Customer Reviews

University of Strangers

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's hard to believe that Bob Pfeifer could take a headline news story and turn it into a GREAT novel. He has proven once again that he is a true artist.

After reading the book for the fist time it was a difficult decision to pause for a moment, collect my thoughts and prepare a review as opposed to going right back to the beginning and tearing through the book again. Mr. Pfeifer's work is an intellectual masterwork given his ability to take a "torn from the headline" topic such as the Amanda Knox Murder trial in Italy creating a prism like parallel universe in which the characters call "home". His needle sharp wit combined with his seemingly innate ability to utilize current figureheads plucked from a myriad of industries to tell his story is indeed something very exciting and new. I am convinced Mr. Pfeifer must know many of the characters in the book first hand since the dialogue and phrasing seems far too familiar to be coincidence. It is this familiarity with the cast that pulled me in and kept things interesting. It also lends to an air of authenticity to his group of characters. We Believe them, and we (I) shared in their successes and was saddened in their failures or setbacks. This tapestry of events and characters has been woven together with such a creative voice, I wondered in what universe the author wanted me to be in at any given time. His spot-on understanding of each of the characters, whether it be from research or meeting them fist hand made "University of Strangers" one of the most unvarnished, intelligent, and exciting uses the written word in a long time. I would look forward to anything the author presents us in the future.

"University of Strangers" is, quite clearly, the greatest American novel of the 21st Century. It's all here -- the dehumanization, secret societies, Cheetah Chrome and Bill Holdship... The kind of thing that makes one's blood roil!!! I can hardly even believe a human being wrote this, as it reads more like something dictated by God. This Pfeifer fellow, whoever he is, has his finger on the pulse of society like no other writer working today. Four thumbs up!!!!

A story about what's real and what is not, not only between the characters, but also between the story and reality. This book does a great job of pulling you into the story and feeding you information from a variety of perspectives. This is a genuinely funny book (may not want to read it on a plane like I did), that will also get you thinking about what you know vs. what you think you know. The writing style is perfect for revealing pieces of information that bring us closer but also add new layers to our understanding. Secret societies, current events and mis-perception lead to a enormously enjoyable story. I'm ready for more.

University of Strangers is a complex and original approach to poking a stick in the eye of the passe world of celebrity cool where we've been looking for truth and soul survival in all the wrong places for decades. Face it, it was a really smarmy place, Bohemia was always where it was at. Let's thank Bob for saying it and go back to our country -Lisa Lowell,

University of Strangers is a swift-moving, fascinating mystery novel about the search for truth in the funhouse of contemporary society and celebrity culture. The story, a mix of fiction, metaphor, and true crime, centers on the Meredith Kercher/Amanda Knox murder case and is told by multiple narrators, each of whom offer very different perspectives on the events as they unfold. Pfeifer is particularly successful in giving unique, convincing voices to his various characters - who range from famous artists and writers to unknown laborers and prostitutes - and blends their narratives successfully to tell a consistently compelling, and at times harrowing, tale. Well worth picking up - I hope to see more from Mr. Pfeifer.

This turned out to be one of my favorite stories so far this year and combines mystery with conspiracy theories about Amanda Knox and a secret society. I don't reread many books, but I had to go back and go through this one again once I figured out that the majority of people exist and and are newsworthy. I ended up spending some time googling some of the story points about Amanda Knox and some other characters. I had never heard of the author, Robert Bolano before and he plays a central part in the story.

This mystery written through journal entries, interviews and some narrative is the most unique thing I have read in awhile. It reminded me a bit of Hunter S. Thompson. I loved how each word counts and there aren't a lot of unnecessary descriptive elements. If you are looking for a quick, thoughtful mystery with a great punky soundtrack (you get a download card!), this is a great pick! I received this book from the author at no cost in exchange for my honest review.

The last book I read was Patti Smith's "Just Kids". Bob Pfeifer is from the same artistic mind-set - he was involved in the New York punk scene at that time. He is a fascinating person if you know anything about his life though it isn't an autobiography. I originally bought this book because a friend told me about the love scene, which was good - interesting when a man can write well about sex/love, but I ended up really liking the book because it took me on a journey through pop culture and Pfeifer's twisty and turning mind. An unexpected, great read!

This book is pretty out there, unlike any crime fiction/non-fiction I've ever read. If you've been following the Amanda Knox case to any degree, this book is a must read as it intertwines the actual facts of the case with a bizarre narrative of rock stars and celebrities looking to seemingly solve the case. And you almost feel like you're there trying to get to the bottom of this case with them. I'd love to see what someone would do with a movie version of this.

You can't say Mr. Pfeifer doesn't give clear warning of the literary wasteland he is about to inflict on the reader. "The truth, after all, is often difficult to determine...You need to investigate this plot, this story, to detect the BS." This turns out to be excellent advice, as will be discussed. Clearly, this extremely brief book (more like a pamphlet, if anything), is nearly identical in structure and method to Roberto Bolano's The Savage Detectives. with the substitution of an incident that has become very well known in the press, the Amanda Knox trial. Stir in a generous helping of sex, drugs, and rock and roll (guaranteed to give mass market appeal), and you are left with the unpleasant pastiche that is University of Strangers. Pfeifer goes with what he knows, liberally sprinkling in flotsam and jetsam from the drug-fueled wreck of his record industry career. If you take the author's advice to "investigate this plot, this story, to detect the BS", and look to what sort of background and influences were the inspiration for this literary junk food, it can be seen that Pfeifer avoids telling the much more interesting story of his felony conviction and jail time for his participation in events central to the Anthony Pellicano scandal/trial. After losing his plum record industry position due to drug abuse and harassment, the vindictive Mr. Pfeifer sought revenge on his ex-girlfriend by hiring Pellicano to eavesdrop and terrorize her. No doubt Mr. Pfeifer would rather indulge in an attempt for credibility with this color-by-number attempt at a bestseller than to face the music emanating from his sordid past.