Tim O'Brien's big risk:IN THE LAKE OF THE WOODS
Just finished Tim O'Brien's 1994 novel IN THE LAKE OF THE WOODS. As in just put it down. I'm not crashingly well read -- I've got eye problems-- but I think ITLOTW may be the most courageous book I've ever read.
Forget happy endings, this book about a war-haunted Vietnam vet doesn't even (ever?) END. He never solves the terrifying mystery he creates that keeps us turning pages well into the night. He makes liberal use of footnotes (in a NOVEL?). He even writes some long ones as himself. And the book's structure? Even today it might be thought somewhat radical; makes you question what, after all, a book really IS.
The whole thing loops back on itself again and again, like the two snakes he keeps referring to who swallow each others' tails until they form a hoop--then do they keep swallowing until they disappear? ANd what's a novel anyway? And do we need one? Or do we need something else? Something we have yet to imagine?
The book got recommended to me when I read from IN WILDERNESS at the Georgia Center for the Book nearly three weeks ago. Q&A, grayhaired guy in front row raises his hand, reads an iPhone list of writers who fought in wars and wrote about them. Some names would surprise you. Asked me what I did to create Danny, the Vietnam vet in IN WILDERNESS. I told him all the books I'd read, how I interviewed two widows of vets who'd killed themselves (one who herself developed PTSD while her husband was alive), how I chose not to interview the vets themselves for fear of what memories I might stir up. He asked if I'd read IN THE LAKE OF THE WOODS. I said no, he said that's too bad; it's the best book describing war and the effects of war I've ever seen.
I read it. He's probably right.
My favorite phrase from O'Brien's book: "his anthology of dreams."
Later, he stood in line and bought a book.
Forget happy endings, this book about a war-haunted Vietnam vet doesn't even (ever?) END. He never solves the terrifying mystery he creates that keeps us turning pages well into the night. He makes liberal use of footnotes (in a NOVEL?). He even writes some long ones as himself. And the book's structure? Even today it might be thought somewhat radical; makes you question what, after all, a book really IS.
The whole thing loops back on itself again and again, like the two snakes he keeps referring to who swallow each others' tails until they form a hoop--then do they keep swallowing until they disappear? ANd what's a novel anyway? And do we need one? Or do we need something else? Something we have yet to imagine?
The book got recommended to me when I read from IN WILDERNESS at the Georgia Center for the Book nearly three weeks ago. Q&A, grayhaired guy in front row raises his hand, reads an iPhone list of writers who fought in wars and wrote about them. Some names would surprise you. Asked me what I did to create Danny, the Vietnam vet in IN WILDERNESS. I told him all the books I'd read, how I interviewed two widows of vets who'd killed themselves (one who herself developed PTSD while her husband was alive), how I chose not to interview the vets themselves for fear of what memories I might stir up. He asked if I'd read IN THE LAKE OF THE WOODS. I said no, he said that's too bad; it's the best book describing war and the effects of war I've ever seen.
I read it. He's probably right.
My favorite phrase from O'Brien's book: "his anthology of dreams."
Later, he stood in line and bought a book.
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Beth wrote: "I read IN THE LAKE OF THE WOODS not too long ago, myself. Funny that I thought of this book when I read IN WILDERNESS, too. Now I'm going to look up my review of IN THE LAKE OF THE WOODS.By the w..."
Thanks so much, Beth. Just found your comment nine months later. Am just learning how to communicate on Goodreads. And BTW, as I think I've said,I really loved your review. -- Diane
By the way, yes, I loved IN WILDERNESS and did review it.