Percy-L: Literary, Religious, Scientific, and Philosophical Discussion of Walker Percy

[RHONDA MCDONNELL <rhonda_mcdonnell AT msn.com>]

Wow--all the good stuff happens when I'm on vacation! I'm tardy in adding to this discussion, but I'll throw my opinions in anyway, with indulgence from all of you. 
 
Unlike Nikki, I can't speak to whether WP would've liked THE ROAD. I can say that I found it to be profoundly intersubjective, and I have to side with David Beck: a great deal happened in the story.  McCarthy's language has a breathtaking simplicity to it which can be deceptive. I remember thinking, the first time I read him, "This is what Hemingway was trying to do."  Now, I've doubtless offending a Hemingway devotee, but I stand by it.  My only objection to THE ROAD is that the ending seemed a bit contrived, but I was relieved, even so.  Although a friend insists that I missed it, and that it ends with death. I haven't made it back to reread yet, so that friend may be right. In which case, it wasn't contrived after all.

Regarding the autobiographical aspects of TLG, read Bertram Wyatt-Brown's HOUSE OF PERCY. If I remember right, that's the book that argues that case most strongly. 
 
Here's another thought . . . What would WP have thought of Don DeLillo's FALLING MAN?

--Rhonda

"You live in a deranged age, more deranged than usual, because in spite of great scientific and technological advances, man has not the faintest idea of who he is or what he is doing."
  
                                    Walker Percy

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> From: robert.g.eckert AT us.army.mil
> To: percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 16:51:22 -0500
> Subject: Re: [percy-l] ps
>
> Perhaps people go on American Idol because, in their own way, they share Binx Bolling's dream of doing something great.
>
> We all want to bigger than we are, to be more who we are than we are now.
>
> American Idol allows any and every aspiring singer the opportunity to become great. Indeed, the show has resulted in beginning the careers of great artists.
>
>
> CPL Eckert
> Ft. Riley, KS
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Jeff Ballow <jeffballow AT nycmail.com>
> Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 6:19
> Subject: Re: [percy-l] ps
> To: "Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion" <percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>
> > I guess I'll go more lowbrow - I've always wondered what Percy
> > would have thought about American Idol!
> >
> >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "Tommy Armstrong" <
> > > To: "'Percy-L: Literary and Philosophical Discussion'" <
> > > Subject: Re: [percy-l] ps
> > > Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:04:47 -0400
> > >
> > >
> > > I often wonder what he would have thought of Stephen Maturin in O'Brian
> > > series. I think would have thought him to be a kindred soul.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Tommy Armstrong
> > >
> > > PO Box 484
> > >
> > > Lillington, NC 27546
> > >
> > > (910) 893-5508
> > >
> > > www.brickengraver.com
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > The search is what anyone would undertake if he were not sunk in the
> > > everydayness of his own life. To be aware of the possibility of the search
> > > is to be onto something. Not to be onto something is to be in despair.
> > >
> > > Walker Percy
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > From: percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
> > > [mailto:percy-l-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Nikkibar AT aol.com
> > > Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 11:48 PM
> > > To: percy-l AT lists.ibiblio.org
> > > Subject: Re: [percy-l] ps
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I think I'd let others sound off on this one. I think that Walker would have
> > > found Road boring for the same reason he found Proust boring. The same
> > > reason he found Barcester Towers boring. Shelby was always trying to get him
> > > to read the one and I the other. He turned thumbs down on both after trying
> > > them. The fact is that there is no accounting for taste. Those were his
> > > tastes. That was how the question was put.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Nikki
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _____
> > >
> > > Get fantasy football with free live scoring. Sign up
> > > <http://www.fanhouse.com/fantasyaffair?ncid=aolspr00050000000020> for
> > > FanHouse Fantasy Football today.
> > >
> > > --
> > > An archive of all list discussion is available at
> > > https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/percy-l/
> > >
> > > Visit the Walker Percy Project at http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy
> >
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Be Yourself @ mail.com!
> > Choose From 200+ Email Addresses
> > Get a Free Account at www.mail.com
> >
> > --
> > An archive of all list discussion is available at https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/percy-l/
> >
> > Visit the Walker Percy Project at http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy
> --
> An archive of all list discussion is available at http://lists.ibiblio.org/pipermail/percy-l/
>
> Visit the Walker Percy Project at http://www.ibiblio.org/wpercy

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