix, to me, was probably the coolest guy to ever live.
i’ll give you dylan. also iggy and bowie. but the beatles’ Songbook of Mind-Blowingly Brilliant is twice as long as all of these except dylan.
i’ll give you dylan. also iggy and bowie. but the beatles’ Songbook of Mind-Blowingly Brilliant is twice as long as all of these except dylan.
there were tons of awesome bands. it was a great time. everyone’s free to pick their favorites, obviously. but the beatles were the most influential and the most popular. if you don’t like the word “trailblazing,” that’s fine, but if you asked anyone from that time, or any number of people since, they were hugely influenced by the beatles, and there’s a reason for that, and a reason why they might say the beatles instead of the kinks. i mean, bob dylan has said in an interview, when asked who he’s most impressed by, of people still alive, he said paul mccartney. and paul said he’d most like to interview bob dylan, of those living. if there was going to be an individual prize and a band prize for the ’60s, i think those are the two (this concept is ludicrous, i’ll stop).
there were tons of awesome bands. it was a great time. everyone’s free to pick their favorites, obviously. but the beatles were the most influential and the most popular. if you don’t like the word “trailblazing,” that’s fine, but if you asked anyone from that time, or any number of people since, they were hugely influenced by the beatles, and there’s a reason for that, and a reason why they might say the beatles instead of the kinks. i mean, bob dylan has said in an interview, when asked who he’s most impressed by, of people still alive, he said paul mccartney. and paul said he’d most like to interview bob dylan, of those living. if there was going to be an individual prize and a band prize for the ’60s, i think those are the two (this concept is ludicrous, i’ll stop).
Well that’s different than cool, but if you were just to collect brilliant songs the Beatles would have a lot but Dylan would have WAY WAY more (kinda unfair since his career stretches far longer) … Beatles had like 5, maybe 6, good albums plus some good singles. I think Black Sabbath and The Velvet Underground can hang with that. The Kinks had a lot of awesome songs too.
Well that’s different than cool, but if you were just to collect brilliant songs the Beatles would have a lot but Dylan would have WAY WAY more (kinda unfair since his career stretches far longer) … Beatles had like 5, maybe 6, good albums plus some good singles. I think Black Sabbath and The Velvet Underground can hang with that. The Kinks had a lot of awesome songs too.
good point. dylan has more songs than anybody, for sure. the only advantage the beatles had on him was three good songwriters instead of one (george, of course, didn’t get as many chances as he should have). dylan is untouchable, for sure. the velvet underground are cool. i appreciate black sabbath. kinks were awesome.
good point. dylan has more songs than anybody, for sure. the only advantage the beatles had on him was three good songwriters instead of one (george, of course, didn’t get as many chances as he should have). dylan is untouchable, for sure. the velvet underground are cool. i appreciate black sabbath. kinks were awesome.
you know what’s interesting, if you listen to the beatles’ demos, a lot of their songs sound a lot more like bob dylan if you take out the arrangements and production they eventually went through to become “beatle-fied.” an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMtFtpgsAY0&feature=related
you know what’s interesting, if you listen to the beatles’ demos, a lot of their songs sound a lot more like bob dylan if you take out the arrangements and production they eventually went through to become “beatle-fied.” an example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMtFtpgsAY0&feature=related
okay her is a for real controversial statement: George Martin was the most trailblazing Beatle.
okay her is a for real controversial statement: George Martin was the most trailblazing Beatle.
George was the magic-maker, no doubt. There had to be great songs first, of course.
George was the magic-maker, no doubt. There had to be great songs first, of course.
Finished The Ask last night and listened to a wonderful interview with Lipsyte on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast this morning. Highly recommended.
Finished The Ask last night and listened to a wonderful interview with Lipsyte on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast this morning. Highly recommended.
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/2979-hex-enduction-hour
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/2979-hex-enduction-hour
The Beatles or Kinks — both great — aren’t as GREAT as the Stones or Sabbath or Led Zep. A touch of EVIL is essential! Without evil, you get the Beach Boys, which are great, sure, but not as GREAT as Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd (listen to “Careful With That Axe, Eugene” or “Interstellar Overdrive”) or the Velvet Underground’s “White Light/White Heat,” which are a little bit EVIL and therefore GREAT.
Sam Lipsyte is a little bit evil, too. That’s what keeps his sentences from being precious lil’ language concentrations.
The Beatles or Kinks — both great — aren’t as GREAT as the Stones or Sabbath or Led Zep. A touch of EVIL is essential! Without evil, you get the Beach Boys, which are great, sure, but not as GREAT as Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd (listen to “Careful With That Axe, Eugene” or “Interstellar Overdrive”) or the Velvet Underground’s “White Light/White Heat,” which are a little bit EVIL and therefore GREAT.
Sam Lipsyte is a little bit evil, too. That’s what keeps his sentences from being precious lil’ language concentrations.
Stones are corny and Zepplin isn’t evil, they just sing about sex and hobbits. I can feel you on Black Sabbath though.
Stones are corny and Zepplin isn’t evil, they just sing about sex and hobbits. I can feel you on Black Sabbath though.
still here, or back again, rather. weeeeee! if you think the stones are corny, i can understand now why you like the kinks so much. i get where you’re coming from, aluminum shark. that’s kinda why i said earlier that the stones and zep are the only ones (and hendrix) that were “cooler” than the beatles. by that i meant, “sexually potent in music form”, “evil,” what-have-you, etc. iggy and david bowie are sexually potent too, of course. umm, and t-rex. velvet underground. sexycool
but like “girl” or “i want you” are pretty damn sexycool, even if not “evil.” good points all (well i can’t co-sign the stones being corny, really don’t agree, but it’s all love, peace lincoln).
still here, or back again, rather. weeeeee! if you think the stones are corny, i can understand now why you like the kinks so much. i get where you’re coming from, aluminum shark. that’s kinda why i said earlier that the stones and zep are the only ones (and hendrix) that were “cooler” than the beatles. by that i meant, “sexually potent in music form”, “evil,” what-have-you, etc. iggy and david bowie are sexually potent too, of course. umm, and t-rex. velvet underground. sexycool
but like “girl” or “i want you” are pretty damn sexycool, even if not “evil.” good points all (well i can’t co-sign the stones being corny, really don’t agree, but it’s all love, peace lincoln).
do you like your rock to not be about sex, lincoln? if so, i cry for you (although you write well, so i mean, obviously it’s not killing your art or anything).
do you like your rock to not be about sex, lincoln? if so, i cry for you (although you write well, so i mean, obviously it’s not killing your art or anything).
I like rock about sex, but I don’t think Led Zepplin are “evil”
I like rock about sex, but I don’t think Led Zepplin are “evil”
hehe… word, gotcha
hehe… word, gotcha
also i’m not like obsessed with the kinks. Dylan and the VU (then the Band) are my favs of that time period. Black Sabbath and Iggy Pop as well, if you count them (they are a bit later)
also i’m not like obsessed with the kinks. Dylan and the VU (then the Band) are my favs of that time period. Black Sabbath and Iggy Pop as well, if you count them (they are a bit later)
read the ask in a single day. hadn’t done that with a book in years, at least not one of its length. it’s only march, i’ll call it now: best of book of 2010.
read the ask in a single day. hadn’t done that with a book in years, at least not one of its length. it’s only march, i’ll call it now: best of book of 2010.
Sam has a big crumb in his beard.
Oh, shit, I need to wash my screen.
Sam has a big crumb in his beard.
Oh, shit, I need to wash my screen.
“Without evil, you get the Beach Boys”
Brian Wilson was friends with MANSON
“Without evil, you get the Beach Boys”
Brian Wilson was friends with MANSON
If Michael Nesbit lost out to Charlie Manson in his bid to be the hippie MONKEE, Roman Polanski wouldn’t have done that teenage girl.
“Black Mountain Side,” “No Quarter,” “The Song Remains the Same,” “Achilles’ Last Stand” . . . Not as much as “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” or “War Pigs” but a few Zep songs have a touch of evil to them, plus the guitarist lived in Aleister Crowley’s castle, slept in coffins, and intravenously injected serious amounts of heroin into the veins of Scottish virgins he and his pet jackals then devoured.
Stones aren’t corny. Watch Gimme Shelter. Damn. Watch that Godard movie about the making of “Sympathy for the Devil”. Damn. Those boys were the definition of not corny.
Zappa and Beefheart are whole different polyethylene bags of dough.
If Michael Nesbit lost out to Charlie Manson in his bid to be the hippie MONKEE, Roman Polanski wouldn’t have done that teenage girl.
“Black Mountain Side,” “No Quarter,” “The Song Remains the Same,” “Achilles’ Last Stand” . . . Not as much as “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” or “War Pigs” but a few Zep songs have a touch of evil to them, plus the guitarist lived in Aleister Crowley’s castle, slept in coffins, and intravenously injected serious amounts of heroin into the veins of Scottish virgins he and his pet jackals then devoured.
Stones aren’t corny. Watch Gimme Shelter. Damn. Watch that Godard movie about the making of “Sympathy for the Devil”. Damn. Those boys were the definition of not corny.
Zappa and Beefheart are whole different polyethylene bags of dough.
THIS LOOKS GREAT
AL PURDY IS A FAMOUS CANADIAN POET, HE MENTORED ONDAATJE, MANY OTHERS, ETC
THIS LOOKS GREAT
AL PURDY IS A FAMOUS CANADIAN POET, HE MENTORED ONDAATJE, MANY OTHERS, ETC
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http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article7066039.ece
This article on comic novels in the Times seems related.
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article7066039.ece
This article on comic novels in the Times seems related.
some interesting points, although i wouldn’t pick the examples she picks at the end.
some interesting points, although i wouldn’t pick the examples she picks at the end.