Mulligan Stew

Mulligan Stew follows struggling novelist Anthony Lamont as he attempts to write his latest work while his characters begin to rebel against his control. The manuscript pages, letters, journal entries, and other documents that comprise the novel showcase the gradual dissolution of both Lamont's work-in-progress and his grip on reality. The structure mirrors its namesake dish - a mix of available ingredients thrown together - by incorporating multiple genres, styles, and formats. The text includes fragments of Lamont's novel drafts, rejection letters from publishers, writing exercises, and various other literary ephemera that paint a picture of the writing process. Originally titled Synthetic Ink, the book faced nearly thirty rejections before Grove Press published it in 1979. The published version includes parody rejection letters and maintains the controversial Masque of Fungo section that the publisher initially wanted removed. This experimental novel examines the relationship between author and text, reality and fiction, while satirizing literary pretension and the creative process itself. The work stands as a significant contribution to metafictional literature and postmodern writing.

Reader reviews emphasize the experimental, meta-fictional nature of Mulligan Stew. Many describe it as challenging and complex, with frequent comparisons to James Joyce's Ulysses. Readers appreciate: - The humor and playful approach to literary criticism - Complex narrative structure and innovative formatting - Commentary on the writing process - Literary references and parodies Common criticisms: - Too difficult to follow - Self-indulgent and pretentious - Length (over 400 pages) - Requires extensive literary knowledge Several readers note abandoning the book partway through. One Amazon reviewer states: "I wanted to like it but found myself lost in the maze of references." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (404 ratings) Amazon: 3.8/5 (12 ratings) Most positive reviews come from readers who enjoy experimental literature and metafiction. A Goodreads reviewer notes: "It's deliberately frustrating but rewarding if you stick with it."

If on a winter's night a traveler by Italo Calvino A meta-narrative about reading itself, where the reader becomes a character and multiple stories fragment and interweave in ways that mirror Sorrentino's exploration of authorship and textual reality.

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski The book uses multiple narrators, formats, and textual experiments to tell a story within stories that deconstructs itself while examining the nature of narrative and truth.

Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov Through footnotes, commentary, and unreliable narration, this work presents a text that questions authorial control and literary interpretation in ways that parallel Mulligan Stew's concerns.

Lost in the Funhouse by John Barth The collection uses meta-fictional techniques and experimental structures to expose the mechanics of storytelling while breaking down conventions of narrative.

Willie Masters' Lonesome Wife by William H. Gass This novella employs typographical experimentation and multiple textual formats to create a work that, like Mulligan Stew, pushes against traditional narrative boundaries while examining the relationship between writer and text.

🔸 The term "mulligan stew" historically refers to a hobo meal made from whatever ingredients were available, perfectly mirroring the novel's mixed-genre approach. 🔸 Gilbert Sorrentino worked as an editor at Grove Press, which published many experimental writers including William S. Burroughs and Samuel Beckett, influencing his own avant-garde style. 🔸 The book includes fictional book reviews of imaginary works, creating a complex meta-commentary on literary criticism within its own pages. 🔸 Published in 1979, "Mulligan Stew" took Sorrentino over five years to write and became his most ambitious and technically complex work. 🔸 The novel pays homage to "Flann O'Brien's At Swim-Two-Birds" by borrowing its concept of characters rebelling against their author, but takes the idea even further.