An Unfortunate Woman: A Journey by Richard Brautigan
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Book Reviews of An Unfortunate Woman: A Journey
Book Review: A Fortunate Find- for Brautigan fans only
Summary: 3 Stars
Since so many other reviewers seem to find it clever or necessary to use alcohol-related references, I'll start by saying this book is not a fine wine, or a smooth bourbon. It's a cold beer, a plain cold beer in your hands that's as good and as average as many other cold beers you've consumed in the past. You sip and think, yeah, just a beer. You turn the page, sip again and- "God this beer is the best!"
If you have read and enjoyed R.B.'s books, you'll enjoy this one, if only for the gems contained within the whole of a somewhat tedious read. This, like 'Sombrero Fallout', is not the book to introduce someone to Brautigan. In fact, before reading this loose collection of ramblings, I would strongly suggest reading the essential 'You Can't Catch Death' which stands alone and will also provide a frame of reference, although IT is far more meaningful if you've read 'Trout Fishing' etc. first.
For some of us, Brautigan is like a mild addiction, in that you must have every bit of what he's written, even knowing much of it may not be worth reading. We identify with his thoughts, and so want to know all of the thoughts, despite many of them being as mundane as our own. In that regard, parts of the book become annoying- bad enough to waste time thinking simple thoughts, more so to waste time reading another's. That said, one can easily skim through the dross and then slow to absorb the simple yet elegant musings which could only come from someone like R.B. or Billy Collins.
Buy it used for cheap, add it to your collection, there's worse things than a plain cold beer.
Book Review: Not everything that shines is gold
Summary: 1 Stars
I was left with a sense of annoyance after reading this book. Maybe it was because i started it believing it was a memoir. When i then read the contrived jacket, i learned it was a work of fiction: "Dark, humorous, and exquisitely haunting, his final book of fiction...". In the book, the writer reveals that his birthday was January 30, his daughter married without his approval, he hated traveling, etc. I had never before heard about Richard Brautigan, so i did a bit of research. What a surprise to find out that he was born on January 30, his daughter married without his approval, he hated to travel, and so on. So this work of "fiction" turned to be pretty autobiographical after all.
The style of the book is certainly different to anything i have ever read before. The narrative is almost what you would hear in a conversation. There are many artificial segments interspersed here and there. For example, "Maybe i'll describe what I have been doing since I interrupted or was interrupted writing this book nine days ago..." He goes on to describe a dream, and then all of a sudden 14 days have passed and he says the book is "mischevious and grows more and more to follow the way life works out". How helpless.
Another aspect of the writing that i did not like at all is the self-indulgence that permeates it. "I got a glass of wine as I said I would - interruption for a Montana nature break. I just felt something dimly crawling on my arm". And he goes for an entire page talking about a spider. The last page, where he thanks the company that made the notebook, is another example.
So sorry about Brautigan. The expression "pobre hombre" comes to mind when i think of him. What a painful existence he must have lived. But, no matter how fanciful or different your writing style is, that doesn't make it art. Others have explored the subject of death in a far more compelling, delicate, articulate manner. Brautigan's vision was ultimately selfish, the way he was with his daughter, his relationships, his friends. And it shows.