Warlock

JH is apparently the bard of Michigan and having grown up there I was of course interested. Facts: Funny, fast paced, very sharply written. Facts the writer would prefer avoiding: Frankly a little aimless, a little "Hey I just thought this up maybe it will work in my book," and, most unfortunately, far too "a very smart man wrote this, much smarter than the protagonist of course, but still prey to his vanities and foibles and shortcoming, though also possessed of his strange charm and way with the ladies, and even if he does not really resemble the author perfectly the protagonist certainly at heart would in the end render the same judgement upon the world and have the same conversation with you about it as the author, only the author would have a lot more game and would not be so needy," which is a sad symptom for a book to exhibit, if a common one, alas. That said: it's funny, as I mentioned, and the prose is sharp, but ultimately it leaves you thinking, mr. harrison, drop the charade and give me the lecture on the meaning of life that you are obviously dying to provide.

"Warlock" by Jim Harrison follows Johnny Lundgren, a.k.a Warlock, an unemployed man who lives rather aimlessly with his wife Diana after losing his job. Warlock and Diana have an interesting marriage, not exactly bad, not exactly good. Warlock cheats on Diana, and Diana cheats on Warlock. Despite this, Warlock and Diana have the potential to be a really good couple. Warlock lives in a fantasy world, he sees the world through rose-colored glasses and it's very entertaining to see his constant sexual experiences written in such interesting terms, from Patty, a unemployment agent who smells like pee, to Aurora a definite player, and who plays Warlock like a ukelele. Diana suggests that Warlock get a job when she's worried that he's become depressed. She gets him an interview with the eccentric Dr. Rabun, and ends up looking at trees in the Upper Peninsula. This story is an interesting one, it's very funny, just with Warlock's fantasies, but there seems to be a weakness in character with this book. I would suggest you read it, if you aren't faint of heart.

This book is quite different from his later works, but very entertaining. Although I like his later books they sometimes fall into political corectedness. This book cannot be called politically correct by any means.

This book is less philosophical than many of Harrison's works. The main character is a hilarious buffoon that had me cracking up throughout, though I thought the beginning was pretty slow. Very high in entertainment value, with the usual J. Harrison sex, but more of it. Keep it in the bathroom when you're finished and leaf through it for laughs now and then!