Very original, some great characters who don't get the development they deserve, and some uninteresting ones who do but are unfortunately central to the book. It's funny, zany and an old man's take on modernity. You might disagree but you'll see why people compare him to Vonnegut, the Coen Brothers, etc. The plot bogs down at times as does Kaufman's writing, which is mostly engaging and entertaining, but sometimes delves too deep into the dictionary. Worth a read, and you'll probably wish like most of us that Kaufman had started writing novels before the age of 80.

Implausible, entertaining, sublime, sentimental, acerbic and hilarious. One of those books I wish I could read the first time again.

Wonderful prose that just did not match the character's voice in the first person; Chang Rae Lee is too good a writer for Jerry Battle's thoughts. However, still a poignant and insightful story about family and individuality.

Almost four stars. I really like Pynchon but his style, though brilliant, clever and humorous--he is, to me, clearly a master--does not always relate well to great storytelling. He has great stories though, and this is not quite one of them. A little too convoluted, a few too many (albeit great) characters; but he paints a great picture of Doc's LA and what a blast it was. Fun stuff.