Appendix C is a is a list of 21 equivocal either/or statements, beginning with the premise, “Either Stesichoros was a blind man or he was not.” Each successive statement leads to further specificity of irresolvable possibilities, eventually returning to the starting point of considering whether or not Stesichoros was a blind man, and introducing the possibility that even if he was a blind man, “we will lie or if not not.” Appendix B is a three-sentence renunciation of Stesichoros’ blasphemy of Helen in which he admits that it wasn’t a true story. The first Appendix contains three entries from different ancient texts, each of which address the question of Stesichoros’ blinding by Helen for blaspheming her. The next three sections are Appendixes A-C. This section, like much of the novel, intermixes contemporary and classical references, juxtaposing the gods Zeus and Athena with modern technology like the “coil of the hot plate.” The fragments offer a collection of scattered moments in chronological order of Geryon’s brief life, from Geryon’s early memories to his first day at school to his premature death at Herakles’s hands. Carson describes Geryon as “a monster” “everything about him was red,” including his red wings, red cattle, and red dog. The next section, “Red Meat: Fragments of Stesichoros,” is written in verse and is ostensibly Carson’s translations of fragments of Stesichoros’ Geryoneis. She invites readers to consider the question: “What difference did Stesichoros make?” She hones in on Stesichoros’ Geryoneis, which tells the story of Herakles and Geryon from Geryon’s point of view, upon which Autobiography of Red is loosely based. Weaving in quotes by 20th century Modernist writer Gertrude Stein, Carson sketches a brief biography of Stesichoros and his influence on contemporary lyric poetry. It begins with a section titled “What Difference Did Stesichoros Make?” in which Carson discusses the influence of ancient Greek lyric poet Stesichoros.

Anne Carson’s Autobiography of Red overleaps generic boundaries, interweaving academic criticism, excerpts of primary sources, translation, interviews, poetry and prose.

The autobiography of red