I decided to write about David Markson because he was the author of the most popular fiction book on the site called Wittgenstein’s Mistress. He was the author of many postmodern novels. Markson was educated at Union College and Columbia University. His career began as a journalist, book editor, and college instructor. Malcolm Lowry was a big influence in Markson’s writing career. Markson spent several weeks with him in New York after Markson graduated from Columbia. He published his first novel in the late 1950s but he didn’t gain popularity until the 1980s. Wittgenstein’s Mistress was known as his most popular piece, even though it was first rejected 54 times before being published. The book is an experimental novel about a woman who thinks she is the last person on earth. She makes a series of statements on western cultural icons in the first person. He later published a book of poetry, a study of Malcolm Lowry, and The Ballard of Dingus Magee which was later turned into a movie.
Markson’s works included,
- Epitaph for a Tramp Dell, 1959.
- Epitaph for a Dead Beat Dell, 1961.
- The Ballad of Dingus Magee; Being the Immortal True Saga of the Most Notorious and Desperate Bad Man of the Olden Days, His Blood-Shedding, His Ruination of Poor Helpless Females, & Cetera Bobbs-Merrill, 1965.
- Miss Doll, Go Home Dell, 1965.
- Going Down Holt Rinehart Winston, 1970.
- Springer’s Progress Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1977.
- Malcolm Lowry’s Volcano: Myth, Symbol, Meaning Times Books, 1978.
- Wittgenstein’s Mistress Dalkey Archive, 1988.
- Collected Poems Dalkey Archive Press, 1993.
- Reader’s Block Dalkey Archive Press, 1996.
- This Is Not a Novel Counterpoint, 2001.
- Vanishing Point Shoemaker & Hoard, 2004.
- The Last Novel Shoemaker & Hoard, 2007.
If I were to interview David Markson I would ask him why he writes in such an unconventional and experimental way. Markson said that he gets some of his writing style from Malcolm Lowry and William Faulkner. I would also ask him why he decided to go visit Malcolm Lowry after graduated. He spent several weeks learning from Lowry in New York. Also, I would ask how he was able to stay focused after not getting anything published for a long time. His first published novel was in the 1950s and he didn’t gain recognition until the 1980s.
Title: David Markson
The website is a biography with many links to other sources.
Author: Anonymous
Rating: 4 out of 5