The Recognitions

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The Recognitions

William Gaddis

Literature

Jul 31, 2018

The theme of The Recognitions is forgery. The main character is Wyatt Gwyon (although in this slippery narrative, he will appear under other names as well), whose talent as a painter deflects him from following his father’s path into the ministry. Forsaking New England for Europe, he discovers a gift for making copies of Renaissance masterpieces—as well as “new” originals from the same period. As the book’s intricate plot unfolds, Gwyon’s skills as a forger are exploited by shady art world figures around the globe. Questions of faith and fraudulence, pretense and the search for authenticity shadow the moral progress (or more often failings) of several protagonists as the setting moves from Spain to Paris, Rome to New York City to Latin America. Gaddis has an unerring eye for the foibles and fatuities of both art and life, and his satirical invention is vivid, ebullient, and vastly entertaining, once you’ve come to recognize it.

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Miceal O Coileain

Dec 4, 2018

Thank God you included this book on your list! I was scrolling slowly through the list in hopes that you did. The most underrated book of modern times, my unquestioned best book ever read. It introduced me to the possibilities of language, the scenery and emotions that can be conveyed by a naturally gifted writer. Once you cop on to Gaddis' tenor and tone, this book sings! Gaddis wrote very few books, five I think, but you will never read five better books.

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