Thomas Ligotti

[NightGirl]

Hi -- nice place ya got here (uh, who forgot to put stamps on the invitations? -- jk)

I picked up this book by Thomas Ligotti one time, in an airport. It was fabulous all the way through, but one story was especially incredibly well-written -- and very much, like, surreal and abstract and choc-a-bloc with metaphors, which I like because they make a puzzle for me to think on, figure out what the signification is.  The name of the story is "The Red Tower."  Reeeeeaaaaaalllllllllly strange but ultra-good writing. I had to read it three times to figure out what the deal was on all the literary symbols. Amazing story. If anybody knows a better one in this kind of writing, say like in the people you've listed in either group, or some other author, I would certainly LOVE to read it and see for myself if this "Red Tower" can be topped.             

[flaskdust]

Just thought I'd mention the $60 across-the-board price tag at Amazon.com on all[!] copies of the main Ligotti tome, (as below) including all used copies[!!] in the Marketplace, has gone down. (the info showing below showing price info, etc. a/o 10/24/2010:)  Maybe there will be a new commodity future added to the Chicago Merc. Exchange, whadaya think?  And no likelier place for dealings in new horror stories, true?  Your thoughts?

The Nightmare Factory (Paperback) Thomas Ligotti
Thomas Ligotti (Author)
(Author), Poppy Z. Brite (Foreword)
Key Phrases: gas station carnivals, subterranean graveyard, sympathetic organisms, Red Tower, Alb Indys, Miss Locher (more...)

4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)

22 Reviews
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Available from these sellers.  14 used from $32.41

----------- NightGirl, I also find Thomas L. a fantastically original horror writer; and was something like astounded by the quality of writing in "The Red Tower" -- the main and eponymous metaphor of which, I presume, represents the human body and its Earthly existence.  Yes?

[Martin Woolsworth]

That's quite the good glib remark, flask.  

I used to be a commodities broker; and so I well know some of those companion stories you allude to.  

--MW

[flaskdust]

The Nightmare Factory by Thomas Ligotti and Poppy Z. Brite (Paperback - June 27, 1996)
1 new from $600.00
4 used from $101.56

4.6 out of 5 stars (22)
 
Excerpt - Front Cover: "... THE NIGHTMARE FACTORY THOMAS UGOTTI Foreword by Poppy Z. Brite ~T.. ... ~. ..."Surprise me! See a random page in this book. Books: See all 27 items

To The Forum's 'Children of the Night', incl. Eric Zahn:

Over the most recent 10 days or so, I have taken delivery on two of the three books comprising The Nightmare Factory [which latter spiking in value tome -- no, not tomb, that's the [art? literature? something else?] "Mulholland Dr." piece of work -- [The Nighmare Factory] has, I think, four additional stories, including "The Red Tower"]; the third original source book is out of print but being re-printed, and in the Amazon.com Marketplace is listed as unavailable/used (btw: A Big Platonic Hello! to the Amazon.com CEO's Ombudsperson who needed to catch a train [I'm only waiting for one book, now, out of the doubled order (order #0000003) of 12 insanely carefully-selected books [very various] {well okay, 11 + the herbs and "essential bodily fluids" capsules from VÄXA, in/of Sweden, which Highly Valued Country of Great Honor also makes Hallberg-Rassy essential sailing yachts. Not essential salts [yes: yatchswomen and yachtsmen are salts, fine]. | Not-So-Sidebar: I think I may have offended the CEO of Hallberg-Rassy (I haven't had the nerve to read his reply e-mail) in my referring to a Lady in an excellent HR-PR photograph, availed at their superb and exciting Web address quod vide, who abashed and a-beam, I now suspect of being his wife, as "Fun and Glamorous". So, now what am I supposed to do `-=eventually; some sunny day; see: 'motivating goals'=-` for a sublimely seaworthy sailing yacht?! Does GM make fine sailing vessels now, by any chance? Ford? The SEC? Help me!! Could Donald Trump intercede?, he understands CEO's and their Fine Ladies who are possessive of and imbued with Andrea Elaine Ciani -esque grace; I mean in all the decent correct sagacious ways... Mr. Trump? Sir? Or, wait - wait: President and Madame Sarkozy. I am a terrifically humble, and Extremely Great professional Aristotelian and Platonic Platonic Platonic professional professional professional admirer  ...could you...maybe...would it? LOOK! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET TO MARSEILLES - SHANGHAI - CARDIFF - BUENOS AIRES - and ESPERANCE SHIRE, AUSTRALIA WITHOUT AN HR / -some sunny day- /??!! ... [private: turn away, Gentle Reader, momentarily, please] Secretary Clinton: We regret "the incident of the yelling 'behavior'"; no we are not a Star of/in [oven? per film: D.L.'s M.Dr.] the City of Los Angeles. |.}.].).  If it would relax international unpleasantnesses, I would be very pleased to gift President and Madame Sarkozy with a new copy of The Nightmare Factory, if I can obtain a non-qualifying loan to purchase same. (Of course, you would insist I deliver that Official Gesture in person, so an expense account of x dollars [SHC: please read snail mail letter arriving soon, return addressed, "Re. The Yelling Behavior Proactivity Man", to confirm and to carefully evaluate the Stated itinerary.  {I think, say, 375 'Large', should cover the investment and earn and augur much, if that figure pleases The Department.}.].).

Thanks to Am.-Marketplace's John Reilly (shiner5042), West Roxbury, MA; and Outlook Books, Inc, Bridgeton, NJ (the two Ligotti volumes) and to The The Book Depository, Gloucester, UK (Writing and Difference, Jacques Derrida, 1978 University of Chicago Trans., Routledge Classics) for the well-above expectations quality condition books, services and sentiments. In the experience of this reader of the obscure and the brilliant one can't go wrong talking books to, and buying books from, these three stellar sellers [truly, this is no Ad.]

[Do you fine book people know the J.M. Smallheer e-book read (or hard copy is best, of course) story at librivox.org, "The _______ Bookshop"?]

PS: There are other Marketplace booksellers who we lofted up onto our Fine Friends List, and who will not go without more very pleasantly transacted orders, in addition to those mentioned; who should be made even better known to the world than they doubtless are, even by dint of this salty "postman", flaskdust.

[voxpop]

I've been watching this start-up forum ["Everybody who ever did it never did it before..." --Lenny Bruce 's reportage on his discussion with the officers of a commercial jetliner regarding his, apparently serious, request to bail out over NYC so he could get to his sold out and almost snowed-out (three feet, incl. the airports, of course) "Live at Carnegie Hall" concert.] and I hope more people post or start new topics, both, whatever; especially now that you have the generic username and password.

I sure don't know who's the best of those you name; but I did just read a Thomas Ligotti story from his Noctuary, called The Medusa. To quote (yet again, another name -- I must be quite some guy, huh?) Paul Theroux's owner-character in Hotel Honolulu (not a horror-weird-strange tales type book) commenting, in passing, on Louis-Ferdinand Céline: "That chick can write!" [sic].

This story may not be flawless -- just as IMO the story, was it ("Well, there you go again...") Mick Jagger who thought so much about "The Novel of the White Powder"?, by _________, which really breaks down in at least two large sections, one being the rambling Art Bell-ish (the topic-section-flow-end-device-thing rambles, Art Bell never rambled, once) "coda"; but overall, it is up there on your shelf with the great ones (flawed as it is).

"The Medusa" has phrases that are so literary quality well-written I had to read the passages over a couple of extra times.  And his ending is nutty wild horrorific.  I also like the narrator-protagonist as a person, though the writing seems not to need a whole lot of conspicuous characterization ("An artist must hide his Art." --dunno who claims that one...) but it has a mood and an unusual point of departure-kernel or central thematic philosophical plaything, all of which held me in its grip -- the places described, too, became verisimilitude-type real. Yikes, what a story.

I hope he writes for another 100 years, minimum -- and here's to his health, his craft and artistry, and his way unexpected turns of plot and of grim side-streets of his imagination.

--Gablemann The Wanderer  (I'll be back.)