tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6004423696675838467.post5715760897020019470..comments2024-03-14T02:24:22.876-07:00Comments on Essay Daily: Talk About the Essay: On Maggie Nelson and the Book-Length EssayUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6004423696675838467.post-89885905420349315602010-03-13T14:53:23.098-08:002010-03-13T14:53:23.098-08:00I read numbered sections very differently than spa...I read numbered sections very differently than space-breaked or glyphed off sections. The numbering creates a clearer sense of linear progression, for one, even if it's ultimately illusory (these definitely /do/ build on one another, though it's not purely chronological, thankfully). But, as we read, the numbers keep increasing. Which creates a sense of intentionality. (It would actually be interesting to see some skipped, or occasional dwindling or something.)<br /><br />And for this reader at least numbering lots of short sections in essay or poem separates the sections even further from each other, more than they would if the pieces were just separated by space breaks. Though having so many of them (rather than, say, 6 or 7) takes away from the feeling that each is a separate movement of the poem. <br /><br />You may also have noticed there's some Michigan in this Nelson (not as much in this book, but in her two others: Jane, The Red Parts.Anderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13162102610439637214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6004423696675838467.post-3514270633032098932010-03-12T09:40:25.927-08:002010-03-12T09:40:25.927-08:00For what it's worth, I demolished this book in...For what it's worth, I demolished this book in an afternoon (I kept trying to slow myself down, but I became infatuated)<br /><br />In any case, how do you see the numbering working as an organizational structure? How different would it be if the sections were separated by white space or a ~?dleghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09480752698054172227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6004423696675838467.post-54365689582116728642010-03-08T11:51:11.399-08:002010-03-08T11:51:11.399-08:00Interesting. To me the essay says sprawl, like Wes...Interesting. To me the essay says sprawl, like Western cities. But I see the idea of one-sitting devourability too.Anderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13162102610439637214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6004423696675838467.post-90679571829279619682010-03-03T20:14:16.045-08:002010-03-03T20:14:16.045-08:00Sounds like an interesting read. I've been thi...Sounds like an interesting read. I've been thinking much about D'Agata's book, and the idea of a book-length essay that was brought up in that string of posts (I would have posted there, but, you know, this post was on top now and I felt too lazy to scroll down.)<br /><br />A, you referenced being able to read the book (or at least the sections, or subsections) in one sitting. I imagine that's a reference to Poe's single-effect, short story writing rule of measure. Which got me thinking: is an essay comparable to a short story in length, by definition of form? We have short-shorts, micro-fiction and non-, short stories and essays, novellas and long essays, and ... in my mind, books come next. Collections are different that books, and novels equal books (in most instances I can think of). So is the book-length essay a misnomer? Aren't we discussing an extended meditation when we discuss About a Mountain? Or a novessay? (Holy shit! Can I copyright that word now?)<br /><br />Don't get me wrong, AAM was a fantastic read. Compelling, fascinating. Thoroughly enjoyed the footnotes. I'm still trying to divorce my experience of hearing D'Agata read it to a bunch of stodgy old English lit folks...which, as stated earlier, rocked my world. But I question the term book-length essay. Not that it's not true. It's just sorta paradoxical, I guess, like a micro-novella would be.JD Fishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05083256789035213469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6004423696675838467.post-45376893804936956072010-03-02T15:18:37.680-08:002010-03-02T15:18:37.680-08:00Looking forward to reading this (my broke ass is w...Looking forward to reading this (my broke ass is waiting on a library copy), but it seems like an interesting project.dleghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09480752698054172227noreply@blogger.com