Men and Cartoons

"Men and Cartoons" is an all too brief, return visit to the fictional worlds created by Jonathan Lethem in his memorable novels "Motherless Brooklyn" and "Fortress of Solitude", with more than a passing nod to such classic early work from him like his literary debut "Gun, With Occasional Music". Hence it is an interesting, often fascinating, blend of literary styles from quasi-cyberpunk science fiction to hard-boiled noirish detective stories reminiscent of the best from the likes of Raymond Chandler and Elmore Leonard. However, it is not Lethem's most impressive story collection when I can find only one truly memorable tale in this terse anthology; the emotionally captivating "Super Goat Man". And yet there is another tale which almost succeeds as a work of literary art, "The Glasses", which is a fascinating glimpse into racial relations and standards of normal, mentally stable, behavior. If there is one common underlying thread which links all of these stories, then it is Lethem's ongoing fascination with Brooklyn, growing up there as adolescents in the 1970s, and a devout, almost fanatical, love for comic books. Those who are truly interested in reading some brief examples of Lethem's intriguing, often elegant, literary style won't be disappointed with this story collection.

If you are looking for cartoons, I'd skip this one. There's only a cartoon face on the cover. Men, on the other hand, are explored in depth.

In the meantime, I read lots of books, year in and out, plenty of them good, some of them even great. But none were like this one, which gave me a whole new way of looking at the world and life's possibilities. Instead of a nod of recognition and a reflection of the world as it is, each story gave me a sense of "What if?" and a view of unseen parts of the human psyche. Some of these stories (The Spray, Access Fantasy) are pure fantasy but within that fantasy is more than a grain of truth about how we see ourselves, yearning for meaning, communion or just to reach beyond common sense and "reality" and into the realm of true weirdness. Lehman has a way of taking the reader there while keeping his stories somehow believable, within the bounds of their unique worlds. It is a pleasure to read a writer willing to take risks like this and to do so without pretension or pose. Loved this book!

I am a huge Jonathan Lethem fan, and happen to believe Fortress of Solitiude was the best novel of 2003 and deserved the type of attention that Franzen's "The Corrections" received in 2001. It's all about the prose people! LEthem has a fantastic way with prose and style and it is very memorable and fun to read. His dialogue is unique and realistic and the characters are unforgettable. I had only read Lethem's previous 4 novels and so this is my first encounter with Lethem's short stories, and I loved them all. Definitely highly recommended to anyone looking for great writing. After you read this, go to your local library and get Fortress of Solitude...it will change your life.