DNF

Full Disclosure: I entered the library with the intention of renting a different novel by Norman Mailer, namely The Deer Park, which he is arguably most renowned for. However, upon inspection, the copy available had rather long paragraphs and small print. Consequently, I decided to begin with a shorter Mailer novel, Tough Guys Don't Dance, to determine if I even liked his writing style before delving into the more substantial work.

Tough Guys Don't Dance presents an interesting premise. An aspiring writer wakes up after a night of heavy drinking to find the passenger seat of his car covered in blood, with no recollection of how it got there. Mailer is indeed an engaging and talented writer, and I do appreciate his style. However, my issue with the book, and the reason I couldn't complete it, is that the lead character, Tim Madden, goes on numerous tangents that are far too long and often make no sense. For instance, he might say, "Hmm. My passenger seat is covered in blood. Let me tell you about how my parents met and how my wife and I used to swing with other couples." Or, "Hmm. I've just found a severed head. Now let me tell you about the time I went rock climbing." It's just so strange. Additionally, he never really seems to show any concern, disturbance, or shock at these discoveries.
I simply couldn't tolerate it any longer, and I'm quite disappointed because I really wanted to know what happened. Now, I'm unsure if I want to return to the library and rent the book I originally intended to get. Will it be more of the same? I don't know, and I'm not sure if I'm even interested in finding out.

This is not a "typical" noir novel. It is filled with drugs, sex, alcohol, and how the combination of these leads to disproportionate acts.

The beginning is slow, heavy, with bombastic language. It takes some effort to adapt to it, perhaps due to the character of the narrative (Tim Madden), who is not linear in his storytelling. He weaves intricate stories to bring you to the main point, so it requires all your attention. It's like a tangle of ideas, and sometimes it's difficult to know which fact is the important one to remember.

However, once you overcome that and catch the narrative style, it becomes lighter. It reaches a tipping point where you can't stop reading because it's so intriguing. Nevertheless, at the end of the story, it suddenly drops with that intensity.

Overall, this novel offers a unique and complex reading experience that challenges the reader to engage with its non-linear narrative and explore the dark themes it presents.

I thought this was truly one of the best things I had ever read.

However, it's important to note that this isn't for everyone. It delves into dark, lurid, and sordid territory, told from the perspective of a rather unsavory lowlife sleazebag.

As I understand it, Norman Mailer himself wasn't exactly the epitome of moral purity. There were definitely moments that made me feel quite disgusted.

But despite that, it was highly memorable. It was a great mystery, filled with some amazing and incredibly insightful lines that had me reaching for a highlighter to mark up my copy.

If you're an aspiring writer, this book could be a great source of inspiration.

I've never actually been a victim of gaslighting, but reading this book gave me a sense of what that might feel like.

This story also serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of living for too long in a small place where everyone knows each other perhaps a bit too well.

That's something I can definitely relate to. Some themes that emerged several times in the story were following one's instincts and impulses, which don't always lead to a good outcome.

Another theme was the strain of extreme duress that can give a person the drive to persevere. And finally, there was the idea of paying for one's past mistakes many years down the road.

Overall, it was a thought-provoking and engaging read.

What can be said about this novel! I have just finished it and I'm not sure if I understood it well. My mind is confused. It's one of those books that you can read several times because I'm sure that in this first reading I understood only half. I enjoyed it from page one. I really enjoy noir literature, anti-heroes, characters with wounds and twisted stories. This is the story of Tim, who after a binge wakes up with bloodstains in his car, a lot of confusion and a decapitated head. He doesn't know if he was the murderer and in the novel he takes us on his journey to discover the truth. Without a doubt, it is a book that maintains the desire to understand what happened to the victims. It is full of existential reflections and dark, cruel and unpredictable characters. I really enjoyed it, although I went through moments of confusion among so many nicknames of the characters and even at the end there are things that are not clear to me. They say that this book is a criticism of society. I really liked it a lot.