From: "Matthew Davis" 
Subject: Re: (urth) Seven American Nights
Date: Tue, 7 May 2002 18:39:28 +0100

> > Possibly Gene Wolfe's best work of short fiction is "Seven American
> Nights."
> > Certainly it's one of my favorites.
> >
> > But how, given that Nadan's journal only chronicles six nights, are we
to
> > reconcile this with Wolfe's title?
>
> When I read the story I counted 7 Nights, so never had to try and account
> for a missing DAY. Unless I misread, or Americans have some other way of
> counting off days and nights, Nadan _does_ spend Seven Nights in America.
> The first night takes place between the lines "It's his country bleeding
to
> death" and "Here it is evening again". Nothing happens during his first
> night in America, and it's easy to overlook since he wakes up in the hotel
> after getting off the ship. But it is an American Night. Then you can
count
> off the other six.

Ah, No I did misread. The dream of mouldy bread I thought indicated a break
between days (grey mould on bread - a hint of ergotomine and
hallucinogenics?). Rerereading I see it's an interjection during Nadan's
jouney into the north of Washington.


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