Discovering Tom Robbins
tigr...@jaguar.uofs.edu
with his wordplay, ideas, asides.
And strangely enough, and this ties in with the current thread on reading his
books over, or having a hard time getting into a book, I almost didn't read him
at all. My ex-husband, sometime in the 70's sent me a copy of "Another Roadside
Attraction" with a note that he knew it was the kind of book I would love. I
started it a few times, and it just did not hold my attention, for a few years
I had it on a bookcase, would occasionally pick it up and not get very far
before starting a different book. (I read constantly) Finally for some reason I
actually read it and was astouded, I couldn't wait to get to a bookstore and
find more of his work. This is still my least favorite of his books, I like
Jitterbug Perfume best. The only good thing about my delayed addiction to him
was that by the time I read it there were more books ready for me to read
immediately afterwards!
It's very difficult to describe his plots or characters to someone who hasn't
read the books because there is much more to the novels than the story.
I have managed to pass my enthusiams on to a few more people though, one of the
students here, after reading "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" said that he had
changed her life forever :)
I liked Skinny Legs and All (also my first hardcover of his) but felt somehow
that it wasn't quite finished at the end, that something was missing.
Thanks to all of you for being here to talk about him.
Oh, I was a big fan (still am) of Kurt Vonnegut before reading Tom and also
enjoy John Irving, but mostly read non-fiction (science: astronomy, "popular
quantum physics, like The Tao of Physics, etc), and science fiction. Stephen
Donaldson is a really good science fiction/fanstasy writer, and Roger Zelazny,
they both create, like Tom, very bizarre worlds with very strange things
happening, and it all seems to make sense, very good sense.
How did you discover Tom?
Pam
J. van de Berg
>From: tigr...@jaguar.uofs.edu
>Subject: Discovering Tom Robbins
>Date: 5 Aug 93 20:14:41 GMT
...
>How did you discover Tom?
>
>Pam
I heard of him by a friend, I guess we all start that way. The first one I
read is still my favorite - it is Jitterbug Perfume.
I once thought the first TR one reads will be one's favorite, I would
like to see this thesis tested (this is a hint :).
Jeannette
David Ward
My first was Still Life and my favorite (so far) is Still Life. I've
already re-read it once and I haven't even read all of his books yet.
I loved SLWW and JP, but I was disappointed with the ending of SLAA also.
Looking back on it, the conch shell, painted stick thing got kinda old
after a while and didn't seem to mesh well with the rest of the book.
I still loved it though, and I sure was loving it when I was reading it.
I am now in the middle of my 2nd try with Cowgirls, and I am enjoying it
much more now than I did the 1st time I tried to read it and put it
down. I have to try Roadside Attraction again sometime but not this
summer... gotta save something for later! I hope he comes out with
another book in the next year or two... I know one is in the works.
BTW, giving a gift of SLWW and a pack of Camels sounds like a great
idea... might have to do that.
-- Dave
Samantha Star Straf
: >From: tigr...@jaguar.uofs.edu
: >How did you discover Tom?
In high school someone gave me a pack of camels and a copy of Still Life
: read is still my favorite - it is Jitterbug Perfume.
: I once thought the first TR one reads will be one's favorite, I would
: like to see this thesis tested (this is a hint :).
Nope, My first was Still life, my favorite was Jitterbug
--
------------------- --------------------
Samantha Star Straf st...@genesis.mcs.com
GEnie : S.STRAF
bi...@mbimail.umd.edu
>How did you discover Tom?
>
>Pam
>
A few years ago one of my favorite people in the world gave me a copy of
Still Life. She is so inciteful and fun, so I knew right off the bat that
I wouldn't be dissapointed. I took it out to Montana with me to read and
thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was quite strange traveling through areas
of unique beauty (Glacier,etc.) and yet my nose wound up being in the book
alot of the time. This made me think of TR's power over the reader. It
was my best book experience, at least in a long time. On my way home at
ST. Paul/Minneapolis airport, I bought a pack of camels, studying every
inch and smiling. I think the most important thing about TR is that his
books are super fun to read. Each one is like an active part to your life
rather than an aside. I like ready books that take me to the playground.
Kay Bidle
P.S.- My friend just happened to be a red head.
Barry Hogan
Colo @ Denver) when I spotted "Cowgirls." Seemed to have remembered a
discussion about the book between two friends of mine at work. Bought it.
Liked it. Bought "Still Life"; liked it. Bought "Roadside"; terrific.
Bought "Jitterbug"; left in state of awe. I didn't have to buy "Skinny
Legs", got it as a gift; like it.
Let's see.... I like them all but "Jitterbug" is my favorite.
Thanks for reading.
Barry.
John Ramahlo
Yes, my first and still favorite TR book was Still Life. It was given
to me by my ex-girlfriend as a kind of parting gift (neither wanted to end the
relationship, just circumstances) and it made it a lot easier to deal with
and hooked me on a writer who I'd never even heard of before. Now I've read
it 5 or 6 times (Jitterbug twice, and Skinny Legs once), and am back with that
girl who introduced me to TR. Oh yeah, and by the way, I smoke Camels and have
a large head of flaming red hair, which is probably why this is my favorite TR
book (the fact that the story describes my relationship with this girl almost
perfectly doesn't hurt either). Long live the moon and redheads!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"All I know is that there were rumours he was into field hockey players, there
were rumours...he was gone the next day. Its like...it was so hush hush, they
were so quiet about it." -Kim Deal-
Tom Dupree
I like 'em in direct proportion to how many words there are in the
title...at least it's worked out that way so far. [JITTERBUG's my
*least* favorite if I had to pick one, but I still love it.]
---
. EZ 1.35 #1824 . Tag me with a spoon.
Steve Pardue
the time. I bought my own copy, and haven't been the same since.
Later, I took Still Life with Woodpecker on a business trip to Paris,
where I bought a pack of Camels, and it remains my favorite.
I've reread it once since then.
Thoroughly enjoyed Jitterbug, but I haven't been able to get through
Skinny Legs. Tried twice. Finally gave it to a hotel clerk. Haven't
read Roadside Attraction yet.
Steve Pardue
Austin, TX
Niall Gaffney
wrote:
Glad to hear its not just me. I fell in love with TR's Still Life with
Woodpecker, and moved on to Skinny Legs, but just can't get motivated
enought to finish it. Though maybe it was because I had just finished
Shampoo Planet By Douglas Coupland (of Generation X fame), which I highly
recomend to all. A much better book than his first, and one of my top five
desert island books (along with Still Life).
--
Niall Ives Gaffney --- Department of Astronomy
ni...@marple.as.utexas.edu --- University of Texas at Austin
J. van de Berg
>From: par...@issi.com (Steve Pardue)
>Subject: Re: Discovering Tom Robbins
>Date: 12 Aug 1993 18:19:35 GMT
>I learned of Tom Robbins from a friend, who was reading Cowgirls at
>the time. I bought my own copy, and haven't been the same since.
>Later, I took Still Life with Woodpecker on a business trip to Paris,
>where I bought a pack of Camels, and it remains my favorite.
favorite - hmm, the Camels or the novels :?)
Ok, lets just admit it, who bought a pack of Camels every time (or
that one time) s/he read Still Life with Woodpecker
I know I did..
Jeannette
fearless freep
>I once thought the first TR one reads will be one's favorite, I would
>like to see this thesis tested (this is a hint :).
>
>Jeannette
I was given a copy of Cowgirls by a girlfriend about 15 years ago. It
remained my favorite of the three until Jitterbug came out. Jitterbug
resonated very closely with my then-emerging worldview, plus I think Tom
is still improving as a writer. When Skinny Legs came out, I had a hard
time getting through the first few chapters. Once past that, though, I
found it to be intensely rewarding. I think Jitterbug is a more
accessible book, and it's the one I loan to people who I want to introduce
to Tom. But after several rereadings, I've come to view Skinny Legs as my
favorite.
an...@acad2.alaska.edu
> In article <s0491225.1...@let.rug.nl> s049...@let.rug.nl (J. van de Berg) writes:
>
>>I once thought the first TR one reads will be one's favorite, I would
>>like to see this thesis tested (this is a hint :).
>>
>>Jeannette
>
paperback, given to me by a friend from Seattle. It remains the only book that
I re-read immediately upon finishing it. (I thought it was so good that I
didn't trust my own judegement. So I read it again. Yes, it was that good.)
But my favorite is Cowgirls, recently re-read in anticipation of the movie. I
have also recently re-read SLWW, and I liked it much better the second time (I
think that after Cowgirls, it seemed like such a little thing, and I was
somewhat disappointed; recent re-reading of Jitterbug while I was in New
Orleans confirmed my original high opinion of that also.
> I was given a copy of Cowgirls by a girlfriend about 15 years ago. It
> remained my favorite of the three until Jitterbug came out. Jitterbug
> resonated very closely with my then-emerging worldview, plus I think Tom
> is still improving as a writer. When Skinny Legs came out, I had a hard
> time getting through the first few chapters. Once past that, though, I
> found it to be intensely rewarding. I think Jitterbug is a more
> accessible book, and it's the one I loan to people who I want to introduce
> to Tom. But after several rereadings, I've come to view Skinny Legs as my
> favorite.
I have not re-read Skinny Legs, but I really enjoyed everything about it
*except* the talking spoon, et.al. Has anyone else named Skinny Legs as their
favorite? I don't remember it being at the top of any else's list.
Gerry Busch
University of Alaska Anchorage
David Ward
>I have not re-read Skinny Legs, but I really enjoyed everything about it
>*except* the talking spoon, et.al. Has anyone else named Skinny Legs as their
>favorite? I don't remember it being at the top of any else's list.
>
When I was 1/2 to 2/3 through with Skinny Legs, I remember just being
totally caught up in the magic of the novel, and thinking to myself
"man, this is the best book I've ever read". When I was finished I
was disappointed though, like I had been cheated somehow. I really
need to reread it sometime and maybe my opinion will change.
Anyway, back to my 1st reading of Cowgirls.
-- Dave
Michael F Songster-2
>
>Ok, lets just admit it, who bought a pack of Camels every time (or
>that one time) s/he read Still Life with Woodpecker
>
>I know I did..
>Jeannette
i must confess that still life switched me from marlboro to camels (long
before that smoothly phalic freak joe, and the rest of his "hard" pack,
which almost made me switch again). i still smoke them, and though i
moved to filters (they're better for you, you know :-), i still keep an
unopened pack near my copy of still life (so's i can have something
to meditate on of course), and no matter how difficult my little craving
for a "fix" gets, i haven't yet opened it.
ashes to ashes, butts to butt,
mikey.