The Novels of Louise Erdrich: Stories of Her People by Connie A. Jacobs (review)

Bo o k r e v i e w s 5 0 5 “ H e ’s H e ll W h e n H e ’s W e ll,” h a v e b e e n p u b lish e d p r e v io u sly . A m o n g t h e m o st fa sc in a t in g a n d im p o r t a n t o f t h e e ssay s in c lu d e d h e r e ar e t h r e e d isc u ssin g M c C a r t h y ’s e u p h o n ie s a n d t h e e v o lu t io n o f h is a st o n ish in g w o r d play. M a n y o f t h e b ig n a m e s in M c C a r t h y c r it ic ism — D ia n n e Lu c e , R ic k W a lla c h , E d w in A r n o ld — ar e p r e se n t in t h e an t h o lo gy , t h o u g h m a in ly in t h e A p p a la c h ia n se c t io n . N e v e r t h e le ss, t h e r e a r e a n u m b e r o f st r o n g e ssay s d e a lin g w it h t h e b o r d e r t e t r alo gy . L in d a T o w n le y W o o d so n ’s ‘“ D e lo s h e re je s y h u e r f an o s’: T h e So u n d a n d Se n se o f C o r m a c M c C a r t h y ’s Bo r d e r F ic t io n ” in t e r r o ga t e s M c C a r t h y ’s u se o f la n gu a ge a n d n a r r a t iv e , e sp e c ia lly in t h e h a n d s (o r m o u t h s) o f h is v a r io u s st o r y t e lle r c h a r a c t e r s. In ‘“ M e x ic o p a r a lo s M e x ic a n o s’: R e v o lu t io n , M e x ic o , a n d M c C a r t h y ’s B o r d e r T r ilo gy ,” Jo h n W e gn e r e x a m in e s t h e r e c u r r in g m o t if o f st o r ie s w it h in st o r ie s c o n t a in e d in t h e m e t a st o r y o f t h e M e x ic a n R e v o lu t io n , a n d t h e p o w e r o f m y t h s a n d id e a s a b le t o le a k t h r o u gh a d a n ge r o u sly p e r m e a b le b o r d e r . Ja m e s L ille y ’s fin e “ ‘T h e H a n d s o...