Chimera John Barth Pdf Reader
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Download chimera or read online here in PDF or EPUB. Please click button to get chimera book now. All books are in clear copy here, and all files are secure so don't worry about it. 'There’s every chance in the world that John Barth is a genius.”. Pressing and perplexing ethical questions arise. Introducing the reader. John Barth was born in Cambridge, Maryland, and briefly studied 'Elementary Theory and Advanced Orchestration' at Juilliard before attending Johns Hopkins University, receiving a B.A. In 1951 and an M.A. In 1952 (for which he wrote a thesis novel, The Shirt of Nessus). Chimera is a 1972 novel in the form of three loosely connected novellas by John Barth. The novellas are Dunyazadiad, Perseid and Bellerophoniad, the eponyms of which are Dunyazad, Perseus and Belle.
I think you should read this book: Chimera, by John Barth
Genre: post-modernism, absurdist, metafiction, academic fiction
Published date: 1972
Similar to: Vonnegut, Robert Graves, Borges, Calvino, Beckett, Tom Robbins, John Irving
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Brief synopsis: Absurd, post-modern re-telling of three classic stories—but with modern wit and style.
Why you’ll like it: John Barth is one of the most underrated modern writers both on reddit, and in academia. He often gets lumped in with other post-modernists like DeLillo or Pynchon because he is at times challenging and academic. However, Barth is infinitely more amusing, witty, and above all, a fantastic storyteller. Chimera is one of his best known books, and won the National Book prize or something. It is really three separate novellas, connected by theme and style.
Initially the reader might be confused with the first story. It’s told in the first person, and it seems to be about The One Hundred and One Arabian Nights. However, the language and style is very modern, witty, and self-referential. Barth writes himself into the narrative within the first few pages, and the reader is wondering “Is this for real?” It’s not clear if this book is supposed to be serious, or completely farcical. Eventually it becomes apparent that it’s meant to be both. By the end of the first novella the perspective, point of view, and narrator have all been skewed, and in a way it becomes a puzzle as to who has even been talking and to whom. However, this is part of the fun.
At times the book seems almost too clever for its own good. Is this metafiction at its best? Is this the pinnacle of post-modernism? Or is this Barth’s navel-gazing to an extreme? Are we merely reading Barth’s transparent mid-life crisis in Greek mythology form? Maybe. But at least he’s upfront about it. Regardless, the plot moves along briskly and the reader has little time to reflect. The characters are funny, highly sexual, and at the same time, deeply philosophical. They face real challenges, and their musings might be profound, or they might be ridiculous. Somehow the reader is captured and enthralled—possibly because the barrier between reader and character is being broken down.
At the heart of this book is Barth’s love for mythology and storytelling itself. In a way, it’s his love letter to writing. Thus, Chimera is a book lover’s book. A storyteller’s story. The title ostensibly refers to a three-part mythological beast as metaphor for this three-part book. However, it also clearly refers to the three-part beast that comprises reading: story, storyteller, and reader. Again this idea might be so meta your eyes might fall out of their sockets from rolling them so hard. Or it might be profound enough to change your whole approach to looking at words on a piece of paper.
You might not have even heard of Chimera, by John Barth, but I think you should read it.
Important quote: 'The key to the treasure is the treasure.'