Fiskadoro

I read this novel a while ago and found myself baffled by it. I just re-read it on a quest to blog about dystopian novels set in a world recovering from nuclear catastrophe and found it very interesting. I’m not part of Denis Johnson’s cult following, so I had no expectations there ( but have already ordered one of his other books to keep reading). This book is definitely murky in parts but this time around, I realized it’s just as much extended prose poem as novel, so I enjoyed it a lot more during this re-read. It’s a great post-Viet Nam novel, too, as it turns out. A great post-American Century novel all around. Some of it is written in a kind of debased patois that seemed spot-on realistic to me, thinking of the kinds of things that might occur in a post-nuclear Florida Keys. But it’s nothing like as daunting to read as a book like Russell Hoban’s Riddley Walker ( which is a novel of genius, I think, so worth the struggle). I wonder how much more or less challenging Fiskadoro is than A Clockwork Orange? Another dystopian re-read in my future, I suppose. But for all the trouble I had ploughing through it, I do agree with people who make comparisons between the title character (Fiskadoro, “Harpooner”) and Melville’s Ishmael.

Thank you for the book. It is in great condition; thanks for the mylar cover. Thank you, also, for the SPEEDY delivery!

In many post-apocalyptic tales, it's a savage world that requires guns and fast cars. Not so the world of Fiskiadoro. It's not quite a slice of life during the era of what happens after the bombs fall, but it's close.The title character himself is not always present and it lends a strange quality to the book and makes it one I wonder if the author should have just stuck with one viewpoint character. It's great we get some glimpses of how people will fight for survival, but this didn't quite feel like a 'survival' story as opposed to "here are some things that happen."For those who have a taste for this genre and type of story, you'll be rewarded well. For the casual fan or those who've heard good things, read a few more reviews and ask specific questions.

I did not enjoy Hemingway, but it was written in that style. There are several parts of the book that I did enjoy, including the sections about the grandmother. I thought it was a bit racist, personally.

I have to admit I didn't finish it. But I tried. I loved Denis Johnson's Tree of Smoke and Already Dead. This book was written much earlier that they were, and the author wasn't nearly as good when he wrote this book as he later became. The others are beautiful. This is not.

I like exploring different visions of a post-apocalyptic world, but this one never got going for me. Also, I had trouble relating to the main character, so I experienced the book at an emotional arm's length.

my son read and liked.

Post-everything as told by Melville. Just stunning.

Wonderfully written.