Chasing Homer by László Krasznahorkai

László Krasznahorkai's Chasing Homer is due out on November 2, 2021. I love László pretty dearly, and have spent a fair amount of time (and a bit of money) tracking down all of the books he's written which have been translated into English...and reading them, too. It's a fairly extensive oeuvre:

Satantango

The Melancholy of Resistance

War & War

Destruction and Sorrow Beneath the Heavens

Seiobo Down Below

The Last Wolf / Herman / The Death of a Craft

Animalinside 

The Bill

The World Goes On  (the only one I haven't read yet)

The Manhattan Project

Baron Wenckheim's Homecoming

I also sought out and watched all of the movies based on László's scripts--all of which are Béla Tarr films:

Damnation

The Last Boat

Sátántangó

Werckmeister Harmonies 

The Man From London

The Turin Horse

That was even harder than tracking down the books.

And since money is not flowing freely these days, I have, whenever possible, resorted to borrowing László books from the public library. And since the Louisville Free Public Library is cool like that, I didn't have to buy The World Goes On, The Last Wolf / Herman / The Death of a Craft, Destruction and Sorrow Beneath the Heavens, or The Manhattan Project. (Actually, I didn't have to buy Baron Wenckheim's Homecoming, Satantango, or Seiobo Down Below, either, but the first was given to me for a present, I bought an on sale ebook of the second for a couple of bucks, and I loved the third one so much that I had to buy it so that it would be near me at all times.

So of course I wanted to buy Chasing Homer when it came out. But it's a tiny book...96 pages, and a mere 5.5 x 9.5 inches...and it lists for $20. So ever since I've heard of its coming, I've been checking the library website, and not finding anything. But I finally had success last night, and I tapped the REQUEST button, wondering how many people were ahead of me.

And?

That's right. I was first in line. Which makes me worry. Is there a line at all?

Because László Krasznahorkai deserves a line. I mean, I know it's stupid to bitch about being first in line to read a forthcoming book... but that is exactly what I am doing. 

I implore you...if this book is available at your library, put in a hold request for it. Even better, pick it up when it comes in. And even better, read it. László is not an easy read by any means...but he is worth it. In fact, I'm pretty sure that if you just hang tough with him for twenty-five minutes, you'll find yourself acclimating to his style, not noticing that periods are few and far between, and, since this book is so damned short anyway, you'll be closing it up and feeling that blush of satisfaction shimmying up your spine. And then maybe you'll find yourself wanting a little more László.

Give it a try, eh?