I just finished White Noise. I thought it was really good, my favorite post-modern book that I've read by far. Maybe that's just because I worked in a grocery store one summer and I could really relate to a lot of the scenes in the book. It seems insane that it was published in 1985. I think it perfectly captures the feel 21st century life.
What does Veeky Forums think of it?
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I feel roughly the same way you do. A lot of people call it paranoid or cynical, but there is this sense of the wholesome in it that I like.
Wholesome is a good way to describe it. Especially the family life. Everything is so broken due to repeated divorce and remarriage but they all seem to be able to make the best out of it
I hate how much postmodern authors get thrown the "too cold and cynical" criticism
Even Pynchon has some warmth in TCoL49, it's not like robots write these books
fuck man I'm about to finish it. I'll get back to you about it. It's my fourth DeLillo book to be completely read. The part about closing your eyes while driving was so fucking funny.
This, love that passage
A co-worker threw this at me a few months ago, I'll give it a go and see if this thread is still up.
lets keep the praise going and remind everyone that popular, well liked books are good
I honestly thought it was well written but went on for way too long. The novel has some interesting points to make but it drags on too much in my opinion. The Airborne Toxic Event chapter has to be one of the most exciting chapters I have read in a long time though. I really enjoyed that a lot.
I hated it. The commentary on packaging, the description of the toxic event, curing the fear of death with a pill, a Hitler expert who changes his appearance to match his position and who doesn't speak German, all of it seems passe now. Probably would have been fantastic in the 80s.
I am a massive pleb, though.
what i hate the most about this book is that i feel, unlike you guys who commend it for being paranoid and cynical, is it was too cartoony and unrealistic wit characters who weren't believable at all and events that while grim, were almost played off as lighter than they ever realistically should/could be.
This is a problem with Pynchon and DFW too.
it's a certain kind of tastelessness that obscures their seriousness to everyone other than autists, who are overlook the flaws and become concerned with the serious cynical content which most critics probably wouldnt bother to find due to the sad, "golly-gee" sort of innocence they betray
It would make a good animated film. the fact that they're working on the live-action adaptation concerns me.
>they're working on the live-action adaptation concerns me
Please tell me that this is a joke. They really shouldn't. I personally like the post-modern comical wit but I understand if someone despises it as not taking the work serious. I feel that most of it is useful because it serves as symbolism on our modern day society (i.e. the weird college classes such as how to walk and Elvis studies and the brilliant lady continiously running away).
None of that seems passe at all now.
> Delillo perfectly captures your family and their dialogues
> OMFG HOW CARTOONISH HOW JEJEUNE
find a new hobby
your family is very sad, pretentious, and secretly hated by everyone.
i cringe at the idea of you. theres a reason why literature is dying. it's literally because of this shit.
tv ruined us (but mostly you and your family)
what in white noise isn't the perfect embodiment of the 21st century family, or whatever remains of it? it's not dated or cartoonish in any sense
you hate it because you hate yourself. your post proves this.
his was is a CIA operative and he is getting cucked by his obese wife.
It's stupid and sensationalized. Only an autist would be so tasteless as to be unable to tell.
his wife*
and dont even get me started on the son.
shit was too cringe. was probably decent at te time, but is clearly a very dated portrayal of teen angst.
ex-wife*
his fat wife doesnt even hide the fact that she wants to fuck her dad
the book has no subtlety in it's themes
very pynchon/DFW tier, ill say again
did you just say that you dislike White Noise because ypu cannot identify with the family? If so: get fucked. If not: then what rustled your jimmies so bad?
no one can truly identify with that family unless they live in a alterna-retardo-world where everyone is a caricature and incapable of being normal in any way whatsoever. It's kinda cringe-worthy that it even bothers to try to take itself seriously.
It's just bad character writing. It might be fun to read for an autist or a child, but for emotionally intelligent people it's kinda disappointing.
DeLillo isn't fucking postmodern and neither is White Noise. That's called modernism.
I agree completely, The confessions of Fausto Maijstral in V is wholesome, warm, and stylistically beautiful. I've only read underworld by Don Dellilo, but I liked it, I've yet to find White Noise because I don't live in America.
I liked white noise, I thought the ending was greathe, probably the best part. Only other delillo I've read was mao I I, which had a great prologue but the rest was lacking.
I wanted to read end zone but I picked up players instead by accident. Is players any good?
It's been about a decade since I first read this. I feel like it's time to re-read it.
It was supposed to feel like a satire on the 80s family sitcom. Not that you have to like it now or anything but its cartoony feel is intentional. Note the part with the gun at the end, pure satire.
If you thought Mao II was lacking I suggest you read this. It might change your mind. perival.com
DeLillo has a tendency to do this. White Noise is his worst book in my opinion and I really like him a lot.
For some reason I've seen people on Veeky Forums say this is one of Pynchon's worst chapters but I really disagree.
I really liked the ending too. Really after the airborne toxic event I was reading it whenever I could, it was just super interesting.
I don't really get the criticisms of the family; of course it's not a perfectly realistic depiction. In satire it's always about exposing elements in life that may go unnoticed.
It's a boring novel written from the "novels as education" school of thinking.
I don't like how people will forgive a novel for being so lifeless as long as it's smart. A good writer can do both.
>for emotionally intelligent intellectuals like moi it is highly retrograde
hey man, i make some insightful posts on this board. right now 2 of the best are definitely by me.
im the guy who explained the DFW ouevre in total back in that oblivion thread as well as the guy explaining the creation/concept of tom bombidil in that front-page thread.
say what you will, im a very insightful reader.
white noise is pretty mediocre.
That may be true my dude you lack any self awareness. They're posts on Veeky Forums. You're not fucking Noah handing down the commandments
hey man i just made that post about joyce's araby being A&P too.
im a blessing to this board.
if i posted all my insights i'd probably regret it.
I found White Noise pretty full of life. What would you say Delillo was trying to teach?
>he thinks this is impressive
not that particular insight, but it's just an example of my eclectic knowledge.
im being kinda facetious as well.
i like a good trollin.
>it's another user loses an argument and slowly devolves into "i was trollin" episode
>tfw Elliot Rodgers' ghost comes in and accuses a book of being "autistic" and lacking emotional depth
...
>but for emotionally intelligent people it's kinda disappointing.
Top kek. I laughed out loud especially as you said the book sucks just because you cannot identify with the main character. This board is 18+ friendo.
>White Noise is his worst book in my opinion and I really like him a lot.
I am the user who complained about it's length. What novel of Delillo do you recommend for me to read next?
If you want something brisk and serious and extremely conceptual go with Mao II. If you want something silly like White Noise but more of a system, postmodern novel, go with Ratners Star. If you want something with the best writing, as in the actual craft, it might be The Players. I think Mao II is the best here and Ratners Star the most fun, but you can't go wrong with any of them.
Nah, IMO you'll probably get it after a while. You can only really decide the worth of a book (IMO) in how you remember it a year or more later. Crime & Punishment I remember fondly and almost intimately, I feel like I know the characters, for instance, but The Crying of Lot 49, while a beautifully written book, is kind of cold and without any relatable and deep characters, as is Gravity's Rainbow, as is related to this thread White Noise for me.
We consider a lot about books when we're talking about them but we forget to consider the long-lasting impact they have on you. Once you let it sit with you for a long time, you realize things about it you didn't immediately.
I actually also was initially confused and somewhat miffed at people calling Pynchon and DeLillo cold when I first read them
and what exactly is postmodern about it?
DeLillo definitely dabbles with postmodernish, but I get where you think he might be modernist. I feel like he indulges in pomo stuff too much to be modernist in White Noise. A book like Underworld felt more modernist to me though.
im still reading it and should finish it tonight so bump
Did you give it a go? I just finished it. I wrote a large review for it on Goodreads.
post it here
anime when
LOL, I read this book 2 years ago, champ.
would you like a link to my review or the text of it posted here?
I'll take the link, my friend.
