Customer Reviews

The Woody

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

 

 

If only they allowed us a larger number of stars! "The Woody" is, hands down, one of the finest works of political satire ever published. The book is simply brilliant, both in style and content. It is well-written, with crisp, believable dialogue, well-paced action and a heaping dose of wry humor. More importantly, the book is as funny a send-up of modern politics as you'll ever read.

The protagonist, Senator Woody White fends off a blackmailing spouse, a litigous ex-wife, a scary housekeeper, a politically connected Vermont maple syrup kingpin and a very angry Trent Lott, whose car Woody dented in the Senate parking garage. But he really begins to panic when he comes down with a unfortunate case of Erectile Dysfunction.

You'll be laughing out loud as you read this book and you won't be able to put it down until you've reached the surprising, hillarious, witty end. The political novel has been re-defined. Peter Lefcourt opens a new chapter in the genre with "The Woddy." Don't miss out...read it today!

I loved this. Stayed up later than I should have while reading it. Found the plot impressively complex and clever. It's very true to life in Washington, I know from my own experience. And it's just so damn funny.

If you are looking for a fun (and more appropriately "funny") read, Peter Lefcourt's "The Woody" might just be the right novel for you. The novel follows Woodrow "Woody" White's hilariously troubled trek to be re-elected as a Vermont Senator. Not unlike real politics, Woody has a well-document "zipper" problem. His troubles begin on page one with a "performance problem" in the sheets during an extramarital fling with a lobbyist from the condom industry. The wild road that follows is both unpredictable and unrelenting. Just when you think things could not possibly get worse, they inevitably do. Lefcourt, a screen and television writer, certainly knows how to keep the plot interesting and moving. Each chapter has enough material to generously fill a half-hour sitcom.

While this is a political novel, it is also politically incorrect one. Dachshunds, Tourette's Syndrome, and stutterers are among the many things satirically skewered by Lefcourt. The author also uses real-life political figures to further blur the line between fact and fiction (Trent Lott is involved in a key storyline and even Bill Clinton and Al and Tipper Gore make an appearance). Lefcourt is even so bold as to "borrow" a Herman Melville opening line -- "Call me, Ishmael." But unlike "Moby Dick" (wink, wink), the protagonist of this novel is talking into a cell phone to his chief of staff. "The Woody" will leave you asking "Can truth really be stranger than fiction?" But given what we DO know goes on in Washington DC -- cynically the answer is probably "yes." Overall, a very quick and enjoyable read.

I had never been much of a novel reader-- few of them have impressed me much and I felt I didn't have the time or patience for fiction. I read mostly humor and reference books or "classic" literature. I received "The Woody" as a gift and read it about six months later. I enjoyed the book so much, I found two other Lefcourt novels, "The Deal" and "The Dreyfus Affair." I loved them both, but "The Woody" still remains my favorite. I laughed out loud and never wanted it to end. It's smart, hilarious political satire with interesting and surprisingly likeable characters. All who know me can hardly believe it-- I'm a novel reader at last. I've gone through several other novels this summer, but none have been quite as entertaining as Lefcourt's work. I recommend his books to most everyone I know and look forward to his future novels. Hurry up, already.

This book is the funniest story I have read...I couldn't put it down. Talk about trying to dig your way out of a hole....this story just gets better and better the more the plots are compounded

Lord knows most of them are cartoon characters to begin with. Yet Peter Lefcourt, a talented author of four previous, delightful novels, submits this tale of a contemporary senator who is no stranger to sexual antics, influence peddling, and problems on the campaign trail. Lefcourt as a writer is a tasty blend of Carl Hiaasen mixed with a few dollops of Elmore Leonard.

Ever wonder what a gangster from Vermont would act and sound like? There are a few of those rare creatures prominently placed in the book, their leader being a character named John Quincy Adams. A kidnapped dachshund, the senator's lesbian wife, and a congressional bill for Tourette's Syndrome also form important chunks of the lighthearted plot.

Considering the current crop of fools in congress, Woodrow Wilson White would seem to fit right in. The strange thing is that unlike our real lawmakers, you actually come to like old Woody. Go figure. Also go read this book for some good laughs.

The back of the book will tell you everything you need to know about the story inside but what might shock you as you're reading is that The Woody is more true-to-life than you'd ever imagine. For anyone who has worked on Capitol Hill, which I did for 5 years, you'll find dozens of parallels and laugh out loud. Even for those who have never been anywhere near politics you'll instantly laugh at Senator White and might even feel a bit of sympathy for him as his problems mount. What's best is the writing by Lefcourt, taking a piece here, a piece there, and slowly entertaining them as the story grows and grows.

If you are a political junkie, you will like this novel a lot. Woody White-- he may or may not be aptly named, depending on whether his hormones are challenged or not-- is a senator from Vermont who has major obstacles to overcome if he is to be re-elected. He goes from one scandal-caused crisis to another as his feisty female opponent attempts to upseat him. He suffers from the "zipper" problem, accepting bribes, family problems, an extramarital affair and what is the politial kiss of death if discovered, intermittent impotence. Added to his mounting list of problems, a Democrat, he has hit Trent Lott's car in the Senate parking garage.

There is never a dull page in this delicious romp. If many of the problems faced by Senator Woody sound familiar, of course are are supposed to.

The artwork on the hardback edition of the book is a clever introduction of what lies ahead for the reader.

I had never read any of Leftcourt's works prior to The Woody and I am ashamed I hadn't. This book had me rolling from the get-go. You literally will be crying Senator Woody White's antics are so funny particularly in the beginning. As the story develops the outrageous humor slows down but the story picks up magically. It makes you wonder how much trouble could a public figure get himself into especially that close to an election. The incorporation of real life public figures really adds something to this story especially during these times of governament corruption and the publics craving for tabloid press. The characters Leftcourt does make up are all richly detailed and breath almost as well as their real life counterparts. The names he assigns to these characters are also quite intriguing. For instance Woody White's Chief of Staff's name is Ishmail. Perhaps a relation to Melvill's famous Ishmail in Moby Dick and fits the same description as Ishmail is constantly hunting his senator down and trying to tame him. This is just one of the numerous instances. I really enjoyed this book and could not put it down. Leftcourt also ties in story lines from some of his other novels which I have promptly ordered. This story is just too entertaining to miss!

i went to the book store and found The Woody while cruising the shelf. i've never been known to read political books, and was surprised when i started reading it and liked it, but then i realized that though it was based on a political character, the book was still more about his social issues and it was funny. basically, it was an entertaining read...not deep by any means, but i wasn't looking for some book that had a deep meaning, i just wanted a good read, and The Woody was exactly that. i would recommend it if you want to be entertained, no matter what genre you are in to.