Customer Reviews

Lenny Bruce Is Dead: A Novel

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Interesting, experimental novel by one of my favorite "This American Life" essayists. Folks familiar with that show will recognize the storytelling style: three- or four-sentence paragraph/chapters, each presenting a new idea, are bounced off each other in very rapid succession. The effect is sometimes ironic, sometimes not. Unfortunately, this device may be better suited to radio than it is to the page, and while there are some powerful moments the book comes off as more of a gimmicky exercise than anything else. The relentless cleverness (although the writing isn't terribly funny) make the book seem pretty far removed from actual human experience. It's also bogged down by an undergraduate sensibility about sex, and by a lot of odd metaphors that don't go anywhere. I can imagine this style being successfully applied to the novel form, but I don't think Goldstein's done it here.

Anybody who's ever heard this author on This American Life would have high hopes for any novel he writes, but unfortunately Lenny Bruce is Dead just doesn't live up to his potential.

However, I recently read his second book, "Schmelvis", and it's extraordinary. It's not a novel but rather a sort of road trip memoir. It's about a documentary Goldstein worked on about Elvis Presley's Jewish roots (yes, believe it or not, the King was a Hebe) and it is brilliant. He and a film crew, a chassidic jewish Elvis impersonator named Schmelvis and a wacky Rabbi went to Memphis and Israel looking for evidence. Hilarious, touching, fascinating, all at the same time. I'd recommend that Jonathan's fans run, don't walk, and pick up "Schmelvis". Much more in the spirit of This American life than Lenny Bruce is dead, although his novel does have its moments so you might want to read that as well.

If I could give it fewer stars I would. Masturbatory, adolescent stream of consciousness, with absolutely nothing to say. Its only redeeming feature is that it is short.

This novel was sent across the continent to me by my best friend, and it's a perfect example of why we get along so well.

Like Denis Johnson's Jesus' Son, Barry Hannah's Geronimo Rex and very few others, the protagonist here is a solitary, emotional boy who can't express his emotions outwardly.

His voice is one that moves from narrative to something like poetry without interrupting the feel and flow of the story. Every girl he falls for is guaranteed to be a disaster, but he let's it happen anyway, and you'll fall for them too.

I'm not jewish and not from the north, but i felt every word of his mangled thoughts like they were my very own.

A STUNNING first novel for Goldstein. I can't WAIT for another!!

I'm a huge fan of everything I've heard of Goldstein's on This American Life and WireTap and the concepts of his other books, which I have not yet read, and had high hopes for LBID. However, I simply didn't get it.

I didn't laugh once and I didn't really enjoy reading this book. I feel like I'm missing some piece of context that a lot of people have; maybe it just isn't for me.

I am getting ready to read his other books, which I still expect to love.

This book was not funny or interesting. It is sort of like those columns Larry King used to write..... I want a pastrami sandwich,.....isn't the Godfather a great movie,..........I remember when the Yankees won all the time.... This author must have a lot of friends in the writing business, because this waste of time shouldn't get good reviews. Thank you very very mush.

I picked it up this book because my friends were raving about it and I had heard Goldstein's hilarious radio pieces on This American Life. The narrative voice makes this novel so original and distinct. Goldstein's imagery made me stop reading at times and just think about the power of language. He is a very talented man. He notices everything so tenderly, from a dirty napkin on a table to a girl's funny face. This is an introspective novel about the reflections a man has when his mother dies. It is fragmented, but it almost has to be. It's so beautiful, I could only take it one paragraph at a time. For those who love literature only!

This was my first foray into the mind of Jonathan Goldstein. The book had its moments. In fact, I they were hilarious moments. I was lmao on the subway, but at other times it was frustrating. I would recommend, but know that this may not be your cup of tea. There are some really slow sections of the book. Also, the book has nothing to do with Lenny Bruce.

Poignant, hilarious, and original. Jonathan Goldstein, where have you been all my life! Not only did I find myself laughing my head off over the sexual antics of the main character, Josh, but his touching interactions with his widowed father brought a few tears to my eyes as well. Truly unlike anything I've ever read.

I thought this was an absolutely fantastic book. The way Goldstein creates a full characters out of paragraph-length scenes is visionary, and his subject matter is funny, sad, and truthful, without ever giving a damn about a proper plot.