Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2002 20:36:56 -0700
From: maa32 
Subject: (urth) 5HC inclusion

I was going to comment on the inclusion of Fifth Head of Cerberus in Mr. 
Gevers' fine article as well, Blattid, but then I decided against it.  Since 
you brought it up,  I am also sure it's not in the same "universe", but it 
does have some interesting thematic connections.  And I think it is the 
"hardest" single Wolfe novel around.  I just didn't get it the first time 
through - and you are spot on with the depressing aspect (oddly enough, I got 
the same feeling from Soldier of Arete, and a little from Urth of the New Sun, 
too.)
Too bad there are 12 novels in the Sun series (for sure): it screws up the 11 
stations of the Kaballah tree!  Damn you, Urth of the New Sun! Hey, a tree! 
The Briah cycle!  The trees are inescapable. I'll shut up now.

Speaking of depressing:
And anybody read the introduction to Wolfe's poetry collection, "For 
Rosemary"?  He really does seem sad most (or, a lot of)the time.  His personal 
comments are a strange mixture of extreme self-abnegation coupled with an 
obvious pride that sneaks out every once in a while.  Does he really believe 
what he writes won't get published?  Sometimes he sounds so sad, other times 
he makes comments like: "everything I write is great".  Remember that one 
essay in Castle of Days ( I think) where he talks about where he gets his 
inspiration from?  Waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat and 
realizing that your parents and your friends are long dead, calling out in 
dreams to a mother who can no longer hold you ... >  I have no training in 
psychology or anything, but sometimes I wonder if he is a happy guy.

Marc Aramini



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