Doug Harris (1)

The jacket describes this book as "an ... excursion into youthful alienation and ennui", which I suppose is appropriate, because "ennui" is the overwhelming feeling I experienced whilst trying to read this book. Perhaps it's deep on levels that I cannot fathom, like the existentialists - after all, I thought that the Myth of Sisyphus was about man's futile search for a decent lunch spot in the face of an unintelligible world devoid of God and eternal truths or values, so I have a history of show more missing the point. For me, the chief failing of this book, while well written (in that the narrative appeared to flow, and the characters were reasonably well developed) was that I simply didn't *care* enough about the characters to feel the dramatic tension that the author was going for, nor, unfortunately, did I care enough about the characters to care what happened to them. Harris did such a good job setting up the alienation and ennui of his characters, that he alienated me right out of the book. show less

Not only does Goose Lane release some of the best literature this country is capable of (see: this year's wholly remarkable quartet of The Town that Drowned, The Time We All Went Marching, Tide Road, and Kalila), but last year's YOU comma Idiot is one of the best, and my favourite novel of 2010. Writing in the second person, a format only off-putting for the first paragraph, Doug Harris' tale of a low-level drug dealer eking out his existence in Montreal by doing as little as humanly show more possible is a treat on every level. His dialogue is the highlight, as crunchy as Elmore Leonard and quick-witted as Nick Hornby, but his empathy for character and his sharpness in motivation and plotting keeps the novel humming. So sure of itself, so fleet-footed yet grounded, it is hard to believe this is a debut novel. It's as entertaining as anything out there, better written than most, and it's lack of presence on major awards lists is a devastating oversight by people who cannot comprehend that just because it's funny, that doesn't mean it's undeserving of attention.

Read the full review here. show less

Lee Goodstone is a part-time drug dealer with no job. He's dating his best friend's girlfriend. He's been linked to the disappearance of a young woman. And in spite of all that, I liked him. I liked him because he is starting to realize that he has to make some changes and start making better choices. And because he is witty and a bit cynical.

You Comma Idiot is a novel about taking responsibility; it's about loyalty and friendship. Author Doug Harris has brought these conventional themes to show more life with a highly unconventional main character, and the unusual use of the second person point of view. I think using that point of view was masterful as it helped me identify with somone I have virtually nothing in common with.

This is a fast-paced book, with lots of dialogue and short chapters. The dialogue is great and all the characters rang true, with Lee being an especially strong and consistent voice. The story is enticing and plausible -- this reads like real life -- and I found myself eager to know how it all worked out.

Well done!

p.s. A real accomplishment: my teenaged son is reading it and he hasn't read a book that wasn't "required" since I don't know when! show less

This book was a surprising revelation. While the topic was at first a little unappealing, I did start to care for the characters, their complexity, their evolution, the array of emotion subtly stated but undeniable. Each grows in his own way or becomes reaffirmed in his strength. The ending is gently hopeful, without being moralistic nor unduly optimistic. I did not care for the second person singular, however. I found it created an unbridgeable distance, a gimmick that the story really did show more not need. The descriptions and atmosphere of Montreal are perfect, the relationships true and the plot creative but simple. A definite discovery. show less