Customer Reviews

Body

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A strange dark comedy, "Body" is the story of a small-town Southern hick transformed into a bodybuilding superstar. "Shereel Dupont" is everything Dorothy Turnipseed was not -- sophisticated, admired, perfect. But although she could mold her physique, unfortunately she could never change her pedigree. And when the Clampet-esque Turnipseeds show up at the Ms. Cosmos contest to root for their hometown gal, all hillbilly hell breaks loose. The bizarre characters in this novel are remniscent of the wacky creations of Carl Haaison, yet they bear a disturbingly creepy familiarity to real people. The narcissistic Shereel, the steroid-monstress Marvella, and the bullying trainers -- every gym rat has met these folks. The eccentric, socially-inept kinfolk, an embarrassing reminder of a former forgotten life... And the brooding redneck boyfriend whose violent Vietnam past is constantly on the verge of eruption... Thanks to Crews' absolutely brilliant writing, these characters are real and their antics believable. I couldn't put this book down. The fastpaced plot careens wildly and often uproariously toward an unexpected, twisted climax. "Body" is out of print, as are many of Harry Crews' works -- a shame really. He is a truly unique author.

I'm divided as to whether the characters, who feel caricatured, are overdone and outsized, or whether I just haven't spent enough time in the South to see the truth behind the types, something to which Crews certainly has more claim. Even giving him the benefit of the doubt however, this novel-whether because of the aura of caricature in whole or in part-just doesn't have the same believability as The Knockout Artist. Things just as dangerous and outrageous happen in both books, but The Knockout Artist plays it cool, almost underhanded, without scene after scene of someone impotently fuming or otherwise blowing his top. The style is still knocked-off, rough-hewn; in Knockout Artist it approached the genuinely terse. Whereas that book generated genuine fear and creepiness, this one merely seems grotesque and hysterical.

That said, I really warmed to the characters halfway through the book. I'm a sucker for moments of genuine tenderness in unexpected places, be it teacher-student, parent-child, or between rivals.

The ending, played almost entirely for shock value, manages to be surprising but unsatisfying, insufficiently supported either by tone or character development. Perhaps more time might have been spent on Nail and Shereel, and less on the burlesque between Billy Bat and Earline.

All in all, a breeze of a book when you're tired, and not up to more complex syntax. Good for late night, or recovery from a cold, even very early morning commute.

This is a really fun novel to read. It is a tragicomedy about a female bodybuilder who is competing in a major bodybuilding contest and has completely re-invented herself from a redneck to a hard as nails bodybuilder. Unfortunately her redneck family shows up and this threatens to destroy her image and her chances of winning the contest. And they are a bunch of nutcases indeed. Its a really great novel that is funny throughout yet does end tragically. It also touches on the issue of female bodybuilding direction and struggle of whether the women need to pump themselves full of steroids and get as big and muscular as possible or whether they should stay drug free and stay more feminine looking. It is a real struggle for female bodybuilders today and its great that the book does touch on that issue.

"Body" tells the story of the fiercely fought annual body building competition, that takes place at a Miami Hotel. The two main characters are Shereel Dupont (born as Dorothy Turnipseed), and her slave-driving, borderline sadistic manager/trainer Russell Morgan (a/k/a Russell Muscle). That Shereel will prevail in the middleweight division (114-124 lbs) is a foregone conclusion, but, to win the coveted title of "Ms. Cosmos," she must beat the 156 lbs. of pure muscle, steroid-enhanced, Marvella Washington, who she has faced a few times before. According to Russell, winning is everything, anything else -- whether it be second or last place -- is utter failure, and, unfortunately, Shereel buys into this.

What makes "Body" unique and hilarious, is the introduction of Shereel's eccentric southern family (parents, two brothers, and one sister) and psychopathic, Vietnam Vet, knife wielding boyfriend, known as "Nail Head." Their love and affection for Shereel is unwavering, even if they're uncertain as to exactly what she's doing. In a bizarre sub-plot, Shereel's portly sister Earline, and a male bodybuilder nicknamed "Billy Bat" (he has the best back in the world) fall in love, and have a sexual encounter that only Harry Crews can dream up. Russell is going out of his mind trying to prepare Shereel for the contest, while simultaneously containing the Turnipseeds and Nail.

In the meantime, Marvella's trainer, Wallace "The Wall" Wilson, has his own hands full with Marvella's four shucking and jiving sisters, all with names that rhyme, and all potential champions in their own right. Until the shocking ending, there are a number of passages involving the families of Shereel and Marvella which will have the reader laughing out loud.

What I especially like about "Body" is how Crews describes the best and worst sides of athletic competition. At best, this body-building competition bridges the gap between people of all different races, religions and cultures. The differences between the bodybuilders are irrelevant in the face of the universal desire to compete and win. The racist attitudes of some of the characters are shown to be utterly absurd. On the other hand, Crews depicts the dangers of a win-at-all-costs attitude, whether through chemical enhancement, or the belief that even coming in second place means complete failure.

Although I thought that "The Knockout Artist" and "A Feast of Snakes" were better Crews' novels, "Body" is his funniest work, and thoroughly enjoyable. Harry Crews writes in a completely unique voice, and I regret that he seems to have retired.

(Note: The character Russell Muscle appears in several of the author's other novels, as well).

An outstanding, fast-paced, laugh-out-loud dark comedy that you will find difficult to put down. Also provides fascinating and hilarious insights into the excessses of professional body building.

Whatever you look like, you're still you.... In a world which has less and less time for those of us who are not 'perfect', this book reminds us in trenchant and pared english that we are still what we are, however much we change ourselves...

It's also funny and informative about the world of the body builder and a really involving story. I wanted to know what was going to happen next and kept turning the pages.

_Body_ was my introduction to Harry Crews. Years ago I devoured Kurt Vonnegut, and recently wanted to renew my passion for off-the-wall characters in strange situations. This book certainly filled the bill. About half way through _Body_ I asked myself "Why am I reading this?"; but I couldn't put it down. Crew's characters are outlandish; yet believable. Those people really exhist out there somewhere, and I'm convinced that he knows them.

Since _Body_ I've read several other Crews novels. None of the others are put together quite as well as this one, and none of them ends in such a sledgehammer-to-the-gut way. Good job, Harry!

brilliant. fascinating. got me working out more often. intense balls-out nasty. the ending kept me awake for the rest of the night. read it in one sitting. viva crews. hallelujah.

A colleague who once studied with Harry Crews at the University of Florida in the 1070's recommended this book to me. I found the story of the Turnip family and the bizarre goings-on at a fictional body building competition to be strange, infuriatingly stereotypical, and sometimes just disturbing. But for some reason I couldn't put this book down. I really can't think of any other book like it, but I truly enjoyed it.

This is an interesting novel about bizarre people who are into body building. Ultimately, it is a novel of hope not yet realized, goals not yet achieved, cruelty and despair.

Many of the characters are caricatures which seemed racist to me. I wasn't sure if this was intentional for shock value or if their was an underlying racism inherent in the writing.