Posts Tagged ‘Joris-Karl Huysmans’

On Philip Roth and Joris-Karl Huysmans

02Oct07

Today we read about Exit Ghost (Houghton Mifflin, 2007), Philip Roth’s new book in which his alter ego Zuckerman is said to be (ahem) a recluse, which led us to think he might at least be on familiar terms with the sublime metaphorical/metaphysical qualities so critical to the reclusive state. We wondered if it were […]


Filed under: Capitalism, Drivel, Pessimism, Resignation, Writers-American, Writers-French   |  Leave a Comment
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On the Firethorn and the Mountain Ash

30Sep07

Although it is far from being classified as a specimen plant in the garden of the gay recluse, the firethorn (Pyrachantha‘Mohave’) is valued not only for the depth of its evergreen leaves and the length of its ferocious needles, but for the perfect orange tone of its berries, which provide such welcome interest to the […]


Filed under: Decay, The Autumn Garden, Washington Heights, Writers-French   |  Leave a Comment
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On the Incandescent Transience of Emile Zola and The Microsoft Corporation

29Sep07

In the elevator today, we were asked by an acquaintance what book we were reading, and in response displayed Emile Zola’s Nana. Noting his blank expression, we elaborated: “It’s an old French novel.” “Is it good?” Not wanting to digress into our true reasons for reading the book — namely, to better understand the context […]


Filed under: Capitalism, Resignation, Writers-French   |  Leave a Comment
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