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Paladin

(28,724 posts)
Fri May 31, 2013, 09:44 AM May 2013

Anybody else getting a little weary of Tom Wolfe?


I've read and enjoyed Wolfe's books for decades, and I was happy to get his latest novel---"Back To Blood"---at the library yesterday. I figured that if any city in the country was worthy of a Tom Wolfe treatment, it was Miami.

So...I'm a little over 40 pages into it, and I'm already getting tired. Wolfe's relentless insertion of sound effect words is really out of hand, here---hey, Tom: we know that a fast-moving boat makes a "SMACK" noise as it hits the water, so there's no need to bust up the narrative on a single freaking page with the use of the word "SMACK" 20 freaking times. And as long as I'm dispensing helpful literary hints: Mr. Wolfe, the whole Dirty Old Man thing is now just cringe-inducing to the point of being pitiable---and the use of clinical terms such as "mons veneris" doesn't make it better, it makes it worse.

OK, end of rant. I'm not going to toss out my autographed copy of "The Right Stuff" over these irritating matters. But my desire to plow through this latest novel is questionable at this early point.....
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Anybody else getting a little weary of Tom Wolfe? (Original Post) Paladin May 2013 OP
Yes, I am very weary of Tom Wolfe JitterbugPerfume Jun 2013 #1
I've never read him. LWolf Jun 2013 #2
I went ahead and finished the novel. Paladin Jun 2013 #3
I thought "Back to Blood" was just awful. It made "I Am Charlotte Simmons:A Novel" seem brilliant argyl Aug 2013 #4
I won't be reading any more of his work. (nt) Paladin Aug 2013 #5
While I haven't been a reader of Tom Wolfe's books, SheilaT Aug 2013 #6
I read a few of the pieces he did for Esquire pscot Aug 2013 #7
He was good, back in the day. Paladin Aug 2013 #8

Paladin

(28,724 posts)
3. I went ahead and finished the novel.
Sun Jun 9, 2013, 10:00 AM
Jun 2013

It's not without some incisive points about how the various communities in Miami fail to get along---particularly the Cuban power elite vs. the African Americans. But above all else, Wolfe seems to want to irritate the reader; WAY too much usage of the word "Loins" in this book, i.e., "loamy loins." Sheeesh......

argyl

(3,064 posts)
4. I thought "Back to Blood" was just awful. It made "I Am Charlotte Simmons:A Novel" seem brilliant
Sun Aug 11, 2013, 10:26 AM
Aug 2013

in comparison,and it wasn't too good either. I doubt Wolfe has another "The Electric Kool -Aid Acid Test" in him.

 

SheilaT

(23,156 posts)
6. While I haven't been a reader of Tom Wolfe's books,
Sun Aug 11, 2013, 09:05 PM
Aug 2013

I long ago noticed that many writers burn out or something after too many novels. The exact number that makes too many will vary from writer to writer, but it's often there.

Not being much of an insider to publishing, I suspect a lot of what happens is that established, best-selling authors get far less editing that the new ones. And almost everyone needs editing.

pscot

(21,031 posts)
7. I read a few of the pieces he did for Esquire
Sat Aug 17, 2013, 04:56 PM
Aug 2013

a long time ago, which was more than enough Tom Wolfe.

Paladin

(28,724 posts)
8. He was good, back in the day.
Sat Aug 17, 2013, 06:42 PM
Aug 2013

His affectations have gotten more pronounced over the years; time to move on.....
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