This is my absolute favorite from Bernhard and the first one I have read from him. A roommate in my first apartment in Berlin who studied literature for one year recommended me the book with the words: „Their is an angry writer who sits the whole night in a chair, observe his friends during a artistic dinner and holds a inner-Monolog he has during this scenario full of hate and despair.“ It made me laugh and sad. It’s about love and dealing with the death of a friend. It’s about people who see them self as artistic and about their ridiculous ego. It’s about friendship and how the friendship changed to hate with time. I really enjoyed reading it. And I’m happy I could read it in German. Thank you for uploading!
Thomas Bernhard is the o.g. of trolls. He accomplished to troll the entirety of Austria. What an incredible writer, his sentences read like prayer wheels in German, his language has such a great sense of rhythm. Just awesome.
Great to hear this and be reminded of a wonderful book I read 40 years ago, back when Bernhard would not allow his books to be published as paperbacks! I have since read all of his novels and there are some brilliant ones - I would say Correction and Extinction are his masterpieces. Plus his memoirs published as Gathering Evidence - superb and beyond the best foods imaginable!
Gathering Evidence was superb - as good as if not better than the novels. Always glad to find someone else who enjoyed it as I guess it could tend to be overlooked in favor of his fiction.
Awesom review. I am so glad you are doing Bernhard. One of the greatest writers of the 20th century. Yes, he is dark, but the intelligence and humor conveyed in his writing is superb. I can't get enough.
"You have to destroy yourself if you want to criticize others." This quote is a good summary of the chapters on nihilism in Albert Camus's philosophical book The Rebel, a book where Camus explains why he was disgusted by nihilism. Unfortunately very few people ever read The Rebel. Maybe at 300 pages it's too long for 21st century internet people. That's too bad since he wrote it, if I remember correctly, because he felt like people were misinterpreting books like The Stranger and Sisyphus. I think Mersault was meant to be an example of how NOT to live your life but people seem to think he is a hero for some reason. Oh well, people still interpret Machiavelli's The Prince as being a how-to manual for politics when it was actually meant to be a scathing satire of what politicians do wrong. I suppose the history of art & literature is a history of misinterpretation; the deconstructionists have won. I know this rant has little or nothing to do with the book being reviewed here but that quote was like a shot of espresso that really set off a flood of thoughts in my head. Thank you for that.
What I originally meant to say here was that critiquing yourself so that you can critique others is a dangerous undertaking since critiquing yourself can easily turn into self-hatred if you aren't careful. Once that door is opened it is difficult to go back and possibly why so many artists, authors, and others end up destroying themselves with bitterness, alcoholism, reckless behavior, suicide etc. I started thinking too much previously and never got around to saying this. Whoever reads this I just want to say be careful and take care of yourself. Don't go down that path of hate. It isn't worth it.
@@GomezAddams422 yes, you're right. I am currently reading The Stranger but I hope to read more Camus over time. I suspect it will be a long journey with Camus' Philosophy.
I'm knee-deep (in the wing chair) in Woodcutters, thanks to you, and enjoying it and alternately slipping into his foul mood. But I also thought that reading this is like listening to Philip Glass' music...could be irritating, and could be hypnotic, depending.....
Just finished Woodcutters. Amazing and quite intense. I need to read more. He was supposedly not a very pleasant man, but I need to read up on the details.
I remember your earlier reviews....I loved the Cioran reviews and I think you are a natural with philosophy....you will enjoy Schopenhauer and you will get a lot from this....
Look into “Correction” Cliff… an unbelievably powerful novel that riffs on the life of Wittgenstein, but is so much more. In my opinion, Bernhard’s best. I loved Woodcutters too, thanks for the review.
What is interesting about Bernhards "pessimism", is that there is no resignation in it, but rather an active affirmation of resistance itself, of being discontent. The bernhard protagonist must struggle. He must traverse that which repulses him, is magnetized by it. There can be no surrender, he must rage on.
I am just now reading The Recognitions and Woodcutters sounds quite similar, at least in its depiction of wannabe artists partying. Did anyone ever write about Gaddis and Bernhard?
Cliff Don't change the channel motto to pander to the the main stream, it's a great quote. We love u for u any one who's offended by the f word shouldn't be here and won't like these books.
All of Bernhard's novels have the same tone and mission: caustic, unapologetic truth-telling. For me, his best work is his autobiography "Gathering Evidence." That one will blow you away, guaranteed.
Cliff, random question, what's that grey object on the right side of the screen that's parallel to your shoulders? It doesn't look like a book but I can't tell if it's a sculpture or something made of concrete?
hey Cliff, if you can manage to get your hands on a copy, I’d highly recommend John A. Scott’s What I Have Written, one of my country-Australia’s-finest poets and prose stylists. it’s a grim and beautiful novel of poetic ecstasy and sexual depravity, with haunting echoes of Rimbaud, Sade and the Symbolists, I think you’d love it.
Thomas Bernhard always reminds me of the great and neglected Austrian writer Albert Drach and his unique 'bureaucratic' style. "Unsentimental Journey" and especially "The great protocol against Zwetschkenbaum" are remarkable in their radicalism and lucid observations of reality.
A lot of people like to single out H.P. Lovecraft as having exercised an influence over the writing of Thomas Ligotti, but in reality, Ligotti's style owes far more to the philosophical pessimism of Bernhard than it does to Lovecraft.
Um jantar de pessoas medíocres "como eu"... 😂😂 Como nós talvez? Raduan Nassar?? Não vi no livro algo que me lembrasse ele, mas sim Woods Allan - que faz os comentários mais inquietantes de seus personagens e depreciativos de si mesmo.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
Extinction, his last novel, has by far the best ending scene i've ever read - redifined the meaning of revenge for me. A masterpiece!
This is my absolute favorite from Bernhard and the first one I have read from him. A roommate in my first apartment in Berlin who studied literature for one year recommended me the book with the words: „Their is an angry writer who sits the whole night in a chair, observe his friends during a artistic dinner and holds a inner-Monolog he has during this scenario full of hate and despair.“ It made me laugh and sad. It’s about love and dealing with the death of a friend. It’s about people who see them self as artistic and about their ridiculous ego. It’s about friendship and how the friendship changed to hate with time. I really enjoyed reading it. And I’m happy I could read it in German. Thank you for uploading!
Recently read Woodcuttters, reading Old Masters now (p 21/156). Excellent pick, Cliff.
Thomas Bernhard is the o.g. of trolls. He accomplished to troll the entirety of Austria. What an incredible writer, his sentences read like prayer wheels in German, his language has such a great sense of rhythm. Just awesome.
Great to hear this and be reminded of a wonderful book I read 40 years ago, back when Bernhard would not allow his books to be published as paperbacks! I have since read all of his novels and there are some brilliant ones - I would say Correction and Extinction are his masterpieces. Plus his memoirs published as Gathering Evidence - superb and beyond the best foods imaginable!
Gathering Evidence was superb - as good as if not better than the novels. Always glad to find someone else who enjoyed it as I guess it could tend to be overlooked in favor of his fiction.
Awesom review. I am so glad you are doing Bernhard. One of the greatest writers of the 20th century. Yes, he is dark, but the intelligence and humor conveyed in his writing is superb. I can't get enough.
"You have to destroy yourself if you want to criticize others." This quote is a good summary of the chapters on nihilism in Albert Camus's philosophical book The Rebel, a book where Camus explains why he was disgusted by nihilism. Unfortunately very few people ever read The Rebel. Maybe at 300 pages it's too long for 21st century internet people. That's too bad since he wrote it, if I remember correctly, because he felt like people were misinterpreting books like The Stranger and Sisyphus. I think Mersault was meant to be an example of how NOT to live your life but people seem to think he is a hero for some reason. Oh well, people still interpret Machiavelli's The Prince as being a how-to manual for politics when it was actually meant to be a scathing satire of what politicians do wrong. I suppose the history of art & literature is a history of misinterpretation; the deconstructionists have won. I know this rant has little or nothing to do with the book being reviewed here but that quote was like a shot of espresso that really set off a flood of thoughts in my head. Thank you for that.
What I originally meant to say here was that critiquing yourself so that you can critique others is a dangerous undertaking since critiquing yourself can easily turn into self-hatred if you aren't careful. Once that door is opened it is difficult to go back and possibly why so many artists, authors, and others end up destroying themselves with bitterness, alcoholism, reckless behavior, suicide etc. I started thinking too much previously and never got around to saying this. Whoever reads this I just want to say be careful and take care of yourself. Don't go down that path of hate. It isn't worth it.
@@GomezAddams422 yes, you're right. I am currently reading The Stranger but I hope to read more Camus over time. I suspect it will be a long journey with Camus' Philosophy.
Hey Cliff, you helped me decide to invest in Bernhard, gonna spend Summer reading all his fiction that's been translated. Cheers!! ☕
This reviewer is great. I like his style.
Love the book too, and all his others.
What are the odds that you post this while I'm writing my end-of-year college essay about Heldenplatz?
insightful review like usual! Have you considered Bernhardt’s Gargoyles? I would love your thoughts
I would definitely second taking a look at Gargoyles; my personal favourite amongst the works of Bernhard I've read thus far.
Same here! Gargoyle was the first of Bernhard's I read and enjoyed it immensely. Hoping Cliff will get to it some day.
I'm knee-deep (in the wing chair) in Woodcutters, thanks to you, and enjoying it and alternately slipping into his foul mood. But I also thought that reading this is like listening to Philip Glass' music...could be irritating, and could be hypnotic, depending.....
Just finished Woodcutters. Amazing and quite intense. I need to read more. He was supposedly not a very pleasant man, but I need to read up on the details.
I remember your earlier reviews....I loved the Cioran reviews and I think you are a natural with philosophy....you will enjoy Schopenhauer and you will get a lot from this....
Just requested this from the library. Darn you, Cliff!
Thanks for suggesting this masterpiece. 🎉
Was wondering when Clifford was doing another video.
Look into “Correction” Cliff… an unbelievably powerful novel that riffs on the life of Wittgenstein, but is so much more. In my opinion, Bernhard’s best. I loved Woodcutters too, thanks for the review.
you are completly right! its his best work!
I need to get that coffee ☕️ today ✨💓 I love this channel he has a good taste definitely. The books I got ufff 🤯.. better than food 💓✨☕️🙌🏽🌸
What is interesting about Bernhards "pessimism", is that there is no resignation in it, but rather an active affirmation of resistance itself, of being discontent. The bernhard protagonist must struggle. He must traverse that which repulses him, is magnetized by it. There can be no surrender, he must rage on.
If you enjoyed Bernhard check out the Italian writer Guieseppe Berto's Incubus.
May you please read One Hundred Years of Solitude and make a review about it.
10:33 very true! beautifully said
I am just now reading The Recognitions and Woodcutters sounds quite similar, at least in its depiction of wannabe artists partying. Did anyone ever write about Gaddis and Bernhard?
Cliff Don't change the channel motto to pander to the the main stream, it's a great quote. We love u for u any one who's offended by the f word shouldn't be here and won't like these books.
Thomas Bernhard is my favorite. Amazing that he was influenced by Thomas Wolfe.
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Great video. You should read his book Correction as well.
5:54 I saw that one comin
All of Bernhard's novels have the same tone and mission: caustic, unapologetic truth-telling. For me, his best work is his autobiography "Gathering Evidence." That one will blow you away, guaranteed.
Love Bernhard I'm currently reading Correction
What is the name of the brazillian author you mention in this video? I can't find someone with the name I think I hear.
Cliff, random question, what's that grey object on the right side of the screen that's parallel to your shoulders? It doesn't look like a book but I can't tell if it's a sculpture or something made of concrete?
hey Cliff, if you can manage to get your hands on a copy, I’d highly recommend John A. Scott’s What I Have Written, one of my country-Australia’s-finest poets and prose stylists. it’s a grim and beautiful novel of poetic ecstasy and sexual depravity, with haunting echoes of Rimbaud, Sade and the Symbolists, I think you’d love it.
Thomas Bernhard always reminds me of the great and neglected Austrian writer Albert Drach and his unique 'bureaucratic' style.
"Unsentimental Journey" and especially "The great protocol against Zwetschkenbaum" are remarkable in their radicalism and lucid observations of reality.
Oh wow, the editing of this video is much more fast paced. Less quiet moments.
Man, what do you think about Kurt Vonnegut?
Lol you are NOT mediocre! You are seriously awesome 😎
Jim Kaat got inducted into the Hall of Fame!
Do you own a Substack account?
CHAOS REIGNS, SAYS THE FOX.
Bernhard
A lot of people like to single out H.P. Lovecraft as having exercised an influence over the writing of Thomas Ligotti, but in reality, Ligotti's style owes far more to the philosophical pessimism of Bernhard than it does to Lovecraft.
Hey my friend, this is a wonderful video, and you run a great Channel. thanks for the uploads ! a fellow creator-------
The great NELSON ALGREN, next? C'mon, let's take a walk on the wild side
Um jantar de pessoas medíocres "como eu"... 😂😂
Como nós talvez?
Raduan Nassar?? Não vi no livro algo que me lembrasse ele, mas sim Woods Allan - que faz os comentários mais inquietantes de seus personagens e depreciativos de si mesmo.
You should give up book reviews for stand up comedy.
no chance this guy even reads the books lmfaaaaao
Cliff ... get some sun.
Isn't the art for the covers of the new edition of English translations just horrible?
Like something out of the Flinstones.
Favourite all time…