Customer Reviews

Joe Jones: A Novel

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Anne Lamott captures imperfect people in our imperfect world beautifully in this novel. Readers who think Lamott has left them bereft of plot aren't paying attention. The title character's imperfections construct the plot for us. This books is about loving someone despite it all.
Joe Jones is flawed, and does not realize his shortcomings, making those that genuinely care about him the central characters. I found great strength and hope in Louise - she was more physically and spiritually beautiful by the end of this novel than I ever expected. Louise also teaches us by example. Faith and inner strength are not attributes bestowed one time that last forever. They falter, need to be replenished, and are questioned daily, hourly for each of us. I think we forget that sometimes.
I always find guidance in Lamott's writings - snippets and phrases that bolster me and comfort me. "Joe Jones" is no different - the memorable phrase from this being "It's just so time-consuming being me."

In the introduction, Lamott thanks Jane Vanderburgh(sp?) for lending an editing hand to Joe Jones, published a long time ago. Having read the original and liked its quirky, flawed movements, I am now absolutely savoring this rewrite. It is a full novel, rounded and studded with unforgettable characters like the elderly Jessie (the car driving scene - the long one - isi sidesplittingly funny), the romantic but wise Lou, and of course the charming and lovely young Willie, whom we all know out there somewhere, the eternal boy-man. Oh it's all pure delight. Fey to the naysayers! A perfect read for the intelligent reader who doesnt need a Hollywood plot or a pat ending. I will not,howvever, be satisfied until Anne writes a sequel to Rae's character in Rosie. We need the Rae book, Annie! We honestly do. All hail Lamott, writer for women (and men) who think.

Even the author acknowledges this as her sloppiest published work. The characters themselves are the sort of lovable, messy types Anne often writes about. The problem is the lack of structure in this wildly uneven work. It has a plot, sort of, but even after you get to know the characters, and watch them do their thing, you have little insight into why. If you're a fan, find it in a library and read it for completeness, but don't bother buying it.

I am an avid Anne LaMott reader. The commentator who said they were off to read ROSIE will NOT be disappointed. That is an extraordinary book. Although I enjoyed these characters they didn't have the usual depth of LaMott's characters. They were all full of flaws, yes, but I didn't actually believe how they felt about each other. And I could find little in me that even liked Joe Jones. I would've rather seen Louise in a book all by herself. Anyway - I am not swayed from my love of LaMott and her work but this wasn't my fave and I certainly don't reccommend it to forst time readers of her work. Do not stop go - go directly to ROSIE.

I disagree with the reviewer who suggested reading this by way of the library, just to complete your Anne collection. This is a wonderful piece of work. It is driven by imperfection, which is a language we understand. I adore this story and the characters in it

I loved this book. The charecters seemed so real and vivid, they were caught up in struggles that wrenched my heart out, and really made me think. I throughly enjoyed this book and encourage everyone to read it.

Anne Lamott writes from a need to create a safe space, and her characters give the reader that haven. By turns gentle and hilarious, Joe Jones is a true portrait of a community of friends and a meditation on what friends can do out of love. This book shines and begs to be in print again. Read it!

I get the mixed reviews, honestly, but it's the imperfections that make this book grab hold of me and not let go.

I named my pet duckling JoeJones.

I love her turn of phrase, nicknames and messiness. I LOVE Jessie and Willie and Lou and Joe. Georgia!!! I ADORE Georgia!!

No joke I searched for this book for over 10 years only to find a signed copy in a teeny bookstore in Marin. Then it got put back into print, I now have 4 copies.


Buy it Imeejamow!

After reading Bird by Bird and Operating Instructions, I was thrilled to start on Joe Jones.
I've been terribly dissapointed by a flimsy beginning, void of storyline. I've labored through the belly of the book and now find myself wondering whether I'll ever finish it. (doubtful)
I still have faith in Anne Lammott so I'll be trying out "Rosie"... it's hard to imagine that the writer who put out Bird by Bird and made me think and wonder and laugh out loud could have written this boring story where none of the characters mean a thing to me.
oh well I guess we're all entitled to bad moments. My advice? don't read this one if you appreciate her work, it might put you off her completely.

I had just read my first book from this author entitled "All new people" and had loved it when I picked this book up. I hated it. I didn't even finish it. I kept waiting for something to happen and nothing much ever did. I kept reading it thinking that even if nothing happened I would get involved with the characters and cherish the description of their everyday lives but that didn't happen. The writing was just too abstract and.... weird. The characters had some off-kilter characteristics about them that should have been lovable but I just didn't find endearing. Things weren't explained that should have been explained and things that I didn't care about were expanded upon. I was very disappointed since I loved the first book of hers that I had read but I will read others from this author to see if this is the exception or the rule. Overall, an extremely tough book to even start, much less finish.