The Last of the Crazy People

When exploring human relationships and families in particular, Findley does not just pick at stabs, he plunges a deep knife to reveal hurt, misunderstanding, incompetency and inertia. He does this with a great deal of precision and economy of words, layering the words and emotions until the reader is completely immersed into these deeply dysfunctional worlds.

This novel carries very much the construction of a play: events culminating into a dramatic, unavoidable tragedy. The disadvantages are heavy-handed symbolism and foreshadowing, sometimes a sketchy decor and very minor characters that ebb in and out in the periphery. The advantages are a build-up of palpable pressure and an intensely emotional, draining involvement on the part of show more the reader: it is impossible to be indifferent to the events and characters; dropping the book feels like physically walking away.

This book is best read in one sitting so that the reader can feel the flow and inner logic of the dramatic movement. It is, in my opinion, the best way to understand the characters and their seemingly erratic actions.

A gem within Findley's works that will leave a lasting impression. show less

I've read this novel twice. It is a remarkable first novel; Findley lived up to this beginning and then some during his lifetime. The main character is both hero and victim even while he victimizes. The novel is so finely crafted that even though the cover hints at the end and the reader is probably aware at some level of what will happen, I found myself hoping against hope that the end would turn out differently. I'm sure I will read [The Last of the Crazy People] again.
From the cover - "[The Last of the Crazy People] is Timothy Findley's first novel, the compelling story of an eleven-year-old boy's private world of bewilderment and conflict."

Set in the summer months of 1964, the story is about a well-to-do family of breeding residing in a wealthy neighborhood in Ontario. 11-year old Hooker Winslow is surrounded by his family, a family that is falling apart at the seams. The fateful summer sees Hooker, the youngest member of the family, struggling to make sense of his family and events that occur around him: his mother Jessica's erratic, reclusive behavior and abandonment of her children and motherhood after giving birth to a stillborn the previous year, his older brother Gilbert's drunken and disorderly behavior after dropping out of prep school, his spinster aunt Rosetta who has taken over running the household and his father Nicholas' continual silence and decision to show more leave the Winslow household to continue as it is. Surrounded by his cats, Hooker's only human companion is Iris, the family servant that has been with the family for thirty years.

This is a fascinating dark story about a family that implodes in on itself, slowly at first and then with frightening speed as Hooker scrambles to try and understand what is happening to his family. Iris, and at times Gilbert, try to answer Hooker's questions but the truth continues to elude him. Snippets of overheard conversations lead Hooker to jump to conclusions that turn what should have been a summer of carefree fun for a young boy into one of worry, concern and a frightening plunge for young Hooker into the realities of the world around him.

An excellent powerfully told story and one I highly recommend! show less

An incredible look at human nature in dysfunctional families: Much of Findley's work revolves around upscale families with problems. The Last of the Crazy People is no exception. As seen through the eyes of the youngest child in the family, who is really the only one not yet corrupted by loss of innocence, the story is told with the accuracy that only a child's perception will grant. Beautifully written, this is yet another book by Timothy Findley that i have loved.

Extraordinary.