R(ussell) G. Vliet Criticism
R. G. Vliet (1929–) is an American novelist and poet known for his exploration of alienation, particularly within southwestern settings. His work often delves into existential themes, combining lyrical elegance with an elegiac tone. Vliet's poetry, notably the collection Events & Celebrations, is praised for its mature style, with "Clem Maverick" highlighted as a standout piece demonstrating the collection's masculine meticulousness, as noted by critics in Notes on Current Books: 'Events & Celebrations' and An All-American Muse. His novel Solitudes has been recognized for its inventive prose and depth of existential exploration, though it has faced criticism for sentimentality and structural weaknesses by Peter Glassman. Meanwhile, Rockspring has been critiqued for its implausible plot and character portrayal as noted by Phoebe-Lou Adams. In poetry, Water and Stone is seen as a profound meditation on life and death, offering narrative depth and emotional resonance, though it has been critiqued for its emotional restraint by Hayden Carruth. Vliet's body of work remains significant for its existential inquiry and its vivid, poetic language.
Contents
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Notes on Current Books: 'Events & Celebrations'
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The critic commends Russell G. Vliet's first poetry collection, Events & Celebrations, for its mature and accomplished style, highlighting "Clem Maverick" as a standout piece that demonstrates the collection's masculine and meticulous nature.
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An All-American Muse
(summary)
In the following essay, Dan Jaffe praises R. G. Vliet's Events & Celebrations for its skillful and diverse portrayal of life through the "Clem Maverick" poems, highlighting the tension between public and private spheres, and commends Vliet's unique poetic voice and exploration of resistance in the world.
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Short Reviews: 'Rockspring'
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In the following essay, Phoebe-Lou Adams critiques Rockspring as a distorted fairy tale laden with inappropriate sexual violence and an implausible plot, where the protagonist resembles more a wax doll than a realistic character, despite its supposed frontier setting.
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American Romances: Fiction Chronicle
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In the following essay, Glassman critiques Vliet's novel Solitudes, set in Texas in the 1880s, as an impressive literary achievement marked by inventive prose and a profound exploration of "wildness" and solitude, although he notes the narrative's sentimentality and structural weaknesses detract from its coherence and imaginative authority.
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Books: 'Solitudes'
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In the following essay, W. S. Di Piero evaluates R. G. Vliet's novel Solitudes, praising its poetic prose, existential themes, and the protagonist's journey towards self-knowledge and redemption, asserting that the novel's exploration of solitude and its vivid language mark it as a significant literary work.
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At the Start of the Eighties
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In the following essay, Jerome Mazzaro examines how R. G. Vliet's Water and Stone reflects the polarity of life and death through a dialectic structure, employing spare language and metaphor to explore human helplessness in the face of mortality.
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A Powerful Voice Singing in the Wilderness
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In the following essay, Joscha Kessler praises R. G. Vliet as an elegiac poet whose work, particularly in Water and Stone, offers profound meditations on human life and nature, characterized by narrative depth and emotional resonance, reminiscent of Robert Penn Warren.
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A Time for Giants
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In the following essay, Hayden Carruth critiques R. G. Vliet's collection Water and Stone for its meticulous yet emotionally restrained poetic style, suggesting that while Vliet excels in crafting lyrical elegies and varied poetic forms, his work lacks a compelling emotional spark.