|
|
Sold Out
Book Categories |
From Holden Caulfield to Moses Herzog, our best literature has been narrated by malcontents. To this lineage add Peter Jernigan, who views the world with ferocious intelligence, grim rapture, and a chainsaw wit that he turns, with disastrous consequences, on his wife, his teenaged son, his dangerously vulnerable mistress—and, not least of all, on himself. This novel is a bravura performance: a funny, scary, mesmerizing study of a man walking off the edge with his eyes wide open—wisecracking all the way.
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
Joe Martin
reviewed Jernigan on January 11, 2015
Jernigan
Some books you're just relieved to finish. Thank Odin, Zeus, the Buddha, whomever, for putting me across the finish line. Books like this are notoriously difficult to rate, so I'll leave the stars behind some mostly cloudy.
See, the old dilemma is this: What if you hate the protagonist? I mean, can't stand the guy? Does that sway your view of the book? Should it? I know you can argue that the book is BRILLIANT because the author is causing you to loathe his main character, but what if it has nothing to do with the writing? Chicken, meet egg, and all that.
Jernigan is a drunk. An overeducated drunk. I think one of the blurbs, from The Village Voice Literary Supplement, about nails it: "... bitterly ironic, crippled by hyperactive intelligence, at war with itself." It goes on to compare it to A Fan's Notes by Frederick Exley, which I recall reading and loathing as well back, back, back when I was young(er).
I also marked a quote on page 162, one where Peter Jernigan (our anti-hero) gets this from his live-in lady: "You just know so much, Peter," she said. "What a man. Treat 'em bad and they come back for more, right? You're a true asshole."
Maybe that should have been the title: The True Asshole. And watching him disintegrate for 200-some-odd pages is no treat. And listening to his bile is no fun. And finishing the book is an amen, hallelujah.
Witty at times? Sure. If you like reading about drunk English majors who are as sarcastic as hell, be my guest. Me, I've got enough negatives to fend off in life. I don't need a book to add to my workload.
Login|Complaints|Blog|Games|Digital Media|Souls|Obituary|Contact Us|FAQ
CAN'T FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? CLICK HERE!!! X
You must be logged in to add to WishlistX
This item is in your Wish List
X
This item is in your Collection
Jernigan
X
This Item is in Your Inventory
Jernigan
X
You must be logged in to review the productsX
X
X
Add Jernigan, From Holden Caulfield to Moses Herzog, our best literature has been narrated by malcontents. To this lineage add Peter Jernigan, who views the world with ferocious intelligence, grim rapture, and a chainsaw wit that he turns, with disastrous consequences,, Jernigan to the inventory that you are selling on WonderClubX
X
Add Jernigan, From Holden Caulfield to Moses Herzog, our best literature has been narrated by malcontents. To this lineage add Peter Jernigan, who views the world with ferocious intelligence, grim rapture, and a chainsaw wit that he turns, with disastrous consequences,, Jernigan to your collection on WonderClub |
