Customer Reviews

My Favorite War: A Novel

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

 

 

Even though Thurgood (Farley's main character) can come off as slightly arrogant at bitter at times, the book is an incredible one - very easy to read, and very thought-provoking. It doesn't really get too deeply into the Gulf War (as I expected it would), but it opens a lot of other issues: racism, American press, government oppression, etc. While perhaps Thurgood's "solutions" or answers to these problems are faulty or misguided, he really adequately raises the issues - and these are issues that need to be raised. More importantly, he voices his opinion on many aspects of American life that are commonly ignored or stifled away.

Some of Thurgood's actions (sleeping with the 18 year old girl, leaving when he found out she was pregnant, etc) are not really impressive - but I think it brings out the point of the book even more - Farley is criticizing an imperfect world, but not claiming to be a perfect man himself.

Also, underpinning these issues and challenges is a nice little story on Thurgood's life as a 20-something year old, and is pleasant to read. If this isn't enough - it must also be noted that Farley has a remarkable sense of humor.. Some of his quotes are hilariously funny, so they make the book even more interesting to read.

So overall, he manages to raise some very important issues and concerns, while still narrating an interesting story of his life, and adding a bit of humor to it all. Maybe not a book to read over and over again, but definitely worth reading once!!!

An easy read backed by serious issues (racism, sexism, homophobia, teen pregnancy and abuse by the government). Farley has given us a novel that has been overlooked. He's telling it like it is; he's says what alot of has thought, and/or think about these same situations presently. Writers as such need to be sought out and supported.

I read "My Favourite War" in one day and the book is superb. Christopher Farley's references to serious issues (e.g. racism, teen pregnancy) were spot on, as were his references to pop culture (I laughed out loud re: his references to Arnie's catchphrases!).

Pretty funny, sometimes angry, book from the perspective of a well-educated young black man working in northern Virginia at a thinly veiled USA Today. Lotsa riffing on the various issues facing such a person, both socially and professional. About halfway through, the Gulf War starts, allowing for a further variety of targets to be riffed on. There are some romantic complications and far too many coincidences to serve the plot, but it's pretty enjoyable, if rather lightweight stuff.

This book was a humorous view of a young black journalist and renaissance man. I loved it. Yes, the incident with the teen-age girl through me for a loop but it definitely was not far-fetched or unrealistic in today's society. The lead character was somewhat naive so I see how he got pulled in. I enjoy reading works by brothers who can laugh at themselves such as Mr. Farley and the author of "Beeperless Remote", Van Whitfield. I am looking forward to his next book.

Honestly, I bought the book based on the quotes by authors I was familiar with. I understood where Brinkman was coming from in relating to his "job", but the whole thing with the teenage girl was a bit of a stretch. Yes, it can be a small world but for the two women of his life to meet the way they did was highly unlikely and unreal. I did enjoy his views on politics and the STZ commentaries. The cable movie interpretation should be interesting.

i expect satires to be funny...although i found the book readable, i was just hoping, praying to come across a passage that would make me laugh out loud...i like farley's observations on american society and people , but his vitriol is extremely hard to take at times...i'm a minority, but i refuse to call myself a vicitim! the narrator blows off a woman because she has alot of kids, and he has sex with a woman who's barely legal and then runs away when he doesn't want to deal with responsibility; really mature, chris ! ...i guess this is a mixed review..farley has potential as a writer, but certain things about the book left a bad taste in my mouth... maybe blacks and whites want black books like this..

I appreciated the wit of the narrator and could relate to the somewhat dark humor and outlook from the frustration with having to make it the world while maintaining personal ideals. Also, the timeliness of the book now (2006) made it an interesting read as it deals with some important issues relating to media and power structures in America and how they relate to race and class interest as well as the current situation in Iraq. It also had a good story line that kept moving forward with a fair amount of tangential humor and commentary along the way. I read the book almost straight through. My objections are primarily ideological rather than literary.

I was a bit confused by what I felt to be an oversimplification of some complicated issues by the narrator. I had the impression that the story was probably fairly autobiographical or at least the main character reflected many of the author's view's about race and politics. Despite that I began to suspect an unreliable narrator when some of his border-line racist views became apparent. The narrator repeatedly makes his opposition to mixed race relationships clear. Stating explicitly that blacks and whites can't have relationships because there is too much history dividing them and rejecting and criticizing people who take part in such relationships. Also, the depiction of the characters in the book seemed to me to be following a similarly racist logic. The white characters were consistently evil, overweight, racist, oppressive, simple minded, etc. While the black characters were consistently heroic.

I appreciate the analysis of race and recognize it's historical and contemporary significance but felt the main character was extremely myopic seeing only or at least primarily race in sometimes inappropriate contexts and ignoring many of the other complicated factors affecting power relations while perpetuating a falsely dualistic (white versus black instead of oppressor versus oppressed) mentality.

i think farley has talent, and some scenes in the book are humorous, but i was looking and praying for a scene to come up that was fall-out funny...i just couldn't deal with with the vitriol at times...and thurgood messing around with a young girl totally turned me off...

Although there were some good points, it's obvious Farley is so angry at the world that I had a hard time getting through it. The only reason I didn't close the book was because I figured he made his main character so strong because he would undergo a transformation when he covered the war. He didn't even go to the war til the end of the book and then the whole schtick about the two women meeting up...puh-lease. What a shame to waste a funny personality with bigotry.