Customer Reviews

Train

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Pete Dexter's noir fiction brings California in the 1950s to dark and sinister life, as he presents two grim, but ironically humorous plots. Miller Packard, a police sergeant with an eye for easy cash, is a man who enjoys high stakes golf games and does not hesitate to associate with questionable playing partners and opponents when he's "on his game." Packard is called to investigate a brutal double murder and rape aboard a boat in Newport Beach, a crime which echoes throughout the novel when he becomes involved with the young widow of the murdered man. Alternating with the story of Packard, his investigations, and his love life is the story of Lionel Walk, known as Train, an 18-year-old black caddy at the exclusive Brookline Country Club. Conscientious and anxious to do a good job, Train is at the mercy of the world, a young man with a good heart who never seems to catch a break, and Dexter is particularly effective in bringing him to life.

Although Dexter remains faithful to the third person narrative, he tailors his language and points of view to the specific plots he is developing. The action at the golf courses involving Train's life is told from a caddy's-eye view and is described in a deceptively plain-spoken and ungrammatical style. The story line involving Packard is related in more grammatical terms, though Packard is earthy and often uncritical in his observations. The club members' rampant bigotry, casual cruelty, disrespect, and complete disregard for the feelings of the all-black caddy staff and grounds crew are reflected in scenes involving both Train and Packard, with vividly realized dialogue which stings and insults.

Golfers will enjoy the lively accounts of games in which money changes hands, along with colorful descriptions of dress, mannerisms, and players' temperaments. A very fat player in pastel golf pants is described as having thighs that look like "children hiding in the curtains" when he walks. Exaggeration, absurdity, irony, and black humor fill every page. At times exciting, suspenseful, and darkly humorous, this novel is also brutal, violent, and pessimistic. Though Train and Packard both profit when their lives come together, no reader will be surprised by the outcome. As the author has made abundantly clear, the world is a "hungry place...and whatever kind of thing you is, there's something out there that likes to eat it." Despite the fine writing, lively dialogue, unique descriptions, and oddball characters, some readers may be put off by this bleak view of life and human nature. Mary Whipple

In the grand tradition of Los Angeles noir, Pete Dexter's new novel Train, is framed in black and white by the minds eye. Yet Dexter has applied his considerable skill to softening the edges; it is delicately written noir.

Train is Lionel Walk, a black caddy at a posh Brentwood country club, whose world seems populated only by malevolent forces: the crass racism of the country club members, the criminal element among his fellow caddies, and the undisguised malice of his mother's lover. In the same city, and yet, of course, in another world entirely, a woman named Norah is brutally attacked and her husband is murdered while they are on their yacht, anchored off the coast. Norah manages to escape into the arms of a mysterious cop, Miller Packard, whom Train will later dub "Mile Away Man," which sets the book careening towards its inevitable conclusion. Packard is brilliantly written as both heroic rescuer and herald of malignant chaos.

The mystery inherent in this book is not of the whodunit variety - we know from the start who commits the murder on the yacht - rather it is to see which of the forces that seem to inhabit Packard will win out in the end. In fact, one of the strengths of the book is Dexter's ability to embody his characters with such ethereal qualities. Packard seems as though he has been touched by some unmentioned force that torments him. Train, meanwhile, has been similarly touched, and though this force is of pure benevolence, one cannot be sure if it will be strong enough to lift him from his circumstances. Train turns out to be, of all things, a golf prodigy, which would be a lucrative gift for almost anyone except someone in Train's circumstances. Instead, his unaccountable proficiency serves only to further enmesh his life with that of Packard and Norah and a blind former boxer named Plural.

Train is bleak but captivating. The book unfolds in front of you, and you find yourself not wanting to look away.

I bought 'Train' on a whim at Barnes and Noble, based in part on the moody black & white cover, the back-of-the-book description of 'high-stakes matches' in 1953 featuring a 'black caddy' who is also a 'golf prodigy.' I also fell for the cover note that 'Train' was the 'Winner of the National Book Award Winner.'

Oops. Cancel that. I was taken in by Vintage Contemporaries' little sleight of hand. It's *Mr. Dexter* (for a previous work), not 'Train,' that was bestowed that award. Looking at the cover now, I see it reads 'train | pete dexter' and that the 'Winner' blurb is lined up to the right of that divider line. Subtle, no? But disingenuous nevertheless (I see a couple of other reviewers on these pages were a bit perturbed by this technique as well).

Regardless, there's very good writing here. I was left with the distinct impression of the hardness of growing up African-American in Los Angeles in 1953. Dexter's subtle shift in the dialect of his telling as he shifts from one character to another is superbly done. And his pacing - shifting from 20+ page set-up chapters to punchy two- to three-page bursts by the book's mid-section - is exemplary.

What turned me off about 'Train' was Dexter's lack of any sort of denouement on all but one thread he had woven into the story. Melrose English, Mayflower, Train's mother, Mr. Cooper and susan (no caps), Sweet's motivation, the Darktown Standard...I sped towards the ending to find out how all these pieces were going to fit, and was left with quite an empty taste in my mouth.

I thought this was a very clever book in that, it's a story largely about racism in the 1950's yet, you never really get an overwhelming feeling that that is what the story is about. It's a subtle story made up of many unsubtle scenes and it's only when you get to the end that you realise that every major event was determined due to some racist discussion or action.

It's Los Angeles 1953 and we are focussed on two main protagonists. The first is Lionel Walk, or Train, as he is more commonly known. Train is a young black man who works at the exclusive Brookline Country Club. We follow his fortunes first as a caddy and then as a greenkeeper and later as his relationship and feelings of responsibility for a fellow caddy known as Plural. The other is Detective Sergeant Miller Packard, an incredibly enigmatic man who seems to exude authority and confidence. He always appears to be in total control of every situation right up to the moment he loses the handle with disastrous consequences.

Their paths cross a number of times and although these encounters proved mutually beneficial to both men, there always seemed to be an unsatisfactory ending whenever they parted. Scenes of quiet amusement are followed by scenes of extreme violence wrenching the emotions from empathy to sympathy in an instant.

I had a problem with the ending, feeling it was wrapped up incredibly quickly and leaving way too many questions unanswered for my liking. Apart from this quibble I found I was completely engrossed from the opening line.

This was my first encounter with Pete Dexter's writing, and it certainly makes me want to find his other works. This novel avoids the cliches and easy answers that many books dealing with race seem to embrace, and that makes it a welcome change from other works.

It is 1950's era Los Angeles, and the three main characters are headed for a kind of awkward collision through the course of its pages. There's a mysterious detective (who doesn't do much detecting, oddly), an heiress who is the victim of a horrific attack, and the title character who caddies and eventually golfs his way into a kind of respectability. Dexter's brilliance resides in his ability to describe concisely both the characters and the scene, building his plot through seemingly small events to a logical conclusion.

This book will appeal to people familiar with film noir and its trappings, but it will also resonate with anyone interested in the recent past and the plight of African-Americans and those who have exploited race issues for their own ends. Parts made me angry, and other parts gave me a real sense of how Train saw the world.

Any time a writer can open a world for me, I feel better when finishing his work. Although it's not a feel good kind of book, Train did give me a fresh perspective on the recent past.

"...this was not an ordinary citizen of Beverly Hills...He probably never threatened anyone in his life. He would skip that step."

That brief passage from TRAIN describes Miller Packard, a detective, who befriends a young black caddy named Lionel Walk, nicknamed "Train", and serves as an example of Pete Dexter's raw, spare writing.

Set in pre-integration California, TRAIN examines the societal relationship between the races that existed then, using a noir style as the vehicle. Given that background, TRAIN in particular is a love story and the story of a friendship between Train and Packard. Golf is also featured prominently in the novel and Mr. Dexter knows his golf, using terms and insights into the game that give this almost a sports novel feel.

At times violent and at times quirky, almost gothic, TRAIN also explores the human psyche with a sharp understanding of people and their motives, both base and higher.

If you enjoy excellent writing, a fast-paced story, penetrating character analysis, realistic action and high-stakes golf, be sure to catch this five-star train for a good read.

It's 1953 and Lionel Walk Jr., nicknamed "Train," is a seventeen-year-old black caddy at the exclusive Brookline Country Club, one of the better golf clubs in L.A. Though only a caddy who must cater to the white patrons, he has a gift for the game, but because of his color he doesn't get much chance to play it.

Train gets in trouble when two other caddies murder a Beverly Hills millionaire and rape the man's wife. The police bring him in for questioning and it looks like they want to implicate him in the crime, so when he sees a chance to slip out of the interrogation room, Train choo choos on out of there.

Sgt. Miller Packard is an emotionally burnt out loner with no scruples, who survived five days in the sea when the Indianapolis went down, watching fellow sailors being killed by sharks, wondering if his number was going to come up. He is the first officer to arrive on the scene of the rape and murder, and he calmly executes the bad guys to avoid the complications of a rape trial. Then he falls for the dead man's wife, Norah, she falls for him and they move in together.

Packard recognizes Train's golfing prowess and becomes his manager and together they make a lot of money on the underground gambling circuit, but Train is easily taken advantage of and his share of the loot is soon lost or stolen. Then after Train beats his abusive stepfather almost to death, Packard lets him and a friend, who is an elderly, punch-drunk ex-prizefighter, move into the guest cottage behind the house where he and Norah are living, much to the chagrin of Miller's all white neighbors.

Despite the occasional detour, we know that the lives of these bloodied and wounded people are racing down the tracks to a catastrophic climax, but even as I knew it, I couldn't put the book down. Mr. Dexter had me hooked from page one and kept me on the line long after I'd finished with his excellent novel.

Peter Dexter's Train is being marketed as a suspense thriller, and that might explain some of the reviews that are appearing here. Although the book is centered around a premise that would only appear in that genre, Train is a mystery thriller without any mystery. Instead, it is about the way characters are affected by situations that are way beyond their means and understanding.

Train is a seventeen year old black boy who knows nothing but hardship. Growing up in a time of racial inequity, Train faces the very same prejudice every day. He works as a caddy at a golf course, getting nothing but a few bucks a week. When two of the caddies working at the same golf course brutally attack a woman, killing her husband in the process, Train is fired from his job and left on the street.

As the story progresses, the novel follows Train as he finds a new job on another golf course. The novel also follows the woman who was brutally attacked and who falls in love with the cop who saved her, and the cop who only lives one way: on the edge.

Great characters entertwine in this complex narrative that never ceases to impress. Dexter's writing is often funny (some of his every-day observations made me laugh out loud quite a few times, especially one concerning eggs and chicken), and often dark. Dexter uses elegant prose while telling the story of the rich woman, and slang and bad grammar when telling Train's story, which only adds to the characters's complexity.

Dexter uses characters that are broken beyond repair to tell an otherwise simple story. Train is the kind of innocent, naive character who is just awaiting his awakening. He goes through life accepting what he sees without really questioning anything. He encounters these various characters (also including a blind man and slew of rich golf players) with indifference. When he finally finds a way to escape the life he leads - golf - Train realizes that there is much more for him out in the world. Only, he can't reach the greatness awaiting him because of racial issues.

Train is the kind of novel Elmore Leonard would have written in the early part of his career, only with better characters and better writing. I enjoyed reading every single word printed in this novel, and can't wait to give it another shot.

Pete Dexter paints a vivid picture of life for Afro-Americans in 1950s L.A., but he doesn't have the plot to go with it. The story of Train, an Afro-American golf caddie, is excellently told. The other two characters are less well-rounded. Is Packard really a police sergeant? He seems to work only part-time, if that. I couldn't get a real reading on him. And Norah. The description of what happens to her is almost too awful to read. I feel that Dexter invented her as a pivot to connect Packard and Train.

I think the plot lost steam as Packard began taking Train to play golf for money. Dexter tried to tie it all up in the end, but the novel lost its focus in my opinion. Who is the lead character afterall? I finished the book feeling up in the air about what I am supposed to think.

As for Train, why is he so tied to Plural? I guess he'll just go on as best he can. The descriptions of him and his dog tugged at my heart. Being inside Train's head is a wonderful experience. But readers who want a more well rounded Dexter book should go for his novel "Paris Trout." That is a real winner.

You can read the synopsis of this novel in any of the above reviews. The bottom line is, this book isn't up to Dexter's talent. I think the people who gave this book 4 and 5 stars are big Dexter fans (as am I), however, they're being way too generous on this bomb. Read The Paperboy, then read Paris Trout. After that, you'll know how great Dexter is when he's on his game.