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Tom Robbins

Martin

Martin

Active Member
Hi Folks,

Has anyone of you already been introduced into the wacky world of Tom Robbins? Does anyone here know him? If not, then go to amazon right now, and buy his stuff, you'll love it, I'm telling you.

If you DO know him, let me know then, and share your opinion (good or bad) with the rest of the forum. I would love to know what other people think of him and his writing.

By the way, here are some quotes from him, to let you get used to his style of writing, and to show you his sense of humour and wittyness:

*** *** ***

-- In the staircase of life, Art is the only stair that doesn't creak.

-- When they tell you to grow up, they mean stop growing.

-- There are two kinds of people in this world; those who think there are two kinds of people and those who are smart enough to know better.

-- Disbelief in magic can force a poor soul into believing in government and business.

-- Rap music .. sounds like somebody feeding a rhyming dictionary to a popcorn popper.

-- Maybe most people were fundamentally contradictory. The real people at any rate.

-- If the world gets any smaller I'll end up living next door to myself.

*** *** ***

I hope I have arroused some interest, and I hope some people (who know him, or don't; doesn't matter) will share their opinions.

Cheers, Martin :D
 
I absolutely loved Still Life with Woodpecker but was somewhat indifferent to Half-Asleep in Frog Pajamas . I keep meaning to give him a third try in a rubber match kinda way but other books keep getting in the way. Any suggestions for a third foray into his world?

Mike
 
Best and Worst

Well, you picked his best and his worst to start your Robbins-experience with. It's a pity you were turned off by 'Frog Pajamas', although I have to admit, that one was a bit of a slip-up. I didn't enjoy that one either, but, in Robbins' defense, that's the only one of his novels that didn't live up to my expectations.

'Still Life With Woodpecker' was utterly brilliant, though, and I hope you can only agree with this. I'm happy to say that his other novels (at least the ones I've read; there are 2 or 3 I haven't read yet; can't say anything about those) are all in the same league as 'Woodpecker', so if you liked that one you should read some of his other stuff.

You ask which novel you should read, now. I thoroughly enjoyed 'Jitterbug Perfume', which was actually my introduction into Robbins. This was the one that got me hooked, so I highly recommend that one.

You'll love it, I'm sure. There are some teeth-grindingly good puns in there, as well as his trademark wordplay and criticism on a variety of topics.

If you decide to read it, or anything else by him for that matter, let me know what you thought of it.

Cheers, Martin :D
 
Wow, is that an actual quote from 'Jitterbug Perfume'. That quote's a classic, and I completely missed it when I read this book.

Do you think the quote's his, originally? Didn't know that! Funny thing... Thanks for that, I'm definitely gonna have to read it again sometime.

Cheers, Martin :D
 
Martin, I don't know how "original" it is but I remember quoting it from the book years ago when I first read it. I was asked where I heard it and the person I was talking to was instantly another TR reader.
 
He does have a way with words, doesn't he?!

To bad I always forget the good jokes and puns. So often while I'm reading his work I laugh out loud, and so often I can't remember what it was that made me laugh when I tell someone about it.

I'll remember this one though.

Thanks for that, BaHDog!

Cheers, martin :D
 
I wanted to revive this thread, because I'm at the moment rereading one of his best novels, Jitterbug Perfume.

Wanted to know if anyone around here knows him and has anything to say about him.

Let it rip.

Cheers
 
He's one of my favorite authors, my grandma gave me Even Cowgirls Get The Blues about 10 years ago and after that I had to read all his books. I have liked some better than others but not been too disappointed with any of them. The top three picks for me would be Jitterbug Perfume, Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates and Another Roadside Attraction.
 
You have successfully aroused my interest, Martin! I love the quotes that you have posted, especially this:
Martin said:
Rap music... sounds like somebody feeding a rhyming dictionary to a popcorn popper.
Click to expand...
I will certainly try his books sometime.
Thanks :)
 
I read the first few pages of 'Still Life With Woodpecker' on amazon and I love it! I like his style.
Thanks once again, Martin, this goes into my TBR.

*note to myself: remember to look for this author when you go to the library next time*
 
i've read cowgirls, jitterbug, skinny legs and am currently reading fierce invalids.
i catch myself laughing out loud with his writing all the time. i find it hard to define what it is about him that appeals to me. i get lost in the way he uses words and have to remind myself to pay attention to the story.
i have a funny little journal of phrases and quotes that i have been keeping for the past 10 years. i'll hear something in a movie or read it somewhere or even friends will say something and i'll have to jot it down. some people collect kewpie dolls, i collect other peoples words. when i read cowgirls(my first tr) i wanted to keep it all. i have only borrowed the books from the library but intend to buy them and when i reread them, make little notes of what i loved so i can flip through and get a little jolt.
this is what struck me lately:
"... a well-defined object of lurid coloration. it was the pumpkin, only its orangeness had become so intense it seemed to be undergoing spontaneous combustion...switters felt compelled to caress its haptic contours.
"we search for the door in the side of the pumpkin," he whispered,"but unlike cinderella's coach, it is drawn only by it's own slow ripening. distracted by the toothy glitter of corn, mice leave it to round, to orange: a globe of lost continents, a faceless head, its true identity known only to the halloween knife and certain deputies of the pie police. o pumpkin, pregnant squaw bladder, hardiest of moons, scarecrow's beachball, in the name of "farmers' daughters everywhere, remove your hood..."
 
Yup, but it's been quite a while since I read any of them (except for Jitterbug, which I'm reading now), so my opinions could have changed - they're all so damn good, but I remember Jitterbug and Still Life leading the pack.

Cheers
 
my fav is cowgirls. or maybe it just stands out so much as it was my first time. wink wink. but actually that is a poor comparison as most people will admit there first time sucked. i would say that skinny legs was my least fav, but i can only blame myself, as i do not know very much about the middle east and i got a bit distracted trying to make sense of that mess and lost the theme of the story.
 
I don't know anything about anything Robbins writes about, and still I enjoy them. I don't know anything, period.

Piece of advice - stay clear of Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas. Really pretty bad.


as most people will admit there first time sucked
Click to expand...
The sucking was the best bit of my first time.

Cheers
 
my biggest challenge is recommending him. people inevitably ask what the story is about and i am like, well? there is this girl with huge thumbs who hitchhikes and then there is this horny guru called the chink who watches the goings ons on this dude ranch/spa that gets taken over by these lesbian cowgirls....you can see people staring into your eyes checking out your pupils.
i like to say that he is more of an experience, which sounds so bloated with 60's, hippie jargon, but really i find you can't explain him. you have to see for yourself, and some people really hate him, but i think they just don't get him.
 
Martin said:
The sucking was the best bit of my first time.

Cheers
Click to expand...


yes well see you are a man. i guess i should re-phrase and say that it is the experience for most women.
 
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