I Like Nearly Everyone I Meet

June 30, 2023 12:38 PM

The Curious Case of William T. Vollmann [Sactown, from 2018]

We Can Learn Things When We’re Out There: A Conversation with William T. Vollmann [LARB, 2018]
William T. Vollmann, The Art of Fiction No. 163 [The Paris Review, 2000; ungated]
AN ORAL HISTORY OF WILLIAM VOLLMANN’S RISING UP AND RISING DOWN [McSweeneys, 2004]
THE WILLIAM T. VOLLMANN COLLECTION [Ohio State University]

More about Dolores

Becoming Dolores: William T. Vollmann Exposes His Female Alter Ego [3 a.m. magazine; 2020]
William T. Vollmann: The Self Images of a Cross-Dresser [NYT, 2013; ungated]
The Cross-Dressing Literary Superstar: When William Vollmann Becomes Dolores [Daily Beast, 2017]
Mansplaining Cross-dressing [The New Yorker, 2014; ungated]

Recent writing

A Daughter of Veracruz Takes Up Its Perils and Ghosts [NYT, 2023; ungated]
How a Voyage to French Polynesia Set Herman Melville on the Course to Write ‘Moby-Dick’ [Smithsonian, 2019]

William T Vollman [Wikipedia]

Pre vio usly and Pre vio usl ier

posted by chavenet (11 comments total)

I met him in the early 90’s at a book reading for You Bright and Risen Angels. I didn’t know that much about him but he seemed to be a very friendly and down to earth kind of guy. He described some of his adventures, one of which I think was in Bosnia or thereabouts. He put himself into dangerous situations. I remember something about witnessing one of his companions being shot and killed. Hearing this from him and then following his books over the years, I began to see him as someone willing to both take unbelievable risks coupled with his ability to befriend almost anyone. The people he writes about aren’t subjects, they are friends. Thanks for giving me more to learn about this rather complete individual.
posted by njohnson23 at 1:15 PM on June 30, 2023 [2 favorites]

Think of all the things we choose not to be for cowardly reasons. Then imagine the alternative. Bill is an example of actively investigating the possibilities.
posted by Glomar response at 1:32 PM on June 30, 2023 [6 favorites]

William T. Vollman was bar none my favorite author from a point I don't exactly remember in the early 90s--when I was old enough to be interested in "adult" fiction but maybe not old enough to understand it--through the early aughts. So, roughly, An Afghanistan Picture Show, You Bright and Risen Angels, and the first three Seven Dreams books. I think something about his intellectual range and courage, coupled with weirdly strenuous ethics (the traits on display in Rising Up and Rising Down, which of course I pre-ordered, the unabridged first edition, from McSweeney's; I have to admit that even twenty years later I haven't yet read the whole thing, and probably never will, but I also haven't brought myself to get rid of it) were incredibly, magnetically appealing to me as a young adult.

Honestly, I now think I've been afraid to revisit him for fear that his writing hasn't aged well in the intervening decades. A lot of things I loved when I was younger didn't. I also suspect he's the reason I lean so hard on em dashes when I write.
posted by pullayup at 2:50 PM on June 30, 2023 [3 favorites]

He showed up out of the blue to sign the stick at my store (I feel I’ve told this story before, but it seems lost in a wave of deletions). All I remember is that he seemed horrifyingly youthful for all the things that he had done and seen.
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:05 PM on June 30, 2023 [1 favorite]

Ha just got a copy of Europe Central because of all the people recommending Vollman. Gonna take some time to go through the links here. Thank you for posting, chavenet!
posted by bxvr at 3:23 PM on June 30, 2023 [1 favorite]

Also, that’s “stock.” My phone’s keyboard is pure trash, and one of my cats is being very fussy.
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:37 PM on June 30, 2023 [2 favorites]

One of the best. A truly unique creative mind.
posted by penduluum at 3:53 PM on June 30, 2023 [2 favorites]

"...which of course I pre-ordered, the unabridged first edition, from McSweeney's; I have to admit that even twenty years later I haven't yet read the whole thing, and probably never will, but I also haven't brought myself to get rid of it)" --posted by pullayup

Same. I wonder what percent of Mefites have this LOL.
We need an official poll somehow LOL...

Anyways, I feel like I"m just the kid who glommed onto a hip artifact (which impressive in its own right, and from what I have dug into thought it interesting). But like Mark Fisher (though at least Mark I did know of through other works before his death and "Capitalist Realism" which is what glommed me onto actually reading something from him).

He does seem like a really interesting, open, wandering spirit, with a weird sense of courage.

It struck me that he reminds me of Bourdain in his ability to go places and see things most people don't, and retain a sense, or even magnify the sense of grace and civilitude. (Hmmm. this also has kinship with Herzog...)
posted by symbioid at 10:51 PM on July 1, 2023

Same. I wonder what percent of Mefites have this LOL.

For the record, I have a copy of Rising Up and Rising Down that I bought when it was published. I am about a third of the way through.
posted by chavenet at 1:58 AM on July 3, 2023

I wonder what percent of Mefites have this LOL.

Yeah I also have a copy.
posted by penduluum at 9:00 AM on July 3, 2023

I wonder what percent of Mefites have this LOL.

According to Amazon I bought a copy in 2012. Haven't opened it yet. I'm pretty sure it's still around here in a box.
posted by neuron at 4:43 PM on July 3, 2023