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The Big Book Project
The Big Book Project is a multi-venue reading experience for bibliophiles fascinated by long or dense works of fiction and interested in discussing them with others, one novel at a time.
The works selected will be capacious novels from the mid-nineteenth century through today that possess an abundant writing style or complexity in structure and themes.
The notion that reading need not be a solitary activity has special resonance with these novels given that there is much to discuss, elaborate upon and question in the authors’ expression of ideas. I like to think of these novels as abundant because I appreciate their richness and volume, characteristics bestow a sort of grace to luxuriate with the text.
The critic and scholar Alexander Nehamas writes that when a work of art beckons, it is because we do not fully understand it but feel the strong desire to do so. And it is this deliberative process, the journey, of trying to understand why a novel is extraordinary that I want to explore with fellow readers at The Big Book Project.
We discuss books like Roberto Bolaño’s 2666
The Big Book Project
How to Lose Your Humanity: Systemic Violence and Society’s Indifference in 2666
In this episode of The Big Book Project, Lori Feathers unpacks one of the most haunting themes in Roberto Bolaño’s 2666: the slow erosion of humanity in the face of systemic violence. Through the lens of The Part About Archimboldi, we explore the chilling parallels between Nazi Germany and the fictional town of Santa Teresa—modeled after the real-life femicides of Ciudad Juárez.
Key Themes Discussed:
- The link between the Holocaust and the Santa Teresa murders
- How mass violence is enabled by societal complacency
- The role of media, government, and economic interests in silencing truth
- The banality of evil: Hannah Arendt’s philosophy in 2666
- Why societies turn a blind eye to suffering—and what that means for us today
Bolaño forces us to ask: How does systemic violence become an accepted part of life? What role do power structures play in normalizing brutality? And ultimately, how does a society lose its humanity?
📖 Join the Discussion:
- What moments in 2666 stood out to you?
- Do you see parallels between the book and modern-day issues?
- How can literature help us confront history’s darkest truths?
💬 Share your thoughts in the comments or on social media!
Links and Resources:
The Big Book Project on Substack
Roberto Bolaño’s 2666: Purchase the Book
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