My own definition of what counts as a "novel" fluctuates. You might say I fudge. If it is a classic, like Homer's stuff, it's not fiction. If it is theological, it's theology. Otherwise, I don't read novels. Unless it's the hilarious humor of Garrison Keillor. I've read all of his books I think, so when I saw Pontoon
Let's hear from his fans and readers. Which of his books do you like most? Any critical response to his work, especially as it has developed since the early 80s.
What do I like most about his books? It's his ability to start with some odd fact and by the end of the long paragraph, sometimes a page later, we've gotten to where one would never expect. It's like a parenthesis within a parenthesis within a few more and before long you're laughing and cackling and wondering how in the world he does it.
Pontoon combines the funeral of Evelyn Peterson -- cremation with the ashes put in a bowling ball and then dropped from the sky (sort of) into Lake Wobegon by a young kid flying on a parasail but the driver gets all mixed up with some huge ducks on the lake and a pontoon full of Danish pastors who have become all but atheists -- with a wedding, actually a commitment, that falls apart and now you've got the making of all his nonsense.
What do I not like about Keillor? About the time he wrote WLT: A Radio Romance Keillor included too much sex (he doesn't seem to have any Scandinavian reserve in this subject) and he's not let up since. This book has a few episodes that lacked taste.
More seriously, in the last few books he's started juxtaposing sex and the Christian faith in ways that, at times, strike me as cheap and classless. Those scenes sadden me because there are better ways to expose the failure of the Christian faith.
His capacity to spin a yarn, expose the weaknesses of humans, entertain, and carry us all forward a step or two ... and his ability to write and his voice ... well, I'll be in line the next time another Wobegon novel comes out.
Here's the Amazon link to Keillor ... my favorite remains Lake Wobegon Days
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Ken-
His brother is not in Anoka...It is just where the family is from. If you read Keillor you notice how much "insider" stuff he seems to have. Yes...devout and devoted.
Darren - Yes, I've read quite a bit... followed Keillor since he appeared on the cover of TIME... many years ago. For awhile there, he was an "evangelical" favorite; with the Gospel Birds and all. But clearly, he wanted to differentiate himself from an adoring religious following, so he went "in your face" on a couple of levels - you know, political left, steamy sex, bad jokes, etc. But he covers the religious left and right as a target for chuckles; from Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility Catholic Church to the Brethren to LW Lutheran to Unitarians. Most of it is pretty funny, actually.
Scott, after reading your blog, i just have to recommend a book to you and your readers for the new year. It is Brown Like Coffee. Kind of wacky but real challenging. I found it at brownlikecoffee.com . Read and enjoy!
I love Keillor, though I've never read any of his books, just listened to his radio program. The News from Lake Woebegone segments are great. I have all the CD's.
I guess being from a small town in the upper Midwest myself, I can really relate to the stories he tells. I see a lot of my own hometown in Lake Woebegone.
I used to love Prairie Home Companion, and listened to it religiously, if I may say that. I grew up in that same small town, but in the southwest! I read Keillor’s books, too. However, a few years ago, the increasing cynicism and one-sidedness of his work – both on PHC and in writing – finally turned me off. There was a time when, in describing political differences and angst, he would have wound up gently and ironically showing the humanity of both sides. No longer. He doesn’t seem to be interested in both partners in the dance; he just seems interested in showing off his steps.
It was really sad, actually. It was like realizing that a good old friend had slowly become someone that you really didn’t enjoy hanging around with, anymore.
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