William T. Vollmann Unveils 3,000-Page Novel on the Aftermath of 9/11

The author announces a forthcoming novel titled “A Table for Fortune.” It will be released in four volumes and totals roughly 3,000 pages. The narrative follows a CIA analyst codenamed DAVE, whose faith in America erodes after the attacks, and his son Matthew, whose search for purpose leads him into homelessness and addiction. Vollmann frames the book as a “novel of ideas” and a “novel of feelings,” tracing both the roots of the attacks and their “poisoned harvest.”

The Conversation

The article notes that 2022 was especially difficult for the 67-year-old author: he lost his daughter, was dropped by his longtime publisher Viking, lost support for his Ohio State archives, and was struck by a car while crossing a street. He is also battling an incurable case of colon cancer, prompting a race against time to complete his final projects. Over his career he has produced roughly 25 books, many exceeding 500 pages; about half extend “several hundred” pages beyond that length, often supplemented with photographs, glossaries, and other ancillary material.

The Conversation

Vollmann’s approach aligns with the tradition of literary maximalism, a style that embraces ambitious scale and intricate structure. The article situates his work alongside earlier mega-novels such as Thomas Pynchon’s *Gravity’s Rainbow*, William Gaddis’s *The Recognitions*, and John Barth’s *The Sot-Weed Factor*. Contemporary counterparts include David Foster Wallace’s *Infinite Jest* and the 1,001-page *Schattenfroh* by Michael Lentz, whose English translation appeared in 2025. It also references Mircea Cartarescu’s *Solenoid* (2015) and notes that indie presses like Deep Vellum are actively championing thick books.

The Conversation

The commentary highlights a broader concern: national reading data show a steady decline in literacy and reading engagement, while publishers fear that long, complex works may be “too expensive” for a shrinking audience. Yet the article argues that the very complexity and political depth of Vollmann’s novels may be precisely what a fragmented, algorithm-driven public needs to confront “post-truth” challenges, techno-capitalism, and the lingering legacies of the attacks. If “A Table for Fortune” proves to be one of Vollmann’s final books, it could serve as a substantial tool for readers seeking to navigate the intricate moral and historical questions of contemporary America.

The Conversation