The Rabble Discuss Cabell: James Branch Cabell &c

This group is named after the mnemonic the author produced to indicate the correct pronunciation of his surname: ‘Tell the rabble my name is Cabell.’ He first made his name (but not much money) as a writer of romantic but droll short stories and novels. He had an artistic breakthrough with the anti-romantic dream-romance The Cream of the Jest (1917), but it was not until Jurgen (1919) was tried for obscenity that he suffered an explosion of popularity and became one of the most lionized literary figures of the 1920s. This phenomenon culminated in the publication of his collected works in the 18-volume Storisende edition (1927-1930) in which he arranged his fantasies and his now-revised-to-fit earlier works into the ‘Biography of the Life of Manuel,’ Manuel being the leading character in Figures of Earth (1921) and the progenitor of many of Cabell’s male characters down through the fictional centuries. However, after about 1930 the Great Depression and creeping modernism led to a reaction against Cabell’s supposedly effete approach to literature; and although he continued to produce fiction and nonfiction of merit until his death in the 1950s he was almost forgotten as a literary figure.

In the 1960s he experienced somewhat of a revival in the wake of the great popularity of The Lord of the Rings, when the demand for something, anything, remotely like Tolkien caused obscure works of merit by Cabell, Dunsany, Peake, Eddison, Morris and other early fantasists to be reprinted (and several Cabell societies to be formed and scholarly journals published). But the rabble soon discovered these writers to be not very Hobbitish, and, the demand satisfied by eighth-rate Tolkien clones, Cabell receded again into the relative obscurity wherein now he bides and all we mourn for. Nonetheless, James Branch Cabell continues to find favor with the more enlightened fans of fantasy and esoteric literature, with collectors, and with lovers of his droll, highly polished manner. The eternal author stands, tongue in cheek, sword (ahem) in hand, awaiting our judgment.

UPDATE January 2013 -- Check out the new James Branch Cabell website-in-progress, The Silver Stallion at http://www.silverstallion.karkeeweb.com/cabellmain.html . It's an offshoot of discussions that started right here on The Rabble Discuss Cabell.

TemaTemaMensajesÚltimo mensaje 
Kalki and The Cabellian available online6 no leídos / 6dscottn, enero 22
Who of us are writing A Book on Cabell?2 no leídos / 2paradoxosalpha, diciembre 2023
Straws and Prayer-Books cabell's reading list10 no leídos / 10paradoxosalpha, julio 2023
From the Hidden Way - translations2 no leídos / 2Crypto-Willobie, noviembre 2022
Brewer Order7 no leídos / 7rpuchalsky, octubre 2022
Notes and Translations on Chivalry?23 no leídos / 23elenchus, septiembre 2022
Heirs and Assigns2 no leídos / 2elenchus, septiembre 2022
Dom Manuel family tree?18 no leídos / 18wreade1872, agosto 2022
New digital project explores the life and legacy of James Branch Cabell, namesake of VCU’s library8 no leídos / 8Crypto-Willobie, enero 2022
Cabell's original titles8 no leídos / 8paradoxosalpha, septiembre 2021
Cabell reference in science fiction story10 no leídos / 10dscottn, septiembre 2021
Gaiman's steal on Cabell5 no leídos / 5Crypto-Willobie, julio 2021
Cameo appearances of Cabell's Books in the Books of other Authors35 no leídos / 35paradoxosalpha, abril 2021
Celebrating JBC's birthday at Good Show Sir3 no leídos / 3paradoxosalpha, abril 2021
1907 Article on Cabell4 no leídos / 4dscottn, abril 2021
Happy Anniversary!13 no leídos / 13elenchus, Febrero 2021
Cabell Bargains91 no leídos / 91elenchus, Febrero 2021
3201 Monument Avenue, Richmond, Virginia8 no leídos / 8dscottn, Febrero 2021
German ballad (1907) about a knight called Manuel32 no leídos / 32wirkman, enero 2021
Cabell Editions28 no leídos / 28dscottn, diciembre 2020
Cabell Comics?16 no leídos / 16dscottn, diciembre 2020
"The Vampire," a First Story by Cabell6 no leídos / 6dscottn, diciembre 2020
The Certain Hour29 no leídos / 29Crypto-Willobie, diciembre 2020
Favorite Cabell Illustrations8 no leídos / 8dscottn, diciembre 2020
My Fellow Cabellians15 no leídos / 15Crypto-Willobie, noviembre 2020
Cabell's Heirs?51 no leídos / 51elenchus, noviembre 2020
This just in ...8 no leídos / 8Crypto-Willobie, octubre 2020
Good Show BAF!4 no leídos / 4paradoxosalpha, octubre 2020
Use or abuse?3 no leídos / 3elenchus, septiembre 2020
VCU >> JBC3 no leídos / 3elenchus, Febrero 2020
The Economics of...4 no leídos / 4Crypto-Willobie, enero 2020
Ian Wallace9 no leídos / 9elenchus, enero 2020
How many?11 no leídos / 11elenchus, enero 2020
Storisende complete 18 volume set for sale1 no leído / 1rahkahuna, diciembre 2019
Happy 100th birthday Jurgen!2 no leídos / 2Crypto-Willobie, septiembre 2019
fix-ups7 no leídos / 7elenchus, julio 2019
Story of the Month5 no leídos / 5Crypto-Willobie, julio 2019
Order to read Cabell24 no leídos / 24wirkman, mayo 2019
A new work by Mr. Cabell? sneak preview...7 no leídos / 7Crypto-Willobie, mayo 2019
Harrowby’s occult cosmology7 no leídos / 7wirkman, mayo 2019
19th anniversary of this essay - Cabell, Heinlein esoteric tradition, etc4 no leídos / 4Crypto-Willobie, mayo 2019
Favorite Account of Cabell by Someone Not Cabell17 no leídos / 17Crypto-Willobie, mayo 2019
Happy Walpurgisnacht, April 30. Jurgen's journey begins...5 no leídos / 5Crypto-Willobie, abril 2019
Rogues’ Gallery9 no leídos / 9wirkman, Febrero 2019
Cabell Library13 no leídos / 13John_Thorne, Febrero 2019
Books Cabell has "blurbed" or introduced34 no leídos / 34Crypto-Willobie, Febrero 2019
Cabell and Religion8 no leídos / 8wirkman, Febrero 2019
Cabell quote - hivemind?8 no leídos / 8wirkman, Febrero 2019
Story of the Month for Jan 20193 no leídos / 3absurdeist, Febrero 2019
Beyond Life16 no leídos / 16Crypto-Willobie, enero 2019
Cabell t-shirt7 no leídos / 7Crypto-Willobie, enero 2019
Music Behind the Moon5 no leídos / 5elenchus, enero 2019
“Geas”11 no leídos / 11wirkman, enero 2019
Townsend of Lichfield9 no leídos / 9Crypto-Willobie, enero 2019
Collecting the Biography8 no leídos / 8Crypto-Willobie, enero 2019
Occultists adulate Cabell5 no leídos / 5paradoxosalpha, diciembre 2018
Zadig9 no leídos / 9wirkman, diciembre 2018
Story of the Month for May 2018 - The Image of Sesphra3 no leídos / 3Crypto-Willobie, septiembre 2018
Happy 100th Anniversary! / July Story of the Month5 no leídos / 5elenchus, julio 2018
The White Robe is being read over on LT group 'The Weird Tradition'4 no leídos / 4wirkman, mayo 2018
Story of the Month, April 2018 - The Head of Misery5 no leídos / 5elenchus, abril 2018
Story of the Month, March 2018. The Feathers of Olrun3 no leídos / 3elenchus, marzo 2018
New books by Cabell?3 no leídos / 3lansingsexton, marzo 2018
Cabell Story of the Month11 no leídos / 11elenchus, marzo 2018
Cabell overstock for sale4 no leídos / 4elenchus, enero 2018
Cabell @ 'A Shiver in the Archives' blog2 no leídos / 2elenchus, diciembre 2017
Characterizing Cabell4 no leídos / 4Crypto-Willobie, diciembre 2017
Changes and Additions to James Hall's Cabell Bibliography1 no leído / 1Crypto-Willobie, diciembre 2017
Special Delivery (screening the mail)8 no leídos / 8elenchus, noviembre 2017
Great grandfather's Cabell collection20 no leídos / 20elenchus, noviembre 2017
The Dream Women11 no leídos / 11wirkman, junio 2017
"What's New" at The Silver Stallion: The James Branch Cabell Website34 no leídos / 34rainlights, marzo 2017
Three fled before them, screaming15 no leídos / 15rainlights, marzo 2017
Sixteen Authors to One7 no leídos / 7elenchus, Febrero 2017
An Important Cabellian Centenary6 no leídos / 6elenchus, enero 2017
James Branch Cabell in Anthologies3 no leídos / 3Crypto-Willobie, diciembre 2016
Association copies16 no leídos / 16vaniamk13, septiembre 2016
high place8 no leídos / 8Crypto-Willobie, julio 2016
The Devil's Own Dear Son4 no leídos / 4elenchus, mayo 2016
Passel of Cabell12 no leídos / 12elenchus, mayo 2016
Happy Birthday, JBC3 no leídos / 3rainlights, abril 2016
Yet newer Cabell links at VCU's Cabell Library!2 no leídos / 2elenchus, marzo 2016
Distressing Damsels5 no leídos / 5rainlights, enero 2016
Opera or Movie?3 no leídos / 3Crypto-Willobie, enero 2016
Cabell's Three Modes of Romantic Life4 no leídos / 4elenchus, octubre 2015
The Few Who Love Cabell14 no leídos / 14rainlights, junio 2015
How to find Cabell?28 no leídos / 28lansingsexton, junio 2015
Passing of Kalki editor Paul Spencer4 no leídos / 4elenchus, abril 2015
Ideational gonfalon6 no leídos / 6Crypto-Willobie, diciembre 2014
Copyright status of Papé's plates13 no leídos / 13Crypto-Willobie, diciembre 2014
Recent JBC Reprints?8 no leídos / 8Crypto-Willobie, diciembre 2014
Some Cabell blogposts on the "SFF Chronicles: science fiction & fantasy community forums"2 no leídos / 2elenchus, diciembre 2014
Introducing James Branch Cabell16 no leídos / 16elenchus, noviembre 2014
Kalki: Studies in James Branch Cabell - tables of contents19 no leídos / 19Crypto-Willobie, noviembre 2014
Silver Stallion to the Rescue2 no leídos / 2Crypto-Willobie, octubre 2014
Cabell Bargains4 no leídos / 4Crypto-Willobie, julio 2014
Cabell reviews15 no leídos / 15Crypto-Willobie, julio 2014
New Cabell pages on the Virginia Commonwealth University website3 no leídos / 3DCBlack, mayo 2014
Facebook Cabell Group15 no leídos / 15rainlights, abril 2014
Cabell in Correspondence3 no leídos / 3absurdeist, marzo 2014
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