Customer Reviews

Swimming in the Volcano

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

 

 

Bob Shaccochis writes s a great tale of a young american working for a government ministry on a small caribbean island. The book is clearly autobiographical and deals not only with the americans slow but steady understanding of his complete outsider status but also other aspects of his personal life. This is one of the best books I have read. Anyone who has visited the Caribbean and realizes that the islands are not just "Club Med" will read this cover-to-cover in one seating. You will also find yourself reading everything else from this author

This book caused me to add Bob Shacochis' name to the list of authors whose prose is absolutely brilliant--sometimes even a bit blinding, as some other reviewers have suggested, but it is superb writing nonetheless. Shacochis joins Reynolds Price, V.S. Naipaul, Annie Proulx and Don DeLillo in my pantheon of modern literary geniuses. Maybe "economy" was not one of the author's strong suits when he wrote "Swimming in the Volcano," but to me this is an absolutely trivial objection when weighed against the power of his language and the unflinching accuracy of his observations.

Unnecessary verbosity and flashy writing are literary sins, to be sure, but Shacochis doesn't commit them here. If "Swimming in the Volcano" is overwhelming at times, it's because the author is sounding depths of the human experience other writers don't dare to plumb. He is not indulging himself or merely playing with words. He gets into the minds of his subjects, Caribbean and American; and their voices, whether in Caribbean or American dialects, ring jarringly true.

I would rank this novel with Don DeLillo's "Underworld" for its rare synthesis of power and substance. Like DeLillo's masterpiece, "Swimming in the Volcano" has plenty of sound and fury, but signifies something profound about men and women and the lives they create.

The obvious comparison is to Robert Stone and Graham Greene. Alright, no problem. If you're going to "borrow," might as well borrow from the best. But the author expends too much energy on trying to impress the reader with the quality of his prose and not enough on characterization. I'm impressed, however, with the scope of his knowledge oncultural matters relating to the Carribbean -- he obviously knows his subject. A good book, but next time, Bob, lighten up on the literary pyrotechnics. Go back and read G. Greene and you'll be reminded how simply and eloquently he states his case.

It's too bad more people havn't read this..it's funny, accessible, and a joy to read while at the same time being intelligent. Saccochis has a great sense of humor...I think he's one of the best writers around.

This is a book to be savored rather than gulped. It is like sipping cognac. The prose is lush and sensuous. As the various scenes unfolded I could feel myself inside them. Shacochis takes us into the complexities and uncertainties experienced by well intentioned, idealistic and naive people as they get caught up in forces that ultimately consume and, in some cases, destroy them. You have to concentrate and contemplate. And you are left hanging till the last page. And even then the story stays with you. A thoughtful tour of the dark side of life, culture and politics in the Carribean.

its amazing when a very good novel sells for a dollar! story is about young people caught in the crossfire of black power and revolution on a small island. Proves there is more than sunshine and beer in the tropics.

After a hilarious opening chapter its all downhill. A long long road with not much to see along the way. I reread the first chapter often and have had many others do the same

Great book about politics in the Caribbean and relationships with 'voluptuaries" in sun ripen "decrepitude"

I'm a big Shacochis fan. I've devoured all of his work,and have had the good fortune to see him do a reading of 'Squirrelly's Grouper' down in Key West, several years ago. I loved this book, but, was told, at one point by the author himself,that it was the 1st installment in a trilogy. In fact, I was told the second book's working title was 'The Magnificence of All that Burns". As good as "Swimming in the Volcano' is,it begs for a follow up. What happens to Mitch? What happens to Issacs? What happens to Cassius Collymore? Perspiring minds want to know!

"Swimming in the Volcano" follows in the brilliant footsteps of Graham Greene's library. This book is full of lush prose and novel metaphors, on top of a thought-provoking and involving story. By the way, you may want to have a dictionary nearby.