January 15th, 2010 / 2:01 pm
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Blake Butler
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Meta
“The Anti-Novel is dead; I read it in the Times. The Anti-Hero and the Anti-Heroine had a thing going that resulted in three Anti-children, all of them now at Dalton.”
“The Anti-Novel is dead; I read it in the Times. The Anti-Hero and the Anti-Heroine had a thing going that resulted in three Anti-children, all of them now at Dalton.”
100 Stories.
(60, though.)
Sixty Stories
100 Stories.
(60, though.)
Sixty Stories
40’s got chablis but 60’s got critique de la vie quotidienne.
and 40’s got those interstitial chapters from overnight to many distant cities reworked as titled stories.
but 60’s got 60 stories.
shit dude, why you gotta choose.
you want individual collections, sadness is tops for me.
40’s got chablis but 60’s got critique de la vie quotidienne.
and 40’s got those interstitial chapters from overnight to many distant cities reworked as titled stories.
but 60’s got 60 stories.
shit dude, why you gotta choose.
you want individual collections, sadness is tops for me.
60 stories for sure.
60 stories for sure.
Try to locate the original collections… CALIGARI, SADNESS, UNSPEAKABLE PRACTICES, CITY LIFE, all of which hit trade or mass market paperback “in the day” (think about that for a second). Plus, you get better cover art on those collections, molder and all, anyway.
Try to locate the original collections… CALIGARI, SADNESS, UNSPEAKABLE PRACTICES, CITY LIFE, all of which hit trade or mass market paperback “in the day” (think about that for a second). Plus, you get better cover art on those collections, molder and all, anyway.
Jac Jemc’s been doing this, tracking them down and reading them individually.
Jac Jemc’s been doing this, tracking them down and reading them individually.
I read 40 because when I’m at “brick and mortar” bookstores, I often buy stuff on impulse, and 40 was the one they had on the shelf. Still plan to read 60 eventually.
I read 40 because when I’m at “brick and mortar” bookstores, I often buy stuff on impulse, and 40 was the one they had on the shelf. Still plan to read 60 eventually.
i have a couple of the originals, i actually prefer them in the condensed version for some reason i don’t know why
i have a couple of the originals, i actually prefer them in the condensed version for some reason i don’t know why
I’ve read most of the originals. Not sure it really changes the experience all that much. The Edward Gorey cover to Dr. caligari is great though.
I’ve read most of the originals. Not sure it really changes the experience all that much. The Edward Gorey cover to Dr. caligari is great though.
This is kind of like asking me whether I would rather cut off my left or my right hand. The choice is obvious, but I’d still rather not have to choose, y’know?
This is kind of like asking me whether I would rather cut off my left or my right hand. The choice is obvious, but I’d still rather not have to choose, y’know?
I like to read through the original collections because they seem to be in conversation — they are books, I mean, organized to be books — and also because if you read them in order, you see a portrait of Barthelme’s development as a story writer. That’s probably a rarefied thing to want, and it doesn’t diminish the pleasures of 40 or 60 Stories, which are the places where I first read Don B.
I like to read through the original collections because they seem to be in conversation — they are books, I mean, organized to be books — and also because if you read them in order, you see a portrait of Barthelme’s development as a story writer. That’s probably a rarefied thing to want, and it doesn’t diminish the pleasures of 40 or 60 Stories, which are the places where I first read Don B.
Sixty Stories, no question. Sixty was his first anthology and Don B picked what he thought were his top drawer stories. And he was a good judge of his work. When Sixty did well commercially, Don was asked to go back and select the best of the rest (plus some newer material) for Forty. It’s still an excellent collection, but go with the A sides.
Sixty Stories, no question. Sixty was his first anthology and Don B picked what he thought were his top drawer stories. And he was a good judge of his work. When Sixty did well commercially, Don was asked to go back and select the best of the rest (plus some newer material) for Forty. It’s still an excellent collection, but go with the A sides.
I also have some of the originals — seems like maybe there are stories in them that didn’t make it into 60 or 40? I could be mistaken. Also, like Kyle, I enjoy the originals because they are their own thing — sort of the same way I like whole albums rather than Best Of compilations.
I also have some of the originals — seems like maybe there are stories in them that didn’t make it into 60 or 40? I could be mistaken. Also, like Kyle, I enjoy the originals because they are their own thing — sort of the same way I like whole albums rather than Best Of compilations.
60. got diff editions of the originals and 2-3 diff editions of 60 and 40. penguin uk put out a pretty little psychedelic looking cover that’s one of my favorites although the paper quality on the inside seems to lack. i think all the stories were eventually published if not in 60 or 40 then at least in Flying to America. or The Teachings of Don B. If we’re talking the original collections, I’d have to say Come Back, Dr. Caligari, Unspeakable Practices, Unnatural Acts, then City Life. something about those early collections.
60. got diff editions of the originals and 2-3 diff editions of 60 and 40. penguin uk put out a pretty little psychedelic looking cover that’s one of my favorites although the paper quality on the inside seems to lack. i think all the stories were eventually published if not in 60 or 40 then at least in Flying to America. or The Teachings of Don B. If we’re talking the original collections, I’d have to say Come Back, Dr. Caligari, Unspeakable Practices, Unnatural Acts, then City Life. something about those early collections.
I refuse to choose and take both! Hah! Whattaya gonna do?
Off topic, but relevant, re: Kyle Minor: Does anyone remember Timothy Hutton reading the opening of “Chablis” on Mtv as narration to a filmed interpretation of the opening? That’s where I first got a taste of Don B. Then came Miss Mandible and “The Joker’s Greatest Triumph” and it was all over then.
I refuse to choose and take both! Hah! Whattaya gonna do?
Off topic, but relevant, re: Kyle Minor: Does anyone remember Timothy Hutton reading the opening of “Chablis” on Mtv as narration to a filmed interpretation of the opening? That’s where I first got a taste of Don B. Then came Miss Mandible and “The Joker’s Greatest Triumph” and it was all over then.
i disagree completely.
i think sadness is incredible as a book and overnight to many distant cities exists wholly apart from its collected versions due to, again, the interstitials, some of which were republished in other volumes and some of which were not, but the pacing of it and the placement of everything doesn’t exist any other way.
my first experience was with 40 then 60 then most of the individual books then flying to america. i still need not knowing and the teachings of don b.
and higgs, there are, they were collected later in flying to america, which is subtitled 45 more stories.
his wikipedia page actually tracks where every story was published and collected which is pretty useful.
i disagree completely.
i think sadness is incredible as a book and overnight to many distant cities exists wholly apart from its collected versions due to, again, the interstitials, some of which were republished in other volumes and some of which were not, but the pacing of it and the placement of everything doesn’t exist any other way.
my first experience was with 40 then 60 then most of the individual books then flying to america. i still need not knowing and the teachings of don b.
and higgs, there are, they were collected later in flying to america, which is subtitled 45 more stories.
his wikipedia page actually tracks where every story was published and collected which is pretty useful.
That MTV spot with Chablis was crazy. I remember watching that I thinking I must be hallucinating. I think Ashbery did one for them too. Then there was Iggy Pop reciting from Ezra Pound’s Cantos…
That MTV spot with Chablis was crazy. I remember watching that I thinking I must be hallucinating. I think Ashbery did one for them too. Then there was Iggy Pop reciting from Ezra Pound’s Cantos…
funny, am i the only one who prefers 40?
i also really do feel that something about the rearrangement of the stories outside their original shells into these two other beasts is a thing unto itself. not like a ‘best of’ as many reencapsulations are, but two new bodies.
funny, am i the only one who prefers 40?
i also really do feel that something about the rearrangement of the stories outside their original shells into these two other beasts is a thing unto itself. not like a ‘best of’ as many reencapsulations are, but two new bodies.
i would go with sixty, just because it has some favorites. although it really doesn’t matter. obv forty has some great ones, like chablis, bluebeard,and the baby.
but i think amateurs is clearly the best on its own. our work and why we do it, the school, some of us have been threatening our friend colby, i bought a little city – come on.
i would go with sixty, just because it has some favorites. although it really doesn’t matter. obv forty has some great ones, like chablis, bluebeard,and the baby.
but i think amateurs is clearly the best on its own. our work and why we do it, the school, some of us have been threatening our friend colby, i bought a little city – come on.
It’s all excellent, and necessary, but if this were the Desert Island Challenge—gotta go with Sixty.
It’s all excellent, and necessary, but if this were the Desert Island Challenge—gotta go with Sixty.
no, i prefer 40. 60 has my favorite story, but 40 is more manageable as a collection and i feel better paced.
no, i prefer 40. 60 has my favorite story, but 40 is more manageable as a collection and i feel better paced.
There’s a new collection called Flying to America: 45 More Stories.
There’s a new collection called Flying to America: 45 More Stories.
Yes, Blake, absolutely. If and when they get around to doing a Complete Barthelme Stories, it will be a real decision whether to organize the volume by the original collections, or by a three-part structure: Sixty, Forty, Uncollected. You could make reasonable arguments either way, though the stories in Sixty are already organized by the collections in which they first appeared.
Yes, Blake, absolutely. If and when they get around to doing a Complete Barthelme Stories, it will be a real decision whether to organize the volume by the original collections, or by a three-part structure: Sixty, Forty, Uncollected. You could make reasonable arguments either way, though the stories in Sixty are already organized by the collections in which they first appeared.
see, for me, not just the stories but when i think about most of my favorite barthelmean sentences, i have to go with 60. and justin, my god i wish they’d do a complete barthelme stories. i’m just waiting till feb. so i can purchase the bio in paperback to complement the hc ed. this might be an illness.
see, for me, not just the stories but when i think about most of my favorite barthelmean sentences, i have to go with 60. and justin, my god i wish they’d do a complete barthelme stories. i’m just waiting till feb. so i can purchase the bio in paperback to complement the hc ed. this might be an illness.
Poor audio, but the aforementioned Hutton / MTV adaptation is swirling through the tubes after all…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozc_wkc28nc
Poor audio, but the aforementioned Hutton / MTV adaptation is swirling through the tubes after all…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozc_wkc28nc
A couple of the stories were revised for the later collections–small revisions, but sometimes significant. “110 West Sixty-First Street,” in the original collection has an additional paragraph at the end that gets cut in 40 Stories–the paragraph’s a sort of Job-esque “and then after the trials everything is made unbelievably better.” Both endings are incredibly sad, but in very different ways.
A couple of the stories were revised for the later collections–small revisions, but sometimes significant. “110 West Sixty-First Street,” in the original collection has an additional paragraph at the end that gets cut in 40 Stories–the paragraph’s a sort of Job-esque “and then after the trials everything is made unbelievably better.” Both endings are incredibly sad, but in very different ways.
What? This is real? Headin’ to youtube…
What? This is real? Headin’ to youtube…