Customer Reviews

Thinks . . .

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

David Lodge by his own admission has been writing novels since he was 17. He's in his sixties, now, and is a master of the craft. He has produced coming-of-age novels, comic romps, academic novels, comical and bittersweet stories of yearning and loss - along with a variety of other conventional and experimental works. He has a big heart. In addition he is a prolific critic and essayist. He is great at parody, and has firm and interesting opinions regarding Catholicism, academia, modernity, the writing life, sex, death, relationships between friends, spouses, and lovers - among many other things.

"Thinks" is both an academic novel and a comedy of manners - containing elements of all of the above. Within a plot both complicated and much too simple the fictitious University of Gloucester provides the setting for the events. A bright, sexually and intellectually restless - and highly verbal - married but chronically adulterous scientist, Ralph Messenger (a dead ringer for Lodge himself, down to each facial feature) meets a younger female writer-in-residence at the school. She is a grieving widow, feeling out of place, away from her home in London, and out of sorts. They close in on one another and pull away - throughout the novel. It's a troubling (and troubled) dance.

The story unfolds by means of the transcripts of Messenger's stream-of-consciousness on-the- fly musings into a tape recorder. (In perfect Lodgeian fashion, Messenger self-consciously edits the transcripts.) Messenger fancies himself a modern, but is confounded by some of modernity's trappings. In alternate chapters, the diary entries of Helen Reed, a novelist of some acclaim and considerable self-awareness, are used to let us in on her thoughts and feelings.

So what's the problem? Messenger is a familiar man: we've watched him in action in other novels of Lodge's. Unfortunately in this one he possesses much less of the the tenderness, the heartrending confusion, and (sometimes comical) sexual frustration and/or energy - and vulnerability - that made so many of Lodge's previous protagonists so irresistibly appealing. In addition, Messenger/Lodge's self-referencing begins to seem precious. Characters from past novels (including Robyn Penrose from "Nice Work") make cameo appearances that seem almost token.

Helen Reed's diary entries are not sufficiently believable- for they are often wooden, much too full of tedious description of the obvious - and usually lacking in any trace of the register of a diary. She doesn't seem to be writing for herself, but for Lodge's presumed audience. This is a real problem in this novel.

The story entertains by means of plotting and timing. As usual from David Lodge there is wit and parody, self-consciousness without narcissism, humor and foolishness, desire and the reasonable wish to connect - occasionally running amok. In addition there is Lodge's basic decency toward all. I had hoped for more, though, from such a capable mind - and wonderful writer.

The characters were flat, had nothing interesting to say, and even pretty reprehensible in my opinion. Ralph (50-yr old uni professor) came across as pre-pubescent in his ridiculous oversexed drooling idiocy. I can appreciate a story about a randy uni professor, as I have appreciated Lodge's past books in that vein. But Ralph's motivations were so cliche...how he talked about the experience, including the adolescent terminology, resulted in a bunch of out-loud groans and eyeball-rolling from me.

And Helen. Useless. One-dimensional. I think her character would have made more sense if some of the things that happened to her had happened in a different order. But as it was, she only rarely made any sense.

All of the blah-blah-blah about consciousness theory and AI was utterly boring and even Lodge didn't seem interested in it.

This isn't my most thorough review but I'm pretty disgusted.

This book showed such a lack of polish and finesse, that I even mentioned to my husband at one point that I wondered if it would turn out to be some kind of exercise, like the exercises Helen made her grad students do. Any thoughts on this, other dislikers of this book? Anyone think it's possible Lodge was writing in the style of someone not himself, as Helen asked her students to write in the style of Rushdie or Irvine et al? It seems ludicrous, but at the same time, this book is so much less than one expects of Lodge. It seems like Lodge imitating Jackie Collins or something.

This captivating comedy of academic manners has a satisfying weightiness lacking in most other books of its genre because it is also intellectually challenging. Here Lodge indulges his interest in the esoteric subject of cognitive science--the study of consciousness and the processes of thought--by giving us two intriguing characters at opposite extremes of the cognitive spectrum and then letting the sparks fly, at first intellectually, then "socially."

Ralph Messenger is the clever and manipulative Director of the Holt Belling Center for Cognitive Science at the imaginary University of Gloucester, a nuts-and-bolts scientist investigating the physical, quantifiable aspects of thought and consciousness. Helen Reed, a visiting lecturer and grieving widow, on the other hand, is an artist, a novelist who celebrates feeling, imagination, and creation. When Ralph, an unapologetic woman-chaser, finds Helen irresistibly attractive, their totally different worlds collide, exposing the reader to various theories of cognitive science but also illuminating the limitations in explaining the soul, love, relationships, imagination, and the creative life.

Clandestine rendezvous, academic gamesmanship, office politics, secret lives kept hidden from spouses, and even involvement in pornography all contribute to the ensuing complications and suspense. The sometimes farce-like action is kept in check, however, by the very real presence of death, which hovers over the action and grounds the comedy, adding to the realism and providing a setting for arguments about whether the soul and Heaven can exist in a strictly scientific world.

The many delights of this novel are highlighted by Lodge's choice of appropriate points of view for his characters. Ralph's self-involved maunderings are in stream of consciousness, constantly flitting from his serious research to daydreams about sex. Helen's reminiscences appear in introspective journal entries. Third person narratives, which advance the story line, are interspersed with a variety of clever diversions-including parodies of Martin Amis, Irvine Welsh, Samuel Beckett, Fay Weldon, Henry James, and Gertrude Stein by Helen's students. Thinks is a literary treasure trove which will keep you fascinated and involved, even if you, like me, have no huge interest in cognitive studies. Mary Whipple

Here Lodge uses so many standard tricks that you could almost say he was parodying himself: university setting (Small World, Nice Work, Changing Places); a writer as persona (Therapy); parodying other writers (The British Museum Is Falling Down); an incorporated lecture (everything) - this time on consciousness, particularly as it relates to cognitive science and AI; altering perspectives (Therapy); altering styles (Changing Places, How Far Can You Go), particularly diarising (Paradise News, Therapy), lapsed Catholics (several), explaining/defending his writing technique to the reader as part of the text (most overtly in How Far Can You Go), oh, and, of course, fornication and/or adultery (everything). Maybe it's a conscious thing and trainspotters like myself are supposed to pick the deliberate references to all his other novels along the way: Robyn Penrose drops in; Keirkegaard is mentioned; Catholic birth control gets a cameo (although that's pretty endemic) etc.
 
As ever he's researched his topic thoroughly and made it palatable. There are passages of his bravely incisive honesty - as when he really gets down to the bones of what Helen (his lapsed catholic novelist/academic lead character) wanted out of her children's catholic education: a mild and conveniently temporary faith, and enough bible knowledge to appreciate such a rich store of literary allusion - something she probably couldn't admit to herself at the time. His settings generally feel authentic - he has the sense to depict the sort of places he's actually been, or to get good advice. Moreover his novels are tailor made to be discussed: glancing at the opening paragraph in this review, give me 2500 words on similarities and differences in this and any other of his books; here he gives Helen some perfect lines to lift to explain why a novelist (himself) would construct a book in a certain way. There are many pleasures in reading him.
 
That being said, however, the novel as a whole felt a bit hollow. I suspect its greatest weakness is the great morass of sex and talk about sex that you have to trawl through along the way. Extra-marital sex isn't quite the utter redemption/salvation it is of Out of the Shelter, Therapy and Paradise News - for a change bonking is not the climax and unequivocally happy resolution - and while Helen's affair does initially appear to do her a power of good, there's no future in it, and she actually begins to look quite foolish. However there are just too many pages devoted to the bedroom for Lodge to be merely offering mature analysis of an interesting topic without being overly coy. At some point it becomes gratuitous, just as Tom Clancy will gratuitously throw in car chases and flying bullets to distract us from his lack of insight. It's not quite erotic literature, but it's definitely voyeuristic - sort of a gossip novel, not getting carried away with detailing pulsating members and the like, but relishing just who's doing what to whom for just a bit too long and a bit too frequently.
 
And I really thought Lodge would be over this by now - I'm reminded of the fool chiding King Lear, something about how he couldn't be old because he's clearly not yet wise. When is he going to get this sex thing into perspective? It's not nothing, but it's not everything either. A while ago Lodge did pick that his local bishop may not have had all the answers, but doesn't appear to have lost faith in the philosophy of something as juvenile (and stupid) as Pretty Woman. The writer of Ecclesiastes gave it a fair burl, but did eventually work out that among other things sex wasn't the ultimate place to find meaning.

Lodge does at least seem to be self-aware enough to realise that sex does seem to dominate the book to an obsessive degree so, through mouthpiece Helen, he offers a defence. When she is questioned about the sex in *her* novels she explains that of course the frequency and deviancy is exaggerated, but more standard monogamous relationships just aren't interesting enough for the reader. This lame defence really isn't worthy of a writer who:
a)       has the skills to write about a range of issues, characters and experience without needing to fall back on titillation - as if it's the only possible subject that can sustain interest (he might as well endorse Clancy as writing the only readable fiction - readers can't cope unless there's a bomb about to go off somewhere and some macho posturing and biffo every few pages);
b)       has literally read thousands of good novels where titillation isn't used at all;
c)       has read myriad others that don't shy away for a moment from dealing powerfully with issues of fidelity and sexuality, without crossing the line into prurience (Lodge, in contrast, rushes over the line and can only manage to drift back again now and then). 
 
The irony for me (and I suspect many others) is that what is inadequately explained as a concession to entertain readers actually makes the novel more tedious. I don't read Lodge for seedy revelations, and I suppose if that was what I was after I could find better elsewhere anyway. He can write with passion, humour, insight and wit - but you have to endure a lot of other stuff to get there in this book.
 
So, a bit of a blast for one of my favourite writers - I'm more aggrieved I suppose because I hope for more - definitely more than just playing with styles almost as a student exercise and thinking lashings of sex can cover paucity of substance.

Yet another of David Lodge's satirical yet affectionate looks at university life. If you like David Lodge, you'll really like this one. If you're new, you'll find this an enjoyable introduction.

Lodge uses many of his usual plot devices and writing techniques to good effect. The powerful professor, the midlife crisis, the extra-marital affair, the introspective affair-ee, the cross-currents with the students, the unexpected plot twist, and a couple of subplots.

And, as Lodge fans know, no Lodge novel would be complete without an intellectual or literary construct (or two) to be worked out along with the plot.

Here it all comes together with the two central characters, a professor who runs a center for research on artificial intelligence and a recently widowed visiting writer-in-residence teaching a creative writing seminar. They spar over his work, and she explores its implications in the exercises she gives her students, all reproduced in the book. (An exploration of what it would be like to be raised in a colourless world and then suddenly exposed to colour, written in the style of the author of your choice, for example.)

Lodge maintains the balance between the constructs and the plot better than in some of his recent novels, and the overall plot and tone is wry and a bit mellow. Lodge has backed off the sharp, angry edge that characterizes some of this later work, making this a very pleasurable read.

All in all I recommend this book without reservation.

Granted, I'm a fan of David Lodge, but after finding his last novel, Therapy, disappointing I approached Thinks... hesitantly. I didn't need to. His work has become less spectacular since Small World but more subtle, and Thinks... delivered all that Therapy withheld. Part of its brilliance is how the characters' belief in computers or literature interplays with science or the humanities' own power in the story. His middle-aged characters are properly weathered versions of the 20-somethings he wrote about in his earlier books. Part of the pleasure is in seeing how his concept of characters has aged. Another is the sheer joy of reading an author who can turn a phrase so well, so competently, wring so much out of an economically described scene, person, situation. And just for fun, the sample student essays written in the style of other authors are terribly clever. A Martin Amis version of life as a bat had tears streaming from my eyes. A good book to bring lapsed Lodge fans back to the fold; a subtle, seasoned novel to make converts of new readers.

David Lodge goes back to the familiar turf of the newer (fictional of course) universities in England, and similarly to what he did in Nice Work, he juxtapposes two characters from different disciplines: Ralph Messenger, a smart, egocentric and charming cognitive sciences professor and Helen Reed - a recently widowed novelist, more "old school" and with an excellent literary sense. The background theme of the book is consciousness, as it is perceived by the more scientific Ralph on the one hand, and by Helen, whose views are rooted in the literary, humanistic world. The plot thickens when mutual attraction is introduced and takes some unexpected turns.
One of the beautiful aspects of Lodge's writing is the ability to create this layered construct of the personal and the philosophical, as he has marvelously done in "Paradies News", where certain philosophical/theological questions beautifully mix with the personal story of Bernard and his father. In "Thinks..." this construct is more artificial and less convincing. The book starts with a bang, and one expects that the build up of the characters, as well as the exploration of the ever-intriguing question of consciousness will escalate from there. Instead, the book soon reaches a plateau: the dealing with consciousness becomes mostly tired and repetitive, and the reader becomes less involved with the main characters. And because of this, although things do happen, but they seem like artificial tricks to keep the plot going rather than organic events that bind everything together. Lodge is a masterful writer, and thus it's an easy book to read through, but it does not leave the same feeling of lingering satisfaction that his better books provide.

The story is simple, Ralph is a rock-star style cognitive scientist, who is married. Helen is a widow novelist who comes to the university Ralph works in to teach a creative writing course. Attraction follows, as well as a clash of worldviews.

"Thinks..." contains a number of interesting and enjoyable aspects. There is the satire of academia, the gap between arts/sciences and the alleged lifestyle of the educated English. It also contains a number of lay-level expositions of consciousness, from a cognitive science/artificial intelligence perspective. Finally, it does a good job of showing an example of the tangled nature of actions and thoughts in a world of dynamic sexual relationships. These three things I think are the strongest aspects of the book and they make it worthwhile enough to read but they certainly don't make it lifechanging.

For starters, the varying text types, including recordings, emails, journals, present-tense narrative etc, from more than one point of view gave me the air of novelty for the sake of novelty. It felt like one of those things that might be fun, but way over too the top to be much more than that. The actual musings about consciousness didn't tie into the actual characters and their behaviour that much. Perhaps Lodge was doing a subtle manifestation of mind/body dualism, but the novel about the academic cavortings and the one about a clash of contemporary worldviews didn't blend enough in this book for me to like it more. FInally the cognitive science stuff was quite superficial. Again, Lodge may be mocking Ralph's "scientific soundbyte" style but the book reminded me of Sophie's World in that it looked like it attempted to present some "theoretical" things amidst a more popular tale, and the layering was just too forced.

So it's still interesting and Lodge writes well (although I haven't read any other works of his so can't compare) and it is often funny but it's not fabulous.

I used to be in this field, or near it, and I was prepared to be
amused if nothing else. I was, a bit: I know some people like Ralph
Messenger and certainly his style of thinking and argumentation is
familiar, although his real-world counterparts probably spend more
time worrying about funding than sex. However, I didn't care for the
novel very much. The philosphical ideas are old hat, and the rest of
the novel is just boring: there's nothing significant at stake for any
of the characters, and not much really happens except for the
protracted preliminaries to an affair. The subtext of the novel would
seem to be Lodge's own seduction by the new (to him) ideas of
cognitive science, and his bemused reactions from the perspective of
the humanities. There's been much better novelistic depictions of
interaction between the two cultures (ie, in the work of Richard
Powers).

"Thinks" continues Lodge's winning streak of intelligent, amusing and thought-provoking novels set in academia. The characters are new although there is at least one cameo appearance from "Nice Work".

"Thinks" has more intellectual content than his prior novels. Lodge seems keen to challenge his readers and a review of contemporary philosophical thought on the topic of consciousness achieves that objective.

Any fan of Lodge will enjoy this latest addition. Newcomers to Lodge may find "Nice Work" or "Small World" more approachable and wish to return to "Thinks" later when they have a taste for Lodge's writing.