Having struggled through the overly plotted machinations of Gone Girl it was a pleasure to dive into Jim Harrison's shaggy dog story road trip and reflection on late middle age crisis. When you are reading Harrison you cannot help but hope and feel that the fictional characters are proxy!s for the author. Harrison's protagonists are lusty learned men with big appetites for food drink and the beauty of Mother Nature. They all seem like people I want to meet and hang out with. On nearly every page of this road trip novel the hero Cliff a 60 year old retired farmer offers an aphorism or commentary that reflects on the joys or problems associated with modern America. Perhaps Harrison written to the already converted but I would consider my self one of the faithful . after reading this book I wanted to go out have a great meal, with a great drink and top it off with a night of unbridled lust . Harison makes you live life and love reading about people who do. I look forward to diving in to another novel by the prolific Harrison very soon. The story of Cliff a retired former and ex-English Major, just divorced from Vivian his rapacious wife who lives for real estate sales – after she runs off with a guy she meets at the 40th (?) high school reunion. Cliff is a mess - the wife and farm are gone, the son is gay and living in CA and his favorite pal Lola the dog is dead. So Cliff hits the road with enamored with a child’s wooden puzzle where each piece represents a different state – his goal is rename each of the states to something more appropriate. This motif takes Cliff thru many of the western states accompanied by a ditzy former student that attaches herself to him for better or worse as he drinks and dines his way westward. If you know anything about Harrison you can’t help but see a bit of him in Cliff and judging from the foto on the DJ flap you get the idea that he hasn’t got too many more books in him so what the hell he’s really going to lay it all out with this one. And he does…
I didn't really finish this book, because I totally lost interest!
—MandyK
NPR reviewer calls it "book of the year." -- Pretty good
—volkova28
To mid life crisis what Catcher in the Rye is to young
—sisiesizzy
A howl of fun you don't want to miss this one.
—altheajeanlouis
One of my favorite books ever.
—lyco2000
