On 29 May 2000, Mario Taboada wrote:
: I'm not surprised about Willeford. In several novels he
combines
: existentialism with surrealism (and a few other
things).
I flipped open WRITING & OTHER BLOOD SPORTS to "New Forms
of Ugly," the book version of his master's thesis, and
saw:
"To appreciate the attitude struck by Camus' immobilized
heroes and characters in THE STRANGER and THE PLAGUE, the
author's central idea of the Absurd is enough to understand:
life is absurd; it is more engaging to observe life than it
is to participate in it; and, by recording one's observations
and sensations, man-artist may or may not (it makes no
measurable difference) produce an artifcat that will outlive
or outlast the mortal self."
The book also includes the essay "Jake Dover as
Existentialist," about the character in THE DIFFERENCE.
But enough about French philosophy. Any Willeford fans will
certainly want to get WRITING & OTHER BLOOD SPORTS, which
is new from Dennis McMillan Publications. It's jammed with
all manner of great stuff, including some pieces about
Willeford, Willeford's obits of John D. MacDonald, Ross
Macdonald and Chester Himes, pieces on Chester Himes and Jim
Tully, advice to writers, all of "New Forms of Ugly,"
etc.
Bill
-- William Denton : Toronto, Canada : http://www.miskatonic.org/ : Caveat lector.
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