Customer Reviews

Spanking Watson (Kinky Friedman Novels)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I think some of the other reviewers here were right on target when they suggested that Kinky missed a beat here, and that this book was strangely unsatisfying. I know these novels are formulaic and not really plot-driven, but here the plot is virtually non-existent! The action, aside from some trips to eat with the Village Irregulars, takes place almost entirely in Friedman's building on VanDam Street in NYC. There are hardly any outside characters, aside from the espresso-swilling, mob-connected plasterers working on Kinky's ceiling after Winnie's lesbian dance class causes his ceiling to crumble. Even the "mystery" of the plot is a sham, as Kinky invents an imaginary stalker of Winnie to aggravate his neighbor and sets the Irregulars in motion to help solve the identity of the stalker.

I have read a couple of other Friedman books, and maybe the repetition here is just starting to wear on me. How many times do we readers need to be reminded about how the author lights his cigars, "keeping the match just under the tip..." How many times can he make a witty observation to the cat and then claim tongue in cheek : "The cat, of course, said nothing"? That line is present at least 25 times in this book, mostly cause Kinky never leaves the apartment. Also, as a little nugget for his high-brow fans, Friedman throws in references to some of his famous readers, like Don Imus, Bill Clinton and Joseph Heller, in gratitude for their kind words I suppose.

Perhaps the most baffling part of the book, for me, was an incomprehensible aside for about 3 pages where the author describes Jesus as being the original hip Texas Jewboy, and then traces the lineage to modern hip "Jewboys" like Joseph Heller and Abbie Hoffman. I think the author had drank a little too much of his beloved Jameson's when he wrote that chapter, which could have used an editor's red pen. Plus, every Italian character in the novel had ridiculous names like Tortellini, Linguine, etc.

Anyway, for all of you devoted fans of the Kinksta, you will delight in reading about the author constantly puffing cigars, guzzling espresso and tossing down shots of Irish whiskey in his bull's horn to break the monotony. For the rest of us, there is little here to set this novel apart. I wouldn't start with this as an introduction to Friedman, The Love Song of J. Edgar Hoover was far superior in this reviewer's humble opinion.

Kinky fans will not be disappointed by this latest outbreak. Spanking Watson has more excitement then previous books, and Kinky's colorful and blunt vernacular is a treat to this unique mystery. It is a must read for seasoned fans, who will have no trouble figuring out the mystery, and will draw newcommers in with great enthusiasm. It is a novel to be loved by fans and in turn hated by those idiots who have trouble comprehending the word fun.

"Spanking Watson" is Kinky's eleventh book, and was first published in 1999. As with his other books, Kinky has cast himself as the amateur-PI hero, while some of the other characters have been based on actual friends. As with real-life, the book's Kinky is a cigar-smoking, cat-loving, espresso-guzzling, whiskey-drinking, ex-country and western performer. He shares his loft on Vandam Street with his cat - who he occasionally leaves in charge. Conversations between Kinky and the cat tend to be somewhat one-sided, while the cat consistently refuses to answer the telephone.

Winnie Katz still lives upstairs, and continues to run her lesbian dance classes. While this has never caused Kinky any serious problem before, it's been the cause of a slight inconvenience now : the constant pounding on Winnie's floor has left a rather large hole in the Kinkster's roof. Rambam, a genuine PI and Village Irregular, has arranged for two repairmen to help out - Vinnie and Gepetto, known "associates" of Joe the Hyena. Kinky had received his espresso machine several years earlier from Joe, a token of thanks for rescuing his daughter from a mugger. Vinnie and Gepetto, admiring the machine, tell Kinky there's only one problem : Joe doesn't have a daughter. Obviously, Kinky's curious - but Joe is, of course, the sort of Italian "businessman" you don't get curious about.

On a lonely Friday night, in an anger encouraged by several generous helpings of Jameson's Whiskey, Kinky writes a series of threatening letters to Winnie - never, of course,with any intention of delivering them, never mind acting on them. When Ratso catches sight of them the next day, Kinky decides to put them to good use. He would provide each of the Village Irregulars with a copy of a note, and ask for their help - while asking them to keep their investigations secret from the other members of the gang. The Irregular who successfully solved the "case" would officially become "Watson" to Kinky's "Sherlock". Of course, this plan would have the added bonus of disrupting not only Winnie's life but also her dance classes.

"Spanking Watson" has much in common with the other books by Kinky I've read. Not an entirely serious 'whodunit', it is a fast moving and easily read book. The story, I felt, is much better than his earlier books, and he still delivers his one-liners. While his quips won't be to everyone's tastes, it was a book I thoroughly enjoyed.

I approach anything written by Kinky Friedman with some caution. His prose, while addictive, may also be mind-altering. After all, anyone who goes to the bathroom after a big meal and takes a Nixon can't be all bad.

The problem with this novel, however, is that the Kinkstah was repeating himself. Yeah, we know he has a good looking neighbor for whom he lusts. Yeah, we know he has a lesbian dance class in the apartment above his. Yeah, we know that a cigar half-smoked and then placed in his vest to age gets gamier, and we even know how he went about lighting it, because every time he lights up, he tells us exactly how it's done.

Which doesn't take anything away from him. Kinky's novels are always entertaining and readable, often ribald, and rarely dull. Except for 'Spanking Watson'. I had to push myself to finish it. I didn't care about Kinky's ceiling, or the fact that his ethnic handymen talked him into a fireplace. I didn't really care that his upstairs neighbor was in jeopardy, which she really wasn't--at least, not at first--because Kinky had written the threatening note after downing too many Jameson's.

Would I recommend the novel to a friend? Sure, providing he or she was a committed Kinky fan. For a new reader, however, this novel would not be a good place to start. There are lots of places in 'Spanking Watson' where it's too easy to put the book down and not pick it up again. Would I buy the next Kinky novel? Of course I would because I'm a committed fan. I just hope that our amateur sleuth gets back to the kind of amusing capers we've seen in his earlier works.

.....That reflects both the dramatic letdown I felt reading this after hearing so much praise for this series, as well as the general blandness of this novel. (The weakest of the three I have read)

"Zany for people who don't like things too zany" would be my description of this series. I've read review after review about how offbeat and wacky this stuff is, but truly I don't know what they see. Though the characters and style are of a much more colorful effort than most mainstream books, it is FAR from being truly twisted or "out there". It's pretty tame really. To put it to an easy example, it's like expecting "Seinfeld" and getting the bubblegum "Friends". (No, this series is no where as bad as that show, but you get my point) Check out Joe R. Lansdales mystery stories (Mucho Mojo, Two Bear Mambo, etc.) to get real offbeat style.

Honestly, not a bad series overall if you don't expect to much from the hype. Read the earlier stuff though, as even Kinky die-hards will tell you "Spanking Watson" isn't up to par.

Again Friedman writes in a strange and unique voice. Again, as with Parker's Spenser, the plot is subordinate to the characters' interactions and, more importantly here, the voice of the narrator. The plot is slight: Kinky decides to harass the lesbian dance instructor upstairs and, simultaneously, tries to find out about a woman whose life he once saved ~ and wouldn't you know it, she's right upstairs. Curiously, i found this less satisfying than the previous Friedman i've read. I began to find the characters blurring before mine eyes until, at one point, i couldn't tell McGovern from Brennan ~ and discovered i didn't really care. Not a disaster; not even a waste of time; but i no longer have that wonderful feeling that i *will* read the next Friedman i come across.

i laughed, i hooted, i drank some brandy, and i smoked cigars. kinkstah is back and damn!, is this book great. i liked so much more than BLAST FROM THE PAST this has soul to it, and its a hell of a good read! so kinkstah if yer out there, keep em comin, i'll keep reading them, and maybe someday we can smoke a ceegar, you, me, the cat, and the negro puppet head.

in case your wondering, yeah i dug the book!

This is my first Kinky Friedman book. I know that there are a lot of people out there who really enjoy his book series, so I have to assume that he was just off when he wrote this one. Friedman tries way too hard to be witty and cleaver, the main story is slow and unsuspenseful, and the many characters who flit in and out of the story are poorly described. My guess is that they are recurring characters already known to Friedman fans and that the author didn't feel the necessity of fleshing them out for this particular book. Maybe it isn't necessary for the fans. For the uninitiated, however, it is. Some day I might try another, earlier one of his books.

Wanna bust a gut? Kinky is a master comic, and this stuff is FUNNY! Spanking Watson is an improbable tale of a bunch of misfit buddies put into perpetual shenanigans by a master practical joker. It's a quick, hilarious read.

This is the kind of book for people who dig the kind of jokes you imagine Tommy Lee Jones would like. And if this ever gets made into a movie, TLJ is just the guy for Kinky's part.

The uniquely offensive and offensively unique Kinky Friedman strikes again in another weird tale of himself as a lazy private eye. Well he's not actually offensive if you have a sense of humor, so let's just say he's politically incorrect in a jovial, purposeful way. In this tale, Kinky the underachieving gumshoe plans to get revenge on his noisy neighbor, and thus creates a fake mystery in which he can con his cronies and hangers-on into doing all the legwork, and so he can choose who is the best Watson to his Sherlock. But the hijinks go topsy-turvy when a real criminal steals Kinky's thunder and makes him do some work for a change. Other than that, there's not a helluva lot of plot in this story, as Friedman would rather write about eccentric characters making wisecracks at each other. This still leads to a laugh-out-loud funny read, with a few sly, subversive social statements poking their heads above everyone's goofball antics. Though Friedman's writing style does depend a little too much on forced similes, like "about as bright and cheery as a coalmine in South Africa," the wisecracks are so cheesy that you'll wish you thought of them yourself. Overall this is a knee-slapping winner in Friedman's serious cornball eccentric sweepstakes. Kinky for Governor!!! [~doomsdayer520~]