The Seersucker Whipsaw

As did Donald Westlake, Ross Thomas died far too young, costing us a fabulously sly, cynical, hopeful, humane writer. He was probably a socialist, certainly very progressive, and his forté was the "political novel" --exposing the daily practice of politics in all its rottenness, dirty tricks, and idealisms, whether of a union takeover, an African country throwing off colonialism, or the US national political scene. The Seersucker Whipsaw was one of his best political novels, but all of them repay re-reading for their polished plotting and their undertone of humor, humanity, and dogged idealism. I won't recap the plot -other reviewers have done that job already- except to say it includes his trademarked dry humor, romance, quirkily engaging characters, tiny thought-provoking vignettes, and what looks to me like a very clear picture of international politics in colonial Africa. He makes us care about the characters and want to know What Happened Next, and no writer can do more than that.

The Seersucker Whipsaw, one of Ross Thomas' earlier novels, also happens to be one of his best. What is most remarkable about this novel is the utter smoothness with which the narrative unfolds. The plot revolves around two Americans who have been recruited to run a political campaign in newly independent Albertia, a former British colony in West Africa. The younger of the two men, Pete Upshaw is a former newspaperman and a specialist in public relations. He provides the narration while at the same time serving as the author's alter ego. The subject matter is highly original and intriguing. Imagine trying to run a modern American style national campaign in a country that only has 75 functioning TV sets. Then imagine using a network of jungle drums to get your candidate's message out. It sounds far fetched yet, somehow, Thomas makes it all quite believable. As in all Ross Thomas novels, there is no shortage of witty dialogue and insightful takes on human attitudes and behavior. Moreover, the author's deft descriptions of people, places and things make West Africa come to life. The Seersucker Whipsaw is a wonderfully well crafted novel that is thoroughly entertaining. Highly recommended.

My favorite of all Ross Thomas' books. Political operatives Peter Upshaw and Clinton Shartelle are hired to steal, er, of course I meant to say win an election in the African nation of Albertia. There are buttons, there are balloons, there are, god forgive Thomas, jungle drums, all leading up to an ending that confounds everything that went before.

Ross Thomas is not just good, he was so penetrating in his depiction of american and african cultures, of business and politics, and of human character, that he was not fully appreciated in his time. All foreign service officers should be required to read this book before being allowed outside of US borders, but then again all educated readers are missing the pleasure of a lifetime if they should neglect it. St. Martin's Press Minotaur is re-issuing Ross Thomas titles, all of which are superb, but none that compares with the incisive and funny prose that bristles out of the "Seersucker Wipsaw". Would that it were re-released as a major event, as it truly deserves to be.

The Seersucker Whipshaw takes the reader to a developing country in Africa. The country's first election is to take place soon and a large advertising agency has dispatched a famous political consultant to manage the campaign. Long before there was Carville or Atwater, this book written in 1968, describes the future of the political consulting industry and its positive and harmful effects on international democracy. As a political consultant, I am amazed by Ross' ability to discuss strategy and tactics in a campaign and understand fundamentally how to communicate one's message. There are many layers to this book -- mystery, suspense, drama and a campaign to boot. Thomas' covers our industry -- it's positive points and pitfalls -- and does a superb job describing all facets of a national campaign. This book is a wonderful read for those who enjoy mysteries and thrillers but what makes it special is its ability to understand its topic and delve into the pressure points of the subject. Thomas has demonstrated this ability in the spy community over the years but speaking for political consultants, I would encourage him to take up his pen once again and delve into the business. After all, whether it is a local race or the presidential campaign in Colombia (1994 especially), there is much to our work that coupled with Thomas' ability to tell a story that would make for a great novel.