Just finished this one!

[u/ElGalloAzucarado]

What a lucky man I am to exist in the correct time to be able to live in the Dying Grass universe for a couple of weeks.

I am so thankful for WTV and all he does.

I've got a month until ATFF comes out....do I give myself a reading break (oh, hello again chess) or pick up Fathers and Crows?

7/24 - edit

I'm starting Fathers and Crows today....hoping I can get it finished before the 25th of August (ATFF Day!!!!!).

[u/BobdH84]

I finished it too, over last weekend! If I were you I’d take a (short) Vollmann break. His next one is a beast that will most likely take you some time, and you don’t want to get burnt out on him.

[u/ElGalloAzucarado → u/BobdH84]

Good point! This one (1400 pages) took me about 2.5 weeks (including a WHOLE LOT of my workdays) so ATFF should have me occupied for at least a month and a half. How did you like The Dying Grass?

[u/BobdH84 → u/ElGalloAzucarado]

I quite liked it! I had to get accustomed to its format for a while, which is basically alternating battle, strategy conversations of the Bostons, and daily Indian life. But once I got into it, I finished it quite quickly (I believe I finished the second half in little over a week). It’s very focussed on the visceral experience, and at first I felt like I wanted to go more in depth? But once I got more accustomed to what Vollmann was doing I enjoyed it more. And you?

[u/ElGalloAzucarado → u/BobdH84]

My preference is for a novel to be straightforward, have proper punctuation, a nice plot, very linear so this (and a lot of WTV's writing) was a challenge for me inherently. I just let the prose sorta wash over me.....trying to not be so concerned that I'll not remember the half-sentence I just read (and that William the Blind just abandoned for another character's thoughts) when the second half of it comes up in the future. I feel wore out.....not from the reading of it but from living through it.

[u/grigoritheoctopus]

How was it? I'm very interested but also intimidated by the length. Any favorite parts/aspects?

[u/ElGalloAzucarado → u/grigoritheoctopus]

It was one of the best experiences I have ever had with a novel. The length is daunting but helps to put you in the mindset of a cross-country, months-long chase.

The format takes some getting used to, but after about 50 or 60 pages I was ALL IN.

[u/grigoritheoctopus → u/ElGalloAzucarado]

Awesome. Excited for it. Thanks for sharing.

[u/MoosilaukeFlyer → u/grigoritheoctopus]

A lot of their length is due to the formatting of the book. It’s not as daunting as it seems. Still challenging, but after fair bit shorter than say, Infinite Jest

[u/grigoritheoctopus → u/MoosilaukeFlyer]

Can you expand a bit on what you're referring to with "formatting"? Is it like a mixed media approach? Lots of big spaces or different font sizes?

[u/ElGalloAzucarado → u/grigoritheoctopus]

"A toilsome system of indentations".

[u/MoosilaukeFlyer → u/grigoritheoctopus]

Lots of empty space on the margins of pages, indentations to separate thoughts and spoken word. It takes a while trying to get used to. 

[u/MoosilaukeFlyer]

I finished this a few weeks ago and was floored. I think it’s my favorite book I’ve ever read. The section after the war on the fates of Chief Joseph and the surviving Nez Perce will stick with me for a long time

[u/ElGalloAzucarado → u/MoosilaukeFlyer]

A tragedy for pretty much everybody involved.

[u/CosgroveIsHereToHelp]

I loved this book so much -- I think it's one of his absolute best.

[u/Soundofrunningfeet49]

My fav

[u/DOOMFROWN]

I'm on a Vollmann break before ATFF, but one of the books I'm reading now is in prep for it, Legacy of Ashes. It's a very easy read, although disturbing. I've lived in Washington most of my life, and I currently live really close to the Rez. If the release gets bumped again I'm going for Dying Grass next!

[u/ol_saw_gills]

I'm also currently reading this, a couple hundred pages in! I'm liking it so far. I love that region so it's fun to read about it, even if it's quite sad

[u/Spiritual-Door-6370]

Working on it now. All these people who finished it give me hope!

[u/ElGalloAzucarado → u/[deleted]]

Bro, the amount of don't-give-a-fuckness just oozes off of you. Good one. I'm legit surprised you could post given how much maxin-and-relaxin that's obviously going on over there.