(urth) Blood Meridian - still utterly and completely off topic

[Transentient]

I also read this last month because it was mentioned on this list. I  
really thought it was excellent.

What I don't understand, though, is why this book is considered part  
of the "litchrature" genre and not "gorefest cowboy horror" genre. My  
copy of the book had a tagline or quote on the front cover that was  
like, "A classic American novel of regeneration through violence,"  
and my response to that is: wtf does that even mean?

It is interesting how, if a writer can get some "official literature"  
status early in their careers, whenever they choose to write  
something that is fantasy, horror, mystery, or even blatant sf (and  
sorry I can't think of any examples) the literary press will make  
excuses and struggle to point out that it isn't really genre, because  
it is written by a "serious" writer and not a "genre" writer.

But I haven't seen much crossover the other direction.