Customer Reviews

The Loop

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is an enjoyable and fast read, but you may find yourself thinking about larger issues as you read it and for a while after.

Coomer touches on some very big topics, but never addresses them directly:

* Man's search for meaning

* The comfort of religion

* The inevitability of death

* How relationships salve wounds

* The role of chance

All of these issues come up indirectly, and are dealt with by the characters in their lives. However the book manages to explore these issues without preaching, and in the end leaves it to the reader to decide what is important.

The book only rated four stars with me for a couple reasons: one, the characters are an odd mix of cluelessness and wisdom. At times I found glaringly out-of-character wisdom and philosophy coming out of their mouths. Two, the book reminded me of "The Shipping News" in that the main characters seem so lost, so unaware, so lacking in goals and direction that at times I wanted to slap them.

But it was an enjoyable ride with memorable characterizations, and I look forward to reading some of Coomer's other interesting-sounding titles.

This book was a joy to read. Lyman and Fiona are great characters. Searching for meaning in his life, while she searches for permanence, the two, along with their pets, make a remarkable and personal journey. What they find out about the bird, and themselves, may not be what they expected, but is always revealing. I couldn't put it down. Simply told, and fun to read.

Lyman is one of a kind, and you'll love him. This is one of my favorite novels: compassionate, beautifully written, and, yes, kind of loopy.

This book was among the list of many for an English assignment at school. I had no idea when I had chosen it that it would have such an impact on me. The everyday life of Lyman and the circling of the loop kept the book together, while a mystery and love story unfolded. The main character's everyday life was that of a lonely orphan. He really did not do much, but as soon as this cheerful and thoughtful parrot captured his thoughts, and the local librarian captured his heart, he was a changed man. From page to page, the plot continues to unravel in a way that makes it difficult to let go of. With no chapter separation, the story continues to flow from one page to another making it a true story. This has become on of my favorite books and I would recommend it to anyone and give it the highest praise if anyone asked for my opinion. As my mother said, "It makes you want to buy a parrot!" It captures one's mind on so many levels. Just read it, I know you will love it!!

This is one of my favorite books. A funny, deceptively easy read, but wise and profound on many levels. The whole thing is so well crafted you wonder how anyone can write so well. It may not seem like that could be true of a book which is basically about a guy and girl searching for the origins of a 60 year old parrot that flew into the guy's trailer, but it is so. It was out of print for awhile and I snatched every used copy I could get to give away. Coomer may finally be getting the recognition he deserves as one of the best stylists and storytellers now working.

A friend gave me this book and said she loved the ending...well, the entire book is superb...and she was right....the ending is fabulous! I guess when you get right down to the nitty gritty, we're all alone in this world, orphans of a sort....and we're all looking for life's meaning....just like Lyman as he sat on his front porch drinking coffee at the same time every day trying to capture the present as it turned into the past....or the future. It took an old weather-beaten parrot and an inquisitive librarian with sand in her boots to teach him the true meaning of life. I plan to get copies of this book for all of my friends. It's a keeper!!

Hilarious and profound. This is a fun, enjoyable read with comfortable, likeable characters. We are all a bit flawed and overwhelmed by life. Lyman needs to learn to let go just a little bit and I think Fiona is just the woman to help him cut loose. I found the ending quite fun and hopeful.

I am thrilled to find this book back in print. Haunting and sweet and lonely, like a Bruce Springsteen song. An exploration of orphans and animals and the open Texas road and the healing power of love. You'll never look at parrots the same way.

I loved the story in this book -- the loner with no attachments finds a place and companionship through a wacky assignment of meaning to a stray parrot that ends up at the narrator's trailor. I loved the metaphor of the endless loop around Ft. Worth. This character is a person that, in another poorer writer's hands, would have been a serial killer -- hopeless, disaffected. But here he is a good person, just looking for meaning. Even more excellent than the story, however, is the author's use of language. What beautiful writing. The only person I can compare him with is Portis at his best. At any rate, read this book if you want a wonderful, life affirming book that can be appreciated on so many levels!

Coomer manages to touch on a variety of deep themes - and does so in a natural way, taking us with a childs earnestness toward the difficult realization that meaning is likely not as available as we'd wish, not exactly as we'd wish, but that it's OK. Pretty decent for modern fiction