Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2001 09:04:55 -0500
Subject: Re: Can't buy me Love! - or Philosophy!


Hugh:

Thanks for the interesting comments.  
 
I have the novel "Blood Meridian" by Cormac McCarthy sitting here at
home somewhere, but haven't had the chance to read it yet. (I'm having a
lull with fiction these days.) I certainly enjoy him as a writer and
think his Borders Trilogy is a great series of books. He has an very
interesting style of writing which always reminds me a little of
Hemingway with a dash of Beckett thrown in. 

I haven't read Octavio Paz for a long time now.  It would be good to
read him again. His essays always resonated more with me than his poetry
as well. Maybe it is the language gap. If I could read Spanish, I might
feel differently. (There is also a connection with Malraux since Paz
held political office at various times. He was a similar polymath.) 

Andre Malraux is someone who currently interests me very much because of
his connection with Lyotard.  One of the biggest surprises for me was
the extent to which Lyotard was obsessed with Malraux at the end of his
life.  

I'm sure you are aware that Lyotard wrote a biography about Malraux,
entitled "Signed, Malraux."  In addition, however, he also wrote a very
short book of essays about him as well, one of the last pieces
published. It has just been translated as "Soundproof Room: Malraux's
Anti-Aesthetics" in a small bilingual volume.  You might want to check
these books out when you get a chance.

I would be very interested in discussing these works in greater detail
because I admit they are still something of an enigma to me.