In my snobbery, I didn't want to give this more than 3 stars. But dammit, I laughed too much to give it any less than 4 stars.Still, I wouldn't say I got much more than laughter out of it. I'd say the following, perhaps innocently misogynistic, pseudo-poignant quote about sums up the tenor of the book:
"Women were meant to suffer; no wonder they asked for constant declarations of love."
That, and:
"I went back and sat down. 11 years! I didn't have a dime more in my pocket than when I had first walked in. 11 years."
Anyone who has had a shit job and seen their money go out as fast, or faster, than it came in, can relate to that one.
But for the most part, I just laughed. Here's a couple of choice passages found towards the end of the novel.
'Then, I set the post office on fire.
I had been sent to fourth class papers and was smoking a cigar, working a stack of mail off of a hand truck when some guy came by and said, "HEY, YOUR MAIL IS ON FIRE!"
I looked around. There it was. A small flame was starting to stand up like a dancing snake. Evidently part of a burning cigar ash had fallen in there earlier.
"Oh shit!"
The flame grew rapidly. I took a catalogue and, holding it flat, I beat the shit out of it. Sparks flew. It was hot. As soon as I put out one section, another caught up.
I heard a voice:
"Hey! I smell fire!"
"YOU DON'T SMELL FIRE," I yelled, "YOU SMELL SMOKE!"'
and
"I asked to have my union representative paged to my area.
After a long delay, here he came—Parker Anderson. Parker used to sleep in an old used car and freshen up and shave and shit at gas stations that didn't lock their restrooms."