It it beyond me why I am the first person to make a thread on this author, but anyway. Just read Trout Fishing in America and I thought it was great but I couldn't find any underlieing meaning in the book, is any there? What do you all like about his work? And why did he kill himself?
I just started a thread about him on another forum, a literary one, i think, and even there no one had heard of him-shame, because i'm very fond of him-theres a good web site dedicated to him-of course i dont have the addy-just search his name, it'll come up-my fave is 'in watermelon sugar' why he killed himself? life does that to you, baby...
"In watermlon sugar the deeds were done and done again as my life is done in wtaermelon sugar. I'll tell you about it because I am here and you are distant."
I bought this book in a used bookshop near me solely on the basis of the first paragraph. Its so crystal and perfect..I don't want to keep reading. Actually, I'm just lazy and too busy to read more than the first sentence. ..But I will..and will respond with some comments. cheers mb
'in watermelon sugar' was awesome book... first when i started reading it i had no idea who is this brautingan guy... i tought this book was written lately... for my suprise it wasn't... i'd like to read more brautigan's books. any reccomands?
Other fantastic books by Richard Brautigan: A Confederate General from Big Sur The Abortion 1966 An Historical Romance The Revenge of the Lawn (short stories) So the Wind Won't Blow It All Away Sombrero Fallout I think he's the best American writer of the second half of the twentieth century in America, and a fabulous poet too. For biographical detail you can read "Waltzing With The Captain" by his friend, the poet Greg Keeler. Brautigan was an alcoholic and inclined to terrible depression, according to that book and other accounts. It seems he killed himself because the demons finally got the better of him.
Yes, he became a falling-down, puking drunk. And, before someone claims him as a "hippy" poet, let me say now-- he was in with all the beatniks in the 50's San Francisco scene. I think "Troutfishing in America" was his best-- I re-read it every few years. Here's a funny story about "Troutfishing.... Some fishing club ordered 50 copies for all their members without reading it. Imagine their surprise when they began reading it! I read this somewhere long ago, but forget where. At any rate, he wrote beautifully and sparsely-- Hemingway would have been proud of him.
I read all of his books and all his poems confederate general was my favorite along with watermelon sugar
