tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26428110.post4518866138890785245..comments2023-07-08T09:00:54.916-07:00Comments on A Common Reader: C-SPAN's video library: Samuel Chamberlain's My Confession (Updated)Dwighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688525659034403580noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26428110.post-23261670229324886272018-04-04T10:46:41.200-07:002018-04-04T10:46:41.200-07:00While there definitely is violence overkill in &qu...While there definitely is violence overkill in "Blood Meridian," I didn't see it as self-parodying, although I can see why someone could think so. I saw it as driving home the point that many parts of the west was a bloody and lawless place, sort of like the opening of the radio show "Gunsmoke": "The story of the violence that moved west with young America." It also factored in with larger themes of the book, but I saw it more as a counter to the all-too-common gloss of that movement west. Although I easily could be wrong.<br /><br />I remember reading "Blood Meridian" in August 2001, and it did more to explain what happened a month later than any talking head on TV did.Dwighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13688525659034403580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26428110.post-16109726624512479642018-04-04T09:32:48.991-07:002018-04-04T09:32:48.991-07:00Belated thanks for this ancient post, Dwight! Jus...Belated thanks for this ancient post, Dwight! Just finished <em>Blood Meridian</em> and appreciate the insight into Chamberlain's text and some of the other bibliographical goodies you mention. Do you yourself agree w/the claim that some of McCarthy's violence overkill is self-parodying in nature, by the way? I'm not sure I see it that way, but it's an interesting point to consider.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.com