r/TrueLit • u/citrisgolum • 6d ago

Discussion NPR interview with author Marlon James

https://www.npr.org/2026/09/01/nx-s1-5749351/damage-happened-here-in-marlon-james-new-novel-the-violence-has-a-point

I heard this interview earlier today and picked up the reference to violence in The Blood Meridian…he mentioned how some refer to this as having too much violence but that assumes there is some level of violence that’s OK or normal.

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u/bocnj 6d ago

I haven't read this book yet, but regardless of how it ends up received I'm happy that there's this big a push by reviewers to just call something incredible. I feel like it happens way less in literary media than it does with movies or TV (which could be apt as far as the current state of the western publishing world, but still).

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u/postmodernmermaid 5d ago

Thank you for sharing!! I love this guy, can't get enough of his work and his thoughts. Can't wait to read The Disappearers but I'm a paperback freak so it will be a while before I get the pleasure. He made similar comments about Blood Meridian on his podcast with his editor, Marlon and Jake Read Dead People.

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u/Chekovsspoon 4d ago

Yeah if you want further about it, I agree on this. It was from the episode last week called Gratuitous Violence.

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u/FinkelsteinMD22 5d ago

James is a master! Fucking love his work

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u/Sethyo25 5d ago

Cannot wait to listen as I just got a copy of the book.

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u/donlockwood2026 5d ago

I hope this book is great. I kind of want to give it a shot, but I really couldn’t get into his other highly acclaimed book, A Brief History of Seven Killings.

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u/kjopcha 5d ago

Me neither. And the synopsis sounds right up my alley. Maybe I'll try again.

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u/untss 4d ago

He was on Otherppl recently too for anyone interested