DeLillo's project looks much like Lauren's own, as he strips his novel of excess and frivolous language, just as she rids herself of the excesses and impurities of her own body. His language is more attuned to a philosophical exploration than his usual work; his bare, haunting prose reflects his shift from a cultural and historical query to a metaphysical one. His earlier novels use humor and wit and irony in their examination of American culture, and their scope of inquiry is much different. In The Body Artist, the humor and irony are gone, and we are left with thoughts and feelings alone. In what seems like an attempt to slow down time, or at least view isolated moments of it, DeLillo pulls together images and thoughts, often from Lauren's point of view, or something close to it. The narration is in third person, but the information and...