by Steve Barthelme ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 20, 1987
It should come as no surprise that the latest Barthelme to put pen to paper should rely on the tried, if not always true, methods of his successful brothers, Frederick and Donald. Frederick's minimalist angst and his passion for the culture of cars are echoed in a number of narratives here. In ""Stoner's Lament,"" a lonely old man contemplates buying a new car when both he and his '66 Olds are treated like relics. The divorced market analyst of ""Liars"" walks on the wild side for a couple of hours after picking up a young black woman--a hitchhiker who matches him lie for gratuitous lie. The hitchhiker in ""The Friend"" is less lucky to meet the narrator, a rapist whose bad grammar and punctuation make it clear how evil he is. Another driver, a middle-aged man drifting east in his big Oldsmobile, picks up a gift half his age with whom he manages to forget, for a while, his troubled past (""That's No Reason""). Many of these interchangeable pieces concern young men and their ill-fated ""relationships"": a guy named Guy pines for an uninterested waitress at the bar he owns (""Here You Are""); a jilted young professor develops an attachment for the widow next door (""Mrs. Sims""); and the reluctant lover of an adulterous woman takes out his frustration on a noisy dog (""Beach""). A trio of absurdist tales recalls brother Donald: one about a young man who reads surreal love stories to women he hopes to seduce; another about a phony psychiatrist who kills his only patient; and the last about a talking cat, bored with human whining. The strongest story (""Zorro"") stands out for the depth of psychological insight displayed in its account of a dutiful son's attentions to his alcoholic mother. Flashes of whimsy break up a mostly lackluster debut collection, further burdened by a dreadful title.
Pub Date: Nov. 20, 1987
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Johns Hopkins Univ. Press
Review Posted Online: N/A
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1987
Categories: FICTION
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.