Customer Reviews

Fat on the Vine

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Not for the literary faint of heart. And maybe not for the literary. And maybe not for the politically correct, snobbish, intellectuals, or the "happy ending"-cravers. Maybe not for the "ending"-cravers, either. This book is different from any book I've ever read--it is brutally honest/confessional nonfiction (or is it fiction?), breaks all the rules then breaks them again, and is unapologetic about it all. There are hilarious moments and terrifyingly sad moments. It is not a book someone can "skim" through--emotionally, or in time itself.

I bet you've never read a novel like this one. I know I haven't. I first read this in manuscript form a few years back and found it amazing. I'm very happy that it's out in book form finally. I'm rereading it currently, and it holds up very well, so well I may like it even better this time around. There are many places that this novel makes me laugh out loud, and there are many places where this novel makes me shake my head in disgust, and sometimes those are the very same scenes! If you like Henry Miller, Charles Bukowski, or Kathy Acker, then you'll probably enjoy this novel. It's not for the faint-hearted. I suppose transgressive would be the word, except the narrator for all his criminal activities, lustful ambitions, and subversive thoughts, maintains a virginal core of innocence and sweetness that makes him charming. The plot is basically that the love of the narrator's life has left him and he's trying to win her back by writing the book. Mostly though it's a stream of consciousness account of the narrator's life somewhat akin to a Proust book if he was from Dixie and took too much LSD. The individualistic punctuation and deliberate misspellings might turn some readers off but anyone who sticks with it will be on one of the literary adventures of a lifetime. This is an underground classic. It's bound to be controversial as it attracts more attention, but anyone who finishes it will find it oddly heart-warming. I'm friends with the author so I probably can't be completely objective, but I think anyone who likes what Crazy Carl would call "party stories" or likes to root for the underdog will dig this book a lot.