Comments on: Of Vollmann’s Imperial

By: missVolare

missVolare — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:21:46 +0000

I agree to that approach Ed. It’s a study of the human condition in a contentious modern desert, or war reporting. I’m about 3/4 of the way through and still engaged. The photo book adjunct is pretty good stuff too–nice 8×10 negs.

By: Tom Beshear

Tom Beshear — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:34:42 +0000

The thought of cutting up a book makes me sad.

It is available on Kindle, for $26.40.

By: BDR

BDR — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:32:02 +0000

You know, a good exacto knife can trim Imperial into four easy to carry and read sections.

I’m middle way through the second quarter.

By: Lee

Lee — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:44:58 +0000

Or released as an ebook!

By: Tom Beshear

Tom Beshear — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 04:58:03 +0000

I’m a bit over halfway in — been munching on IMPERIAL for almost two weeks. I find it quicker, easier reading than I expected. Yeah, there are longeurs and repetitions that become annoying tics after awhile — such as the line above — but it’s, well, epic. I’m in the middle of a section about efforts to organize farm workers, and it’s riveting. As is much of it.

I’m an editor. Given free rein, I’d dump some of the short chapters and tighten a few longer ones, but, my Lord, the research and the sweat that Vollmann has poured into it. I can see why he wants it all.

If you’re interested in what America really is and how it got that way, IMPERIAL’s worth your time.

PS: IMPERIAL functions on one level as a pendant to Vollmann’s so-far-incomplete SEVEN DREAMS sequence.

ETC: The book, as a book, is almost too large and heavy to read. It’s hard to find a reading position that’s comfortable for long. Perhaps it should have been released in a multi-volume paperback set, like 2666.