Comments on: Working Definition of New Weird

By: Vanderlust « adamantine

Vanderlust « adamantine — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:58:11 +0000

[...] A Jeff VanderMeer interview in which, among other things, he lists his favourite books! Jeff VanderMeer on novel outlines! Jeff VanderMeer’s own definition of the New Weird! [...]

By: Jeff VanderMeer

Jeff VanderMeer — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 20:25:16 +0000

Graham:
Not really. Some more than others. “The Cage” I’d consider New Weirdish. But not “Dradin,” which is really just old weirdish. Some of the tone because of the horror element I often use. But I’d call someone like Calder, in some of his fiction, a lot more NW than me.

By: Graham Sleight

Graham Sleight — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 09:17:52 +0000

That’s useful. Do you consider your Ambergris works to be New Weird by this definition?

By: If On A Winter’s Night A Linker « Torque Control

If On A Winter’s Night A Linker « Torque Control — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 08:39:16 +0000

[...] Jeff VanderMeer’s working definition of the New Weird [...]

By: Jonathan Wood

Jonathan Wood — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 14:29:56 +0000

That’s bloody perfect, that is.

By: Jeff VanderMeer

Jeff VanderMeer — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 11:55:53 +0000

Not very. That’s just one element.

I think you need to buy the antho. ;

By: David de Beer

David de Beer — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:13:29 +0000

has a bit of a Baudelaire ring to it…

ok, so how accurate would this statement be:

the fantastic as vehicle/ medium to embrace/ confront the real as opposed to escaping it?

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:05:16 +0000

This definition seems to fit Hugh Cook’s Chronicles of an Age of Darkness series, which is good, because I’ve always said that he was New Weird before the New Weird ‘movement’ (floruit 1986-92).

By: Jeff VanderMeer

Jeff VanderMeer — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 23:09:53 +0000

Sure–why not.
JV

By: Matt Staggs

Matt Staggs — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 23:08:46 +0000

I can see the headlines now: “Eating Children Central to ‘New Weird’ Literary Movement, says VanderMeer.”