The Ink Truck

This is Kennedy's first novel, differing from his sequels in skirting around Albany's past and lacking the dark depths he revels in when describing the seamy underbelly of his native tone. However, in his surreal description of a heroically futile and increasingly surreal newspaper strike, he more than compensates for his reduced complexity by an emphasis instead on zany humor, absurd plot twists and a wide range of outlandish characters. Highly recommended to Kennedy aficionados who are interested in savoring a lighter touch.