Wild Life of Sailor and Lula [Paperback]

Barry Gifford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 26, 2003

The Wild Life of Sailor and Lula presents Gifford's best prose work as he originally conceived it: six inter-locking novels which chart the riotous and stormy lives of Sailor Ripley and Lula Pace Fortune - the horribly likeable, sex-driven, star-crossed lovers immortalised in David Lynch's movie Wild at Heart. Masterful with dialogue, and always full of vitality and humour, these novels show a writer at the height of his - considerable - talent. As Elmore Leonard said of him, "Gifford cuts right through to the heart of what makes a good novel readable and entertaining ...the way Barry Gifford does it, it's high art."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

BARRY GIFFORD was born in Chicago in 1946. He is the author of over twenty five books - ranging over the genres of fiction, biography, poetry, plays and screenplays. Wild at Heart was the first in a succession of novels exploring the contemporary American landscape that have brought him increasing international acclaim.

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd (September 26, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841954349
• ISBN-13: 978-1841954349
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,937,354 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the romeo and juliet of the deep south, July 14, 2005

By 

H. D. Nichols (huntington, wv) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Wild Life of Sailor and Lula (Gifford, Barry) (Paperback)

a follow-up to "wild at heart," the book that inspired the movie by the same name, directed by david lynch. this book is written in mini-stories that follow lula, pace and sailor as they grow up, skipping great spans of time at the climax of each story to bring you to the next noteworthy event in their lives. intertwined themes and characters make for an adventure you'll not soon forget.

the first story is called "sailor's holiday" and was previously published as a stand-alone book. if you're navigating your way through the wild world of the former denizens of big tuna, you'll not need to duplicate your purchase. just read "the wild life of sailor and lula" and you'll have "sailor's holiday" as well.

anyway, with that little piece of advice out of the way, i have to say that i LOVE this book. "wild at heart" was a fun read, and normally i would recommend reading the book before you see the movie, but in this case, i have to say it was pretty fun imagining laura dern and nicholas cage growing old together.

some of the changes made in the movie version negate plot twists that we get in this book, but like i said, very fun to read. another interesting aspect: mr. gifford has a sparse writing style. the chapters tend to be no more than 2 or 3 pages, so where most writers would leave you feeling like you'd missed something by having so few words telling their story, he manages to capture only the most important details and let them do the talking.

another book that ties in is "perdita durango." it follows one of the minor characters from "wild at heart." it's also been made into a movie "dance with the devil." so there, i've spoiled your weekend. go check out these books and movies, lay off the booze, get some tasty snacks and frosty beverages and stay in the house for a change.

5.0 out of 5 stars The thrilling saga continues!, December 30, 2011

By 

Slamderella "PingPong Rules!" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Wild Life of Sailor and Lula (Gifford, Barry) (Paperback)

I should start off this review by saying that I saw the David Lynch-directed movie starring Nick Cage and Laura Dern long before I read these awesome books by Barry Gifford. If you've never experienced the vivacious style of Barry Gifford, you're in for a treat. His writing style is exceptionally unique, as another reviewed mentioned. His chapters are short and sweet, which makes for easy ready at a fast and rewarding pace. With characters like Beany Thorn and the rest of this gang, the Wild Life of Sailor and Lula is a wonderful continuation of their arduous love story. Whether you're a Sailor and Lula follower or someone who as never experienced Barry Gifford before, I'm confidant that you'll love these books for their honest sense of life and unadulterated American style.