I am re - reading Portnoy's Complaint...What a great book.

[russspeakeasy]

I first read it in 1965....after all those years, it's still funny as hell.

[Curmudgeoness]

1. I have never read it....

and after this book I am working on now (Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich---very depressing and sad), I will need funny! I will have to look this one up.

[fadedrose]

2. I never read it either

Will have to look it up...

Curm, try Metzger's Dog(1983). Read it years ago and am ready for it again. It'll make you smile (It's Thomas Perry, and I think, Carl Hiaasen)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/0812967747/stopyourekilling

http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/P_Authors/Perry_Thomas.html


While I'm at it, figured I'd look up russspeakeasy's pick, Portnoy's Complaint. I may try it myself, even tho it's not a mystery...

http://www.amazon.com/Portnoys-Complaint-Philip-Roth/product-reviews/0679756450/ref=sr_1_1_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

[Curmudgeoness]

3. Although I like mysteries,

I like so many other styles and genres of books too. I get bored if I read more than two of the same types of books in a row. I jump all over the place. I will put that book on my list of funny books.

[fadedrose]

4. The one I recommended

Is unusual because usually the protagonist is a good guy, a cop, detective, etc., but in this one, there's no mystery. They're the bad guys.

It's bad guys (kinda dumb) for whom everything that could go wrong does...that is, if I'm remembering it correctly.

The old memory gets worse every day...

[mvccd1000]

5. Have you read the Dortmunder books

by Donald E. Westlake? Your description of bad guys for whom everything goes wrong reminded me of those.

[fadedrose]

6. No...

Last edited Sat Jun 9, 2012, 04:35 PM - Edit history (1)

But I looked up all his stuff and it sounds like somebody I should know about. I saw his pic at fantastic fiction and he has that "don't mess with me, sister" look that I hope transcends into his writing. Pity he died, and so recently..I see where he wrote till the very end, 2008.

What do you recommend?

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/donald-e-westlake/

http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/W_Authors/Westlake_Donald-E.html

[mvccd1000]

7. Hard to say where to start

He wrote a TON, both under his own name and under at least one pseudonym. I think he has 70+ novels out there (just off the top of my head; it may be more). The Dortmunder books involve a jewel thief for whom NOTHING goes right - ever. Buildings built where his loot was hidden, armored cars hidden in barns that were covered when a damn was built and the reservoir filled, Dortmunder crashing through a skylight into a convent and being convinced by the nuns that he needs to commit a robbery for them... he has all kinds of interesting experiences.

One of my all-time favorite books is a non-Dortmunder book by Westlake called "Trust Me On This," about a serious journalist who somewhat unwillingly takes a job at a "National Enquirer-" type newspaper. (Her paper went under, and they offered her 4x as much money as she had been making.)

Westlake is a great satirical writer, and I've enjoyed most of his books that I've read.

[JitterbugPerfume]

8. that is a blast from the past!

If memory serves, I laughed my a@@ off at that book!

[Brainstormy]

9. Revisiting Portnoy

That's very interesting. I first read it in the late sixties myself, disguised by a Reader's Digest so my grandmother wouldn't catch me. Thinking back I realize I probably needn't have bothered with the subterfuge but the book seemed SO outrageously, explicitly sexual. Pretty exciting stuff, I thought. Very adult. I continued, off and on, to read Roth in college and grad school but didn't pick up Portnoy again until a couple of years ago. My bookclub is working its way through the Modern Novel 100 Greatest List, and we got to Portnoy. With a single exception, everyone thought it was juvenile, gratuitous, and mostly silly. I was of that opinion myself. Something had happened to the storyline, I guess--the whole misunderstood Jewish kid shtick thing seemed tired, and the sex, self-sex, and smut talk had lost its appeal, too. Mostly, I'd just gotten old. I find it interesting, though, how revisiting a book after many decades brings you to an entirely new read. Glad you liked it, tho. It's not on that "100 Greatest" list for no reason.

[violetsurf]

10. Is it your favorite Roth book?

[russspeakeasy]

11. Probably not, but I can't think of the others right now.

"Zuckerman Unbound "was a good read.."Patrimony" was good too.

[SheilaT]

12. I can't recall if I ever read "Portnoy's Complaint". If I did,

it was back when it first came out.

For my money, the very best thing he ever wrote was "When She was Good" which I reread every few years because it's so good. And each time I see it differently.

[fadedrose]

13. I have the book on my nightstand...

It's my very next one to read . . .