The Error of Our Ways

I picked up a copy of this book at our library, actually because I liked the cover (sad but true!). I'd never read or heard of David Carkeet, who is a linguist and author of two other works. Reading reviews of his novels, one might be dismissive because of the "highbrow" linguistic tones they take. This book is actually a delight even if you don't care about his use of language and the effects it may have on the plot itself.The reason I enjoyed this book was really two fold. First, it was great to read something about domestic life from a male protagonist point of view that was actually written by a male. Secondly, the plot itself is just full of wonderful little ironies and threads that weave themselves together beautifully at the end. While some passages are a bit stuffy and seem "full of words" (that lingustics thing again, I guess) for the most part I absolutely loved everything about the story. I am definately going to read his other two works now.

Carkeet was my History of the English Language professor two semesters ago, so I picked up this book out of curiosity when I saw it advertised on the UM-St. Louis English Department "Recent Faculty Publications" board. Am I glad I did. This book is very funny and very true to life. And the best part is that I can actually hear Carkeet's voice in there. Having taken one of his classes, I think, has given me a lot of insight into the book I might not have had otherwise, but I think that a lot of people can relate to this book, especially when it comes to the relationships between the characters.

This is a complex yet thorougly readable and hilarious book. A master of the spoken word, Carkeet makes every word count. His characters touched me deeply at many levels.

A wonderful addition to the tradition of the comic novel -- though fans of Evelyn Waugh, Amis pere et fils, Charles Portis and Michael Chabon will surely love it, it's also quietly innovative. I started reading around eight in the evening; I put it down just before two a.m. hoarse from laughter. I withhold a rating of `10' only because I have a hunch this author might just be able to top himself

Funny, witty, and full of warmth. Jeremy Cook is back - this time with the Nut King of St. Louis