I am so glad to go back and read Markson's four novels in sequence. They each stand alone, readily read by themselves. Readily Read? My analysis has softened. I've stopped taking notes, making lists, even writing down anecdotes in my notebooks. The classical allusions catch my interest, but more than anything the book is absorbing. The pace and voice are set by The Last Novel and it has become a page turner. There is more humor than any of the previous volumes. I am anxious to read this again.