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You missed, "I have read less than one book by him." (That is: tried to read one, bounced very hard indeed -- not my thing.)
I'm complaining about the lack of "I've read several of his books but I don't remember anything about them."
"some other option" is there for a reason...
Some other option: got several of his books including Jurgen, but not have read any and first got to know him through rasfw (as well as namechekcxs by Heinlein and others)
What brought this up? I adored Cabell when I was in high school, not for his plots, but for his hypnotic language, for his worlds that were bigger and older and more complicated than my world, for everything I liked about fantasy and much of what I liked about science fiction (and then there was that obscenity thing, about the most absurd obscenity charge ever; the prosecutor must have forgotten to read the book prior to bringing the charge). The only one of his books I still own is Beyond Life.
The reference to JBC in a quotation from an H. Beam Piper novel.
Ursula Le Guin discusses him in The Language of the Night, which is where I heard of him. The excerpts she provided were not up my alley.
I think all of my memories of UKLG essays have slid into long term cold storage....
The "other option" in this case is "I have read too many books for the authors and titles of all of them to remain green in my memory."
Mine was "I recognized the name, couldn't place it, then saw the line about the obscenity case and said 'ah, Media Law class.'"
Edited 2011-04-16 18:42 (UTC)
Other option--I took Jurgen out of the library, read a few pages, got busy and had to return it. I've been meaning to take it out again.
Haven't read any books by him. Have had Figures of Earth and maybe another title lying around for some years. Started FOE but stalled early on and haven't yet returned.
I would like to have read some Cabell before re-reading Heinlein's Job.
I would like to have read some Cabell before re-reading Heinlein's Job.
I'm pretty certain that I first heard about him thanks to all these years misspent online.
...And since I chose "I have heard of him," I should probably also have chosen "I know who he is." I'm just not especially familiar with him beyond knowing his name.
...And since I chose "I have heard of him," I should probably also have chosen "I know who he is." I'm just not especially familiar with him beyond knowing his name.
Tried reading Jurgen and bounced off hard. This was many years ago.
Only heard of him thanks to references by, I think, Neil Gaiman (?)
Picked The Silver Stallion up at random and carried on on-and-off, for many years, from there.
He's a very specific taste, and even if you like him, in my experience he's remarkably hit-and-miss. I can't imagine sitting down for a multi-book orgy of Cabelliana: it would be like sitting down to a multi-course meal of exotic and obscure fruits, varying pungent-tasting lettuceoids with tart dressings, and random Mystery Meats, with no other axes of diversity whatsoever.
I remain considerably fond of him.
He's a very specific taste, and even if you like him, in my experience he's remarkably hit-and-miss. I can't imagine sitting down for a multi-book orgy of Cabelliana: it would be like sitting down to a multi-course meal of exotic and obscure fruits, varying pungent-tasting lettuceoids with tart dressings, and random Mystery Meats, with no other axes of diversity whatsoever.
I remain considerably fond of him.
I read The Complete Saki at a sitting, which is a similar mistake, like a ten-course meal of dry sherry and olives.
I believe I first ran across him via an excerpt from Jurgen in one of Clifton Fadiman's Mathematical Magpie collections.
Could you do ER Eddison next, please, if this is a series and you're taking requests?
It was the prefaces that got me hooked on Cabell. I'm pretty sure DOMNEI is the first thing I read by him (in the Ballantine Fantasy series), and the preface to that one is hilarious: about, among other things, how hard it was to get the book published, how poorly its first edition did ("And it seemed to me at this period, I confess, that, through some concerted and really earnest effort, the publishers might have sold the usual 500 copies"), along with a snarky survey of the fall publishing season in 1913. He really puts the iron in irony.
I think DOMNEI, FIGURES OF EARTH, JURGEN and a few others are worth reading by those who like fantasy. But I wouldn't say he's for everybody. His social opinions are pretty reactionary, even for his time and place, and his female characters are all as empty as "the thin queen of Elfhame" who figures in one of his most disturbing stories. Also, he frequently clutters up his text with goop that he seems to feel is some sort of philosophy. But, when he's interested in actually telling a tale, he can tell an interesting one in an interesting way.
I think DOMNEI, FIGURES OF EARTH, JURGEN and a few others are worth reading by those who like fantasy. But I wouldn't say he's for everybody. His social opinions are pretty reactionary, even for his time and place, and his female characters are all as empty as "the thin queen of Elfhame" who figures in one of his most disturbing stories. Also, he frequently clutters up his text with goop that he seems to feel is some sort of philosophy. But, when he's interested in actually telling a tale, he can tell an interesting one in an interesting way.
I think I started Jurgen once, long ago -- looking back, I was probably too young for it at the time. I have no idea how I'd care for it now, but it's been on my notional "books I should get back to someday" list for a long time.
I picked "several" but really I have only read two--Jurgen and another one that I liked even less. I think it was Figures of Earth but I would have to see it to make sure.
I have read the entire Biography of Manuel in the Kalki edition, which my graduate school library had.
Well, I know who he is, now, but I didn't before these polls.
For me it is a case of knowing Jurgen, but not the author!
I seem to do that a lot. Movie characters too.
I seem to do that a lot. Movie characters too.
I read "Jurgen", didn't see what all the fuss was about. Personally prefer Dunsany.
Bruce
Bruce
I became aware of Cabell through references in Larry Niven's stories, particularly "Rammer" and A World Out of Time. My high school friends mentioned some interesting things from Jurgen and Figures of Earth, so several years later I read them. I mostly remember the portrayal of death, and the old-fashioned usage of "economics".
Not sure where I first heard of him, but he seemed to be fairly popular in the UK in the seventies. Finally got to read some of his stuff and it was OK, but I'm not ecstatic about his stuff as some people I know are.
I do remember that about 15 years ago, I was going up to London for an opera when there was an accident on the line and my train was held outside Esher for about two hours. Missed the opera. I did have a copy of Something about Eve in my pocket and it passed the time. Didn't quite finish it by the time I got home.
I do remember that about 15 years ago, I was going up to London for an opera when there was an accident on the line and my train was held outside Esher for about two hours. Missed the opera. I did have a copy of Something about Eve in my pocket and it passed the time. Didn't quite finish it by the time I got home.
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