TMR 29.2: "Our Proper Bliss Depends on What We Blame" [The Tunnel]
Deep Dives
Explore related topics with these Wikipedia articles, rewritten for enjoyable reading:
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William H. Gass
12 min read
The podcast discusses Gass's literary techniques, the 'trap' he set for reviewers, and debates his masterpiece. Understanding Gass's philosophical approach to fiction, his career as both novelist and critic, and his place in American experimental literature would enrich comprehension of the discussion.
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Dalkey Archive Press
12 min read
The article mentions 'Mining the Dalkey Archive' podcast and Dalkey Archive directly. This independent literary press has been crucial in publishing experimental and avant-garde fiction including works by Gass, and understanding its role in preserving challenging literature provides valuable context for the literary community being discussed.
On this week’s episode, Ted Morrissey (author, creator of The Tunnel at 25) joins Kaija, Brian, and Chad to talk about “Koh Whistles Up a Wind” and how to approach The Tunnel overall. (He also unveils what he thinks is Gass’s real masterpiece—you’ll have to listen to the end to find out.) They talk about the “trap” Gass set for reviewers, enticing them to identify him with Kohler, about the “milk crate edition,” and other aspects of the making of this novel, about the realization Ted has about page 92, and much more.
This episode’s music is “Sincere” by Roger Sellers.
Next week we’ll cover the second section, “We Have Not Lived the Right Life” (pages 49–146). The complete schedule (if you’re reading along in real time) can be found here.
You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Follow Open Letter, Two Month Review, Chad W. Post, Kaija Straumanis, and Brian Wood for random thoughts and information about upcoming guests. And subscribe to the Three Percent substack for information about Open Letter Books and literature in translation writ large.
Also consider subscribing to the Mining the Dalkey Archive substack and its respective podcast (Apple, Spotify) about all things Dalkey Archive.
This excerpt is provided for preview purposes. Full article content is available on the original publication.