Some Thoughts

The Vollamnn is winding down, the narrative (supplanted by lengthy citations from the Sagas) punctuated by travel descriptions from Vollmann's late 80s time in Iceland and Greenland have evolved into mythography of the origins of North America.

An interesting parallel was the exploration of the Inuit's origins through the parable of a pair of brothers (named Elder and Younger) they believe they were created through a seal hole in the ice until the White Goddess affords them an island and to establish procreation makes the younger brother female. Vollmann follows this parable with an anecdote about transvestites in San Francisco.