Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas

I, like many others, have read most of Tom's books and while some of his main characters have been slightly annoying (Still Life with Woodpecker, anyone?), Matti takes the cake. Don't let her character dissuade you from reading the book. Her character is a money-grubbing stockbroker containing no true love or passion for life. She is intended (I believe) to represent the consumer in all of us, albeit the worst parts. She is not supposed to be likable. A likable Matti would have taken away this stories point: how even the most vile, egotistical, greedy person can transform, or should I say be pushed to transform when the stakes are raised high enough. The story begins at the start of a four-day weekend, just after a major stock crash. Matti is in jeopardy of losing her job, she can't even make the payments on her new Porsche, boo-ho! Moreover, the boyfriend that she's been dating because of his giant paycheck has decided to give it to charity. On top of everything, his monkey gets loose (did I mention that this monkey was trained to steal jewelry and that the aforementioned boyfriend has taken it upon himself to convert the monkey to Christianity?) and may be heisting peoples belongings. Craziness! As always, Tom's writing is spectacular and you'll be learning arcane bits of knowledge on every page. Some of his ideas are crazy, but deep down are not all ideas crazy?

I picked up this book while staying at a friend's loft in NY and only had enough time to read the first twenty-five pages before I had to leave. I was so engrossed I wanted to take it home with me. Yes, it was so brilliant I actually considered stealing from a friend. The first thing I did when I got back to LA was buy the book. I had read some Robbins as a kid and after reading this fun, brilliant, provocative book, decided to reread all of Tom Robbins books. With so many crappy, stupid, uninspired, poorly written books these days, Robbins is a breath of fresh air. Not only is he a truly great writer, a master and lover of the written word but he is a writer with something interesting to say and the smarts to back it up. Robbins knows how to construct plot and character, while mixing in so many interesting ideas without being didactic or arrogant. There is nothing cliche in what Robbins writes and he shares in an entertaining way his knowledge of so many topics. This is a man who thinks, is interested in the world seen and unseen and paralays the information into the most imaginative and fun stories I've ever read. His creativity is astonishing, his style flawless and his ideas provocative. I recommened all his books to anyone who wants to be reminded what literary genius is all about.

I don't read Tom Robbins for meaning, story, plot, characterization, or any of the other things I might look for in conventional fiction. I suspect he would scoff at the notion that he is somehow presenting a philosophy. I read Tom Robbins for his exquisite word play and his unending ability to fuel my sense of the absurd. C'mon. Who else would define "rapscallion" as a hip-hop onion? Given the two reasons I read his work, this book scores on both counts.

Reading even a paragraph of any Tom Robbins book is like feasting at the finest Paris restaurant. Each sentence is a luscious delight to roll around and enjoy from the entree of the meaning,to the appetizing adjectives and the adverbial side dishes. Half Asleep In Frog Pajamas is a most appropriate book today because of it's tie-in with the Stock Market and those who comandeer the marketing and selling of stocks and bonds. If one has never read a Tom Robbins novel, this is a good one to initiate a life-long love of his books. I wait patiently five to eight years to see the next book. For me, Tom Robbins is a moveable feast of fantasy and fiction woven with the tapestry of philosophy, ecology and humor. No one can make me laugh out loud like Tom Robbins. If you read one of his books, you have to go on and read them all. Like truly delectable dishes, you never get your fill.

It's practically impossible to review a Tom Robbins novel considering that just reciting the plot line in no way describes what actually goes on in the story (sorta like an existential Seinfeld episode). That's what makes it so exciting- you never know what will make you laugh on the next page or what will make you think about life in a totally different way in the next chapter. This is my favorite of all of TR's books (and he's my favorite author so I guess that makes it the best book ever!). I have read it ATLEAST 10 times and buy it for gifts. I'd say this is a good starting place if you are not familiar with TR. It's a little more cautious than some of the others. Of course, being so totally UNcautious is exactly why TR has so many loyal fans. Anyway, HIGH praises for this book. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars.