Where Have All The Literary Towers Gone?

Recently at htmlgiant there was a long and stimulating discussion about literary innovation and ambition in the present day. Could there be another Ulyssess in 2009? And would any press even publish it? The post is over 300 comments long, but click here to read it.

Arising out of that discussion, htmlgiant editor Blake Butler posted a list of 15 ‘Towering Literary Artists’ Who Are Still Alive. His list includes many of the people I would name myself (Barrry Hannah, Cormac McCarthy, Diane Williams, William T. Vollmann and so forth), but I think what is neat about a list like this is how you instantly start noting the omissions. What about Anne Carson, Philip Roth, Charles Simic or George Saunders? And tragically David Foster Wallace is not around to make the cut. Which is all to say, we are indeed living in an exciting time for reading fiction. Giants do still walk (and type) amongst us. Anyway, Butler’s list should serve as a remider to pick up that Vollmann or Markson book you’ve had laying around but haven’t quite gotten to yet.

Photo by Andy Welsh