The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B

This book was my introduction to J. P. Donleavey and I didn't know quite what to expect. Early on the book had me laughing out loud, yet throughout there is a strong undercurrent of sadness.The portion devoted to Balthazar's time at Trinity reminded me of both "Lucky Jim" by Kingsley Amis, and "The Water Method Man" by John Irving. Donleavy uses the academic setting to create situations with a tremendous amount of humor and a profound sense of loneliness and alienation simultaneously.This introduction led me to pick up four more by Donleavy. The emotion of the book stayed with me for a long time afterward.

Donleavy's BBBB can teach you a thing or two in romance and the sadness of real life. By temperament, if you are one of those people who are shy and intellectual, you will learn how to impress the opposite sex. The bitter-sweet humor of BBBB also warns you about the possible mishaps that can happen even when people are genuinely in love. For those of you, who might have had the pleasure of consorting with ladies of easy virtue, it is a sad reminder that in the 90s, you will never be able to emulate the hedonist 1960s and 1970s. A remarkable book on friendship, love, and how fluctuating fortunes can make or break one's life.

JP Donleavy's gun-slinging humor and writing style is too much for most American-centric fans of bubble-gum literature. Balthazar B. is a truely classic character portrayed in a colorful and slattern universe. A must read for intelects.