Eric P. McCormack (1938–2023)

Eric McCormack, who sadly passed away not too long ago, was simply one of the greatest (and unfortunately most unheralded) authors I have ever read. His stories are endlessly fascinating--clever, scary, weird, and funny at the same time. The consistent quality of his work was very high, and you need to check it out. One thread that runs through his work is repeated references to Robert Burton's The Anatomy of Melancholy, a sprawling complex 17th century work that also has its share of those elements. This is McCormack's thesis, submitted to the University of Manitoba and freely available online. McCormack sets out to prove, and does not satisfactorily, that The Anatomy was intended from the beginning as a work of satire and that the 4 subsequent editions published during Burton's lifetime expanded the most satiric content while leaving the "scientific" parts of the book largely untouched. It is easy while reading The Anatomy to think it is intended seriously to be a scientific work, but clearly this is part of the satire. I learned more about The Anatomy by reading this thesis and I was reminded of some of the more interesting parts of Burton's work. I was also taken back to the days when things like this had to be typed on a typewriter! This PDF file is best read on a large tablet, such as the 11" Kindle. It certainly isn't necessary to read this to better understand McCormack's works, but I'm glad I did. I plan to re-read all of his works. They are so rich that I'm sure they'll be just as amazing, or even more so, the second time through.… (mehr)

I have now finished what appear to be the complete works of Eric McCormack--what a sad occasion. I wish in retrospect, I had read (or listened) to his books in chronological order, since he tells so many of the same stories and various characters and themes recur. But in any order, it is a remarkable body of work. In the Dutch Wife, he again delves into the mysteries of human existence and human relations. A woman accepts a man who shows up at her doorstep saying he is her husband, although she knows he isn't. Why? The author/narrator, through a series of conversations with the woman's son, tries to get to the truth. Along the way, of course, as anyone who has read McCormack knows, we are going to be treated to a series of stories, each of them strong enough to stand alone. All his usual themes are present--ships, shipwrecks, islands, 17th century literature, dreams, weird food, strange cultural practices, and so on. This is a fascinating and rewarding read, and, as I have said before, the pleasure in reading McCormack is as much the journey as the destination. Although he is in his 80s and his last book was published in 2014, let's hope there is more coming. In the meantime, start with his excellent collection of short stories, "Inspecting the Vaults", as I did. If that hooks you, read the rest in order. He is a great writer.… (mehr)

Published in Canada in 1992, but not in the US until 1994, The Mysterium is Eric McCormack's third book. It lacks the scope of later novels such as First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women or Cloud, both of which I have read. It does deal with his favorite themes, however: the nature of the truth, mysterious events, Scotland (obvious but never named in this book), dreams, and the evil that men do. A reporter is called to a small village where the population is rapidly dying, but not before spending their last days talking almost nonstop (with weird variations, such as shouting or profanity). The reporter interviews the key players in the story--but does he have the truth at last? The pleasure here, as in most of McCormack's other work, isn't so much the destination as the journey. He is simply a superb writer, making every incident fascinating, and every page enticing. Once you read more than one of his works, you fall into his spell, as his books make frequent references to events in his other works. The "talking disease" of the village of Carrick will reappear, for instance. There's not much else to say without spoiling the pleasure. Just know that McCormack has one of the oddest and darkest imaginations you'll ever come across. As you read his works, you can't but wonder how many of the common traits his characters have may come from his own life.… (mehr)