Journal Entry 1 by livrecache from Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Saturday, January 17, 2009

In his new novel, Don DeLillo shoves us back to 9/11 in his first sentence: “It was not a street anymore but a world, a time and space of falling ash and near night.” He resurrects that world as it was, bottling the mortal dread, high anxiety and mass confusion that seem so distant now. Though the sensibility and prose are echt DeLillo, Falling Man is not necessarily the 9/11 novel you’d expect from the author of panoramic novels that probe the atomic age Underworld and the Kennedy assassination Libra on the broadest imaginable canvas, intermingling historical characters with fictional creations. With the exception of Mohamed Atta, who slips into the crevices of Falling Man as an almost spectral presence, DeLillo mentions none of the other boldface names of 9/11, not even the mayor. Instead of unfurling an epic, DeLillo usually keeps the focus on an extended family of middle-class Manhattanites. If Underworld took its cues from the kinetic cinema of Eisenstein, Falling Man up until its remarkable final sequence, is all oblique silences and enigmatic close-ups reminiscent of the domestic anomie of the New Wave. In DeLillo’s hands, this is not at all limiting or prosaic. There’s a method to the Resnais-like fogginess. The cumulative effect is devastating, as DeLillo in exquisite increments lowers the reader into an inexorable rendezvous with raw terror.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/books/review/Rich-t.html accessed 17/01/09

(Not sure about the review: it sounds a tad pretentious!)

Offered as a bookring. Participants as at 25 January:
amberC
dolphin-au
lisagt
FreePages

Home again, naturally

 

Journal Entry 2 by livrecache at Port Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Sunday, February 08, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (2/9/2009 UTC) at Port Melbourne, Victoria Australia

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The beginning of the ring . . . 

Journal Entry 3 by amberC from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Arrived today. It's the only ring I have at the moment so will be next to be read. 

Journal Entry 4 by amberC from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Monday, February 16, 2009

I couldn't get into this. All the jumping about between characters with little or no explanation or warning annoyed me.

I've PM'ed dolphin-au and will post when I have an address. 

Journal Entry 5 by amberC from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Sunday, February 22, 2009

Posting to dolphin-au tomorrow. 

Journal Entry 6 by dolphin-au from Lake Macquarie, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Received safely. Looking forward to reading something by this, for me new, author. 

Journal Entry 7 by dolphin-au from Lake Macquarie, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, March 18, 2009

I did quite enjoy this book. I didn't mind the jumping from one character to the next too much. The number of characters is limited, so it wasn't too hard to work out. I found the non-committedness of Keith a bit hard to appreciate in the character but in general it was interesting to read how the 911 thing has affected the US. I don't think they learned anything from it, they only became more US centered, which I guess this book demonstrates.
I'll definitely try other books by this author. Thanks livrecache for organising this bookring. I'll contact lisagt. 

Journal Entry 8 by dolphin-au at bookring, Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, March 26, 2009

Released 3 yrs ago (3/26/2009 UTC) at bookring, Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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Sent to Lisagt. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 9 by Lisagt from Holsworthy, New South Wales Australia on Monday, March 30, 2009

Found the book on my doorstep when I arrived home from work today so thanx for sending it on dolphin-au and thanx for sharing livrecache... 

Journal Entry 10 by Lisagt from Holsworthy, New South Wales Australia on Friday, May 01, 2009

A very moving account of the aftermath of 911. How would any of us respond in such horrific circumstances?! Definately food for thought.

I already have the next address so will send on ASAP> 

Journal Entry 11 by FreePages from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Monday, May 18, 2009

Journal Entry 12 by FreePages from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Thursday, May 21, 2009

Sparse, fragmented and food for thought.

Almost 8 years on and I don't think many others have been brave enough to write a fiction about it.
I'll be looking for more works by this author.

Certainly a worthy addition to the 1001 list, but I'm not sure if I liked it as such, really not sure how to rate this one at all, except I think it is one I would recommend.

Thanks Lisagt for sending it and eveyone before her and thanks to livecache for the opportunity to read it.
Mr FreePages would also like to read it and then it will be heading home.

Read 18-21 May 2009 

Journal Entry 13 by FreePages at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Monday, June 08, 2009

Released 2 yrs ago (6/8/2009 UTC) at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia

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Placed in the post today with one other.

On it's way home to Livrecache.

Thank you again for sharing.

:-) 

Journal Entry 14 by livrecache from Hobart, Tasmania Australia on Friday, June 12, 2009

Falling Man is falling apart. Still, it's good to have him home. Thanks to all who participated in this ring.