Oh no, so sad to hear! He was my advisor for my senior year project and I took a few classes with him. Really nice and always had constructive things to say, even on the ramblings of mildly pretentious undergrads
This is an essay on John Crowley that is worth several weeks reading, delving into what’s mentioned. If I had a lifelist of books read, I could check to see what’s missing. But at this point, i see it as a seminar in mostly things I’ve missed, to add to my pile TBR. Thank you, @Henry Farrell.
I've read Pirenesi, Nonesuch and the other books mentioned here and can't believe I've lived 73 years and didn't know about Crowley or Little, Big. Reading it now, and finding it every bit as wonderful as described. Thanks for this (and so much else) Henry Farrell.
My God this is a wonderful, wonderful post! and I'm doubly thankful because you made me think of Donegal stories that my my mother came from Falcarragh told us when we were children
I also grew up in a small town in Co Tipperary and am a John Crowley fan. Maybe there's something in the Tipperary water that draws people to his work.
I was very sad to hear of his death. I read AEgypt as a result of seeing Dave Langford's review in White Dwarf (Nov 87) and I was hooked on his work immediately from then on. I remember reading an interview with Crowley where he talked about A Dance to the Music of Time and how it weavedin threads that hadn't even happened when he started the series. I feel like AEgypt fully lived up to that in the way it wove its themes together.
I loved Flint and Mirror and the little valedictory quote at the end linking it back to Little, Big and to AEgypt: "They sailed to the West, to the Fortunate Isles, to coasts and faraway hills, to little woods and big that they had never known, that would perhaps come to exist only when they were reached."
With all my heart I hope this is not true. Years ago I followed his Little Big blog, a lovely, kind man as well as an amazing writer. I've read most of his catalogue - only recently found a good copy of his "The Translator", which I will open tonight without fail. I didn't notice a mention of "Ka, Dar Oakley in the Ruin of Ymr", another wonderful, wonderful book, although the fault is likely mine, I skimmed the entry, all the while hoping there was still time to say good bye. Alas.
Thank you for this, Henry. I am sorry for your loss and the world's loss of a great writer. I hadn't heard of him, but have just ordered a copy of Little, Big and am really looking forward to reading it.
I'm very glad to see other people remembering John. We're lucky that he shared so much of his singular imagination and heart with the world. He was a dear friend and will forever more be missed. My own contribution to John's memory can be read here - https://benkamm.substack.com/p/the-living-heart-of-the-dead
Oh no, so sad to hear! He was my advisor for my senior year project and I took a few classes with him. Really nice and always had constructive things to say, even on the ramblings of mildly pretentious undergrads
This is an essay on John Crowley that is worth several weeks reading, delving into what’s mentioned. If I had a lifelist of books read, I could check to see what’s missing. But at this point, i see it as a seminar in mostly things I’ve missed, to add to my pile TBR. Thank you, @Henry Farrell.
I've read Pirenesi, Nonesuch and the other books mentioned here and can't believe I've lived 73 years and didn't know about Crowley or Little, Big. Reading it now, and finding it every bit as wonderful as described. Thanks for this (and so much else) Henry Farrell.
“Little, Big” is one of the great American novels of my lifetime. It is disappointing how few “literary” people have read it.
That was a beautiful appreciation; and an appreciation is one of the finest things a human heart can do.
It is the heart saying: "Thank you."
The tears are the seal of authenticity.
Well done.
My God this is a wonderful, wonderful post! and I'm doubly thankful because you made me think of Donegal stories that my my mother came from Falcarragh told us when we were children
I also grew up in a small town in Co Tipperary and am a John Crowley fan. Maybe there's something in the Tipperary water that draws people to his work.
which one?
Carrick-on-Suir. I was born there but we left when I was 11.
Very sad news. Time to re-read Little, Big I think; it must have been 20 years.
His earlier work should not be neglected: Engine Summer in particular is excellent.
I was very sad to hear of his death. I read AEgypt as a result of seeing Dave Langford's review in White Dwarf (Nov 87) and I was hooked on his work immediately from then on. I remember reading an interview with Crowley where he talked about A Dance to the Music of Time and how it weavedin threads that hadn't even happened when he started the series. I feel like AEgypt fully lived up to that in the way it wove its themes together.
I loved Flint and Mirror and the little valedictory quote at the end linking it back to Little, Big and to AEgypt: "They sailed to the West, to the Fortunate Isles, to coasts and faraway hills, to little woods and big that they had never known, that would perhaps come to exist only when they were reached."
Thank you for your post. I think I have read Little, Big at least 15 times. Another of my favorites is Engine Summer.
Thank you for this beautiful tribute and story translation. God bless John Crowley. Now he really belongs to the ages. 🙏🏽✨🌱
With all my heart I hope this is not true. Years ago I followed his Little Big blog, a lovely, kind man as well as an amazing writer. I've read most of his catalogue - only recently found a good copy of his "The Translator", which I will open tonight without fail. I didn't notice a mention of "Ka, Dar Oakley in the Ruin of Ymr", another wonderful, wonderful book, although the fault is likely mine, I skimmed the entry, all the while hoping there was still time to say good bye. Alas.
Thank you for this, Henry. I am sorry for your loss and the world's loss of a great writer. I hadn't heard of him, but have just ordered a copy of Little, Big and am really looking forward to reading it.
Just lovely to hear from you. Maria too loves his work.
The hallucinatory quality of The Knife Against the Wave reminds me of Gogol. Especially his short story "The Nose", although that was pure comedy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nose_(Gogol_short_story)
I'm very glad to see other people remembering John. We're lucky that he shared so much of his singular imagination and heart with the world. He was a dear friend and will forever more be missed. My own contribution to John's memory can be read here - https://benkamm.substack.com/p/the-living-heart-of-the-dead
Lovely, thank you