Donald Barthelme, I Take It All Back

[Robert Crisman]

I picked up a book of Barthelme's short stories in '72, back when I still thought that literature might save me.

The name of the book was Unspeakable Practices, Unnatural Acts and, well, no shit: it seemed to me a wonderless wasteland of non-sequiturial nothing from first page to last, and I thought to myself at the time that this guy wouldn't know stories from stinkweeds, I swear.

They weren't even shit, seemed to me: shit may yet fertilize something or other, and these fucking things were more on the order of salt, like the salt that Rome poured on ground where stood Carthage, in order that nothing could ever grow there again.

Last night I read a story Barthelme wrote called King Of Jazz.

Just a goof, but divine, and perfectly, perfectly written.

And that sound-of-a-trombone soliloquy late in the tale--I wonder how much of that long, lovely riff I can steal...

[Gita]

Okay, I'm back. Having read the story and having levitated during that last trombone riff, I agree and wipe my forehead sweat with the rag of deference. That's one fine-ass piece of writing.

[Gita]

And sometimes a book gets published that shouldn't be, and sometimes the author hits his stride with a subsequent piece and maybe wishes that first book had not been published... Either way, now you've roped me into reading King of Jazz and I'll probably thank you for it.

 

[Teresa]

And 98% dialogue.  We talked about that once, disagreed about whether or not it works.  Apparently it does when every line really says something.  I think you and DB share some DNA.  Very similar voice, especially during the sound-of-a-trombone soliloquy.   I wouldn't be able to tell the two of you apart.

[Jadie Jones]

 I read the first line and thought: OH i love this line. What five lines can possibly stand up to such a succinct and brilliant into? And then you delivered absolutely. This was a great way to start out my morning. Favorited

[Mike Handley]

The reverse can be true as well. I sometimes reread former beloved authors and think, "Damn. Why did I like this?"

But, yes, I firmly believe most writers (and other creative types) improve with age.

[Judy Thompson]

isnt it amazing how some writers get better as we get older?  Nice post.  I may have to go back and see what I missed the first time around, too.