I've never been as enthralled by a narrative artist as I was when I was 18 or so, the age that I starting reading Don DeLillo's novels. Undisputedly one of America's premier late century novelists, I still find myself, years after I stopped reading his works for the first time, more frequently in awe of the sentences he writes, the implications buried within their piercingly contemporary syntax more lasting than those of any other writer working in the English language today. His 1997 book Underworld remains my favorite novel, the most touching and kaleidoscopic evocation of the fear and dread, faith and hope, that informed Cold War American life. An avid cinephile, one whose novels undoubtedly owe a debt to the Europeans and American Independent films of the 60s, the somewhat reclusive author surfaced with a piece for The Guardian on Barbara Loden's seminal 1971 film Wanda this past weekend. Even if you're not familiar with that film (which despite being on DVD, is still tragically hard to see), do yourself a favor and check it out.
Nov 3, 2008
DeLillo on Loden's Wanda
I've never been as enthralled by a narrative artist as I was when I was 18 or so, the age that I starting reading Don DeLillo's novels. Undisputedly one of America's premier late century novelists, I still find myself, years after I stopped reading his works for the first time, more frequently in awe of the sentences he writes, the implications buried within their piercingly contemporary syntax more lasting than those of any other writer working in the English language today. His 1997 book Underworld remains my favorite novel, the most touching and kaleidoscopic evocation of the fear and dread, faith and hope, that informed Cold War American life. An avid cinephile, one whose novels undoubtedly owe a debt to the Europeans and American Independent films of the 60s, the somewhat reclusive author surfaced with a piece for The Guardian on Barbara Loden's seminal 1971 film Wanda this past weekend. Even if you're not familiar with that film (which despite being on DVD, is still tragically hard to see), do yourself a favor and check it out.
