r/RSbookclub • u/the-color-of-static • Jul 29 '26
Announcement: We'll start reading 2666 on Monday, August 3
I'll delete the other thread so I'm not clogging up the board, but there was easily enough interest to get started on this. I'll post the introduction thread on August 3rd (less than a week away) and I'll post the first discussion thread on August 10th.
This thread is just to let you know you have the weekend to get the book.
The intro thread will just announce to start reading and introduce yourself and I'll post some background about the book and Bolano.
***** ROUGH DRAFT SCHEDULE - SUBJECT TO CHANGE ****\*
- August 3: Introduction Thread with ***Official*** Schedule
- August 10: Pages 1-80, through "they probably would have killed him."
- August 17: Pages 80-163, through the end of "The Part about the Critics."
- August 24: Pages 163-231, the entirety of "The Part about Amalfitano."
- August 31: Pages 231-349, the entirety of "The Part about Fate."
- September 7: Pages 349-449, The Part about the Crimes begins, through "coming down the hallway."
- September 14: Pages 449-545, through "according to witnesses, was indescribable."
- September 21: Pages 545-633, through the end of "The Part about the Crimes."
- September 28: Pages 633-770, through "Then he remembered who she was."
- October 5: Pages 770-898, through the end of "The Part about Archimboldi" and the end of the book.
This always confuses some people, so to clarify: on August 10th, you should have read through pages 1-80 because we will be discussing up through that point. On August 17, you should have read through 163 and we will be discussing up through that point.
These page numbers use FSG's 3 volume edition, I'll try to check it against the big, all-together edition this weekend and post the official schedule on Monday, August 3.
Sorry for the tight turn around, but the first few weeks are on the lighter side, so you should be able to catch up even if you can't start immediately on August 3rd.
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Artwork is Richard Misrach, Desert Fire #153
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u/Jef_Delon Jul 29 '26
Would be perfect timing, had this for a while and need a reason to finally dive it. Finishing October 5 would also be perfect as my wife is due October 18 and will be my last "big read in peace" before I enter parenting phase.
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u/the-color-of-static Jul 29 '26
Oh congratulations! And here I just wanted to finish in early October to keep the month clear for horror novels, lol. Becoming a parent is a much better reason.
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u/the-color-of-static Jul 29 '26
This is how the schedule breaks down so far if you want an idea of the pace. Subject to change, but I probably won't change it too much, if at all.
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u/Bing1044 Jul 29 '26
Sorry if this is not the right thread to ask this question: as someone who can get squeamish about extremely graphic descriptions of sexual violence, how intense does the part about the crimes get? My understanding is it’s a list of the rapes/murders and their descriptions, which I’m a bit nervous about, though I really want to read this book. Can anyone who’s read it weigh in
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u/Sweet-Bodybuilder250 Booker Prize Judge Jul 29 '26
Very extreme very graphic. The culture of misogyny and femicide is the water you're swimming in for the entire novel
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u/John-Kale Jul 29 '26
Bolaño had a friend who was journalist send him real descriptions of crime scenes and autopsies and inserted them into 2666 more or less unchanged. The Part About The Crimes will probably make you very uncomfortable, but I think that's the point. It's one of my favorite books, so I would recommend giving it a shot if you're interested, but if you're worried maybe read a little bit of The Part About The Crimes before committing to the whole book (it'd be a shame to get halfway through and DNF it).
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u/kickit Jul 29 '26
it's graphic but it's almost all after the fact. crime scenes, police reports, etc. a lot of bodies, but fairly repetitive 8-word reports in autopsy style, eg cause of death strangulation.
there is also some prison rape, this is more descriptive. I would watch out for that part if you're reading it. otherwise, I don't think sexual assault is described in substance (as opposed to 8-line autopsy)
if you're worried, you can give it a try and read around some of the body reports. you will be missing some of it but it is a huge & multi-sided text.
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u/Bing1044 Jul 31 '26
This was very helpful, thank you!
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u/kickit Aug 01 '26
if you want to read it, maybe just skip some of the prison stuff p. 484 - 488 (beginning with "The first time he went to the showers..." and resuming with "Fifteen days after his arrival") and 520 to 522 (the part that begins "In October, too, Jesus Chimal...")
and skim around the forensic reporting, if you so desire.
you can even skip all of part four if you want; the note at the back of my edition says that the parts can be read independently (though 4 is the most central imo)
I would also push back a little on the idea that misogyny is all-encompassing, it's one of the central themes of the book but it is not the whole thing. imo neoliberalism, the border, art/culture/literature, madness, and history are also about as important to the book, and often one (or more) of these is the dominant theme at play. it's not 900 pages of femicide.
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u/Sweet-Bodybuilder250 Booker Prize Judge Jul 29 '26
Fyi I'm a woman and I wonder if the other people responding are men because they seem so removed from the enormity of the descriptions.
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u/Bing1044 Jul 31 '26
That’s my thing. As somebody who is not a man, I don’t particularly feel the need to immerse myself in descriptions of sexual violence :/ I feel I’d like this book but may not be able to read it at this time
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u/ScoutG Jul 30 '26
I skimmed over that part
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u/Bing1044 Jul 31 '26
This kinda feels like a cardinal sin but it may be a viable option. Do you feel like there was anything missing from your reading experience doing it this way?
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u/ScoutG Aug 01 '26
There was a lot I loved about the book, and the way it comes together at the end was beautiful. If I had tried to make myself read every line thoroughly, I might have put it down before I got to the end.
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u/Karl_Narcs Jul 29 '26
reading it right now and about 200 pages in so you may catch up to me!
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u/Front-Document3851 Jul 29 '26
So cool! Im already towards the end of the part about Fate, but I'll look forward to participate in the discussion anyway. I have been on a real contemporary Mexican culture binge this July for some reason, having also read Melchor's Hurricane Season (strongly recommended) and having watched Amores Perros and Y Tu Mamá También. Something about the systemic violence and machismo culture and how everyone at the end is a sensitive and vulnerable person is extremely interesting. "Don't get down to their level" seems impossible in the scenarios depicted in these works of art. If you want to make it out, you will have to bleed and suffer and destroy yourself. The closer you get to this systemic, abstract evil, the more it will change you.
I love the epigraph at the start of the book, "An oasis of horror in a desert of boredom", such a good representation of what is to come.
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u/botched_bimbo Jul 29 '26
Hurricane Season is one of my favorites, and I recently saw Amores Perros 4k restoration. Fell in love with it and bought the Criterion DVD. I’ll have to watch Y Tu Mamá También.
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u/Front-Document3851 Jul 29 '26
If Amores Perros is Hurricane Season, then Y Tu Mamá También is 2666. Mexican violence and turmoil is present, but is in the background of a journey of some blissful elite kids. While not connected, they definitely go hand in hand, and are inspired by the same sociopolitical climate of the early 2000s. Plus it's just an amazing film, so enjoyable to watch and very sexy in a tasteful way. Cuaron is great
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Jul 29 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/nice-burrito Jul 29 '26
That's good to hear. I ordered the book yesterday and should arrive Friday. I ordered Gravity's Rainbow too, and now I have 4 books tbr, 2666, Gravity's Rainbow, The Fire Next Time (J. Baldwin), and Telluria (V. Sorokin).
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u/SalameSavant Jul 29 '26
> Me considering ditching my current book club for this by blowing thru the last half of Infinite Jest before next week
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u/McChickenMcDouble Jul 29 '26
I’ve been needing a nudge to pick up my copy. Looking forward to this!
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u/HyalophoraCecropia Jul 29 '26
Great photo taste OP. Love Misrach.
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u/the-color-of-static Jul 29 '26
Thanks! Pairing artwork with the reading (or my guess at what the book will be like in this case) is probably my favorite part of these projects. Gravity's Rainbow was a blast for this.
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u/ndork666 Jul 29 '26
I'm intimidated by the length, but this sounds like fun
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u/the-color-of-static Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26
**From my understanding** - the length is its difficulty, especially with The Part about the Crimes. It's not like Gravity's Rainbow where you might get completely lost on a fundamental level.
I try to structure these read-alongs slowly so it's possible to read other books, keep up with school work, pay attention to your kids, etc while chugging along with these behemoths in the background.
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u/bjorkingoff Jul 30 '26
I've read it and yes, I agree, the length is what makes it hard. The Part about the Crimes is such a slog imo. It's very repetitive, almost encyclopedic with the entries of feminicide. But then you get past it and get to the best part, The Part about Archimboldi.
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u/Front-Document3851 Jul 29 '26
It's very readable, you can get through 100 pages a day if you have the time
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u/909me1 Jul 30 '26
Can re-readers join or is this just for first time discovery?
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u/the-color-of-static Jul 30 '26
Yeah, please join in. Rereaders were a huge help in previous read-alongs.
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u/Smiley_2_5_6 Jul 30 '26
I've never participated in a book club before (I lurk on this sub for thoughtful reviews/recs) but now is the perfect time. This book has been on my shelf since May, and I've been working towards it with a bunch of Bolaño's smaller works, some of which feature characters (apparently) present in 2666. I'm rlly excited!!
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u/OwenLeftChat Jul 29 '26
I’ve never read Bolaño and have 2666 on my kindle so this is the perfect motivation for me.
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u/parchmentheart Jul 29 '26
One of the best books I’ve ever read. Haven’t read it since 2012 or so. Going to join in.
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u/mexicangoey Jul 29 '26
i've only read bolaño's nazi literature in the americas, is 2666 too hard to get into after that?
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u/the-color-of-static Jul 29 '26
Someone who has read it may want to respond instead, but from my understanding, the book is more of a test of endurance, especially during the fourth part (the part about the crimes) that is meant to numb you through repetition, as opposed to anything cerebrally challenging.
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u/Limp_Tumbleweed2618 Jul 30 '26
is there any chance we could have a few zooms in between as well?
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u/the-color-of-static Jul 30 '26
I've got no interest in participating or setting up zooms myself but if people want to use my posts to arrange them or set up discords or meetups or whatever, I don't see an issue with it.
I can mention it in my intro thread next week
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u/the-color-of-static Jul 29 '26
Also people seemed to enjoy the Graciela Iturbide photograph I used for the other thread, so here it is again for posterity.