Why isn't this book discussed more often? I am 300 pages

Barth has been discussed into the ground. I can only talk about this pirate rape meme for so many years. Babbys second pomo

>>9080674
What's funny is that I put it off for a long time, reading a ton of other postmodern lit, before I finally picked this one up. I'm not sure why I put it off so long, he's clearly up there with the best of them, in my opinion. Fair enough, though. Guess I'll just fuck off and look through the archives.

barth is sublime

Funniest book ever written

>>9080666
I often consider his neglect. I think he is a better writer than all the other metafictionists. Leagues ahead.

>>9081020
i just ordered this book because of this coment

>>9081432
It's really blowing me away. The influence he's had on postmodernism is immediately apparent. I've never laughed this much while reading before.

>>9083015
Try J R my man. I've been looking for this book for a year. Maybe it's time to order it. I have all his others up to letters and a couple after that.

>>9080666
Fuck this thread gives it a good sell. Thanks OP will definitely check it out

>>9083045
I have JR and almost started it, but went with this one instead. I had just finished Against the Day (which is fucking amazing btw) and wanted something just a bit lighter than Gaddis. I'll likely read JR next, as The Recognitions is one of my all time favorites and JR seems to be most people's favorite.

>>9080666
DUDE

>>9083251
SOT-WEED LMAO

>>9080666

Thanks for the reminder OP. One of the few books on my shelf that I haven't read. Forgot it was hidden in a double row.

So what kind of literature is this? Post-modern? I've been reading so many classics these days, I feel like something different.

I've read Pynchon's Lot 49, Inherent Vice. That's it. Any recommendations on getting my feet wetter would be appreciated.

>>9080666
This is one of my favourite books. For anyone considering reading this take the plunge, and even if you don't want to commit to the whole ~750 page thing, at least read the 'Privee Journal Entrees of John Smith" from the book. They're a series of probably 5 or 6 framed narratives (a couple pages each) that tell a (further) fictionalized version of the Pocahontas story, and is likely the funniest thing I've ever (and will ever) read. The ambition in visualizing this book, then actually executing it is incredible. Reading it was one of the most wonderful reading experiences of my life, maybe only slightly behind Ada.

Anyways OP glad you're enjoying Barth. Once you're done with this read The End of the Road (it's usually sold as part of a double feature book with The Floating Opera). These two aforementioned books represent Barth in his 'silver' phase, while his next two, The Sot-Weed Factor and Giles Goat Boy, represent him in his 'gold' phase.

I'd rank the works I've read of his as such (from favourite down):

The Sot-Weed Factor
The End of the Road
Giles Goat Boy
The Floating Opera
[jump in quality]
Lost in the Funhouse
Chimera

I have 'The Voyages of Somebody the Sailor' and 'LETTERS' but have yet to read them.

Come back when you're done OP so we can talk about it more. And everyone else read some fucking Barth please.

>>9084458
It's POMO, but is often described as the kinda' boundary/bridge between Modernism and POModernism. It doesn't contain a lot of the tropes you see in his later works.

If I was you I'd take the plunge and read TSWF. I've heard it described as a "Rollicking Good Tale" and I think that's probably the most apt description of it. Give it a shot.

I read it on a "whim" a while ago and couldn't be happier that I did. Barth is now one of my favourite authors

>>9084518
Alright, sounds good. Thanks.

>>9084509
Thank you for this. I have The Floating Opera and The End of the Road, and I have my eyes on a first edition hardcover of Letters at a local bookstore, so I'm definitely planning on reading his entire bibliography. I'm sold.
What are some similar authors that you enjoyed?

>>9084509
What about Tidewater Tales?

I've only read The Floating Opera so far, but it was great. I plan to read much more Barth.

>>9081020
wtf I hate barth now

>>9084924
I haven't read it. I've been going chronologically (mostly) and am at Letters now.

>>9084911
Re TFO and TEotR: I found these two to be wonderful, and even though I slightly preferred the latter, I adored both. TEotR is probably one of my favourites of all time, the main character is very sardonic, acerbic, and funny. The book is a dark comedy and it did everything right for me.

Re LETTERS: Be sure you read everything before LETTERS first, it is an epistolary novel whose correspondents are all recurring characters from previous works (or their relatives, etc) and heavily references events and fictitious institutions from the aforementioned previous books.

Re Similar Authors: I don't know, I am honestly not too well read and likely can't provide any names you haven't heard of yet. He is probably the most similar to Borges, DeLillo, and Calvino, with some real humor/comedy mixed in. I've found him quite unique so it's hard to point to authors that combine both his verbosity, virtuosity, and wit.

>BjAoRhTnH

What did he mean by this?

File: PortraitOfAsATheArtistYoungJamesManJoyce.jpg (13KB, 224x346px) Image search: [Google]

13KB, 224x346px

>>9085291
The same thing Joyce meant by this

File: 1475331743196.jpg (16KB, 226x199px) Image search: [Google]

16KB, 226x199px

>>9085269
>Re LETTERS: Be sure you read everything before LETTERS first

>I haven't read it. I've been going chronologically (mostly) and am at Letters now.

>>9085325
While this seems like a contradiction it isn't. One mustn't have read/seen a sequel to tell another to read/see the original first

>>9085310
That's a horrible cover

>>9085416
I know. Even if you read it one colour at a time it still doesn't make sense