Law, Jackie. Review of Unwords by Andrew Gallix, Bookmunch, 6 March 2014

With every Tom, Dick and Jackie now able to post their thoughts on the books they read online and thereby call themselves a book reviewer, it is good to find someone who knows their stuff and can express opinions well. What we have here is a hefty tome — over 600 pages in length — of book reviews and essays gathered together from a couple of decades of the author’s published critiques and opinions. Andrew Gallix is clearly a literary powerhouse. I may not agree with his summations of some of the books I too have read — The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen, for example — but I can still appreciate the skill with which these reviews have been written. Gallix excavates seams others may not think to dig down to, his knowledge drawing out comparisons and observations the less widely read may easily miss. Authors, whose work is often more multi-layered than many readers recognise, would likely be gratified by such surgical attention to their words.

Given its size and contents, Unwords is not a book to be read cover to cover as one might a novel. Rather, it is best dipped into, savoured over time in bite sized chunks. It serves as a sort of archive of European literature, a useful reference for anyone with an interest in the oeuvre.

Gallix takes occasional side-swipes at modern publishing habits, showing a marked contempt for popular literary prizes. Nevertheless, reviews included here are overwhelmingly positive — a number of the books featured were written by those he lists in the acknowledgements. He is clearly well connected within the literary world, not surprising when glancing down the list of publications these pieces originally appeared in.

“Some of the essays and reviews that appear in this book have been expanded, rewritten, or updated. Others have not.”

So, as well as book reviews there are essays and the occasional interview. These generally focus on particular authors, offering a glimpse into their mindset and processes. They become characters at the hand of Gallix, their written works a thread in the plot of their lives. There are proliferations of: pen names, a desire for anonymity, the performance of marketing a persona. Fictions created are not confined to their written (or unwritten) works.

The pieces included provide much to ponder on what is considered art, alongside the conceits of creators and those who admire them.

Authors who take the importance of their output so seriously they cannot publish for fear it won’t be good enough are included. Some feel themselves superior in this: “untainted by recognition” (I did wonder how Albert Cossery funded his hotel room and presumably necessary food).

The works of authors under discussion may impress but many of those featured do not come across as decent human beings. There appears to be disdain for the happily ordinary, those not aspiring for inclusion within their circle of influence.

“Platonic writers tend to see their works as imperfect reflections of an unattainable literary ideal. They do not celebrate the birth of a new opus so much as mourn the abortion of all the other versions that could have been.”

In some ways Unwords could have been regarded as a sort of vanity project — Gallix couldn’t finish the novel he planned to write in his twenties so instead pulls together a book from all the short pieces he did complete over the intervening years. This idea should be given short shrift. The impressive quality of the writing alone makes this tome worth perusing. Much of it, while intellectually stimulating, is also highly entertaining.

In ‘Custard Pie in the Sky’ Gallix is having far too much fun playing with the words he uses. Opinions expressed may at times appear highbrow but remain accessible.

I must also mention a couple of the more personal inclusions. ‘Umbilical Words’ is an intensely moving piece written to be read at his mother’s funeral. ‘Phantom Server’, on the near loss of 3:AM Magazine’s archives, is wonderfully engaging.

The final entry, ‘AfterUnword’, is made up entirely of author quotes and references. They may be enough to make any wannabe novelist question the wisdom of their commitment to seeking publication.

Structured in themes, what is provided is a history of the canon that could become essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the context in which European literature exists. The erudite expositions touch on many ideas including: philosophy, nihilism, absurdity. What becomes clear is how much what is written is a compromise of possibilities.

Any Cop?: A book that surprised me with how much of it lingers, how the whole somehow works given its building blocks. Well worth the time of those with an interest in fiction — and the ecosystem within which such fictions exist.