I am finishing the story.

Actually, it's not that great.

I have been working on this story for a while now. I thought it would turn out to be something amazing, but as I am getting closer to the end, I realize that it's just an ordinary story.

The characters are not as developed as I would like them to be, and the plot is a bit predictable.

However, I still think it has some redeeming qualities. The writing style is quite engaging, and there are a few scenes that are quite emotional.

I guess I will just have to be content with what I have and move on to my next project.

Maybe I will learn from my mistakes and create something truly outstanding next time.

You don't have to be a beatnik to enjoy these books, but it probably would help.

The back cover of each book contains one single word: Mayonnaise.

"Trout Fishing in America" - Some parts of this book actually make sense. However, this may have been accidental. Overall, it earns 3 stars.

"The Pill versus the Springhill Mine Disaster" - It consists of short and mostly meaningless "poems". This book gets 2 stars.

"In Watermelon Sugar" - Finally, this book stops trying to make sense. It just manages to get 3 stars (barely).

These books offer a unique reading experience that may not be for everyone. But for those who are willing to explore the unconventional and the absurd, they could be an interesting choice.

Whether you're a beatnik or not, give these books a try and see if they speak to you. You might be surprised by what you discover.

Some of the worst poetry I have ever read in my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But really, it was such a blast.

It's truly remarkable how something so bad can still bring a sense of enjoyment. Maybe it's the pure love and enthusiasm that went into creating it, even if the execution left much to be desired.

Giving it 5 stars for pure love because there's no denying the passion that was poured into it. However, when it comes to the serious aspect of poetry, it only manages to earn 2 stars.

The flaws are evident, but somehow, that doesn't take away from the overall experience. It's like a train wreck that you just can't look away from.

In the end, it's a unique and unforgettable piece of work that will stay with me for a long time.

Weird, hallucinatory, and truly a bit beyond my comprehension.

"In Watermelon Sugar" was my absolute favorite. It was so bizarre, yet there was a certain kind of beauty to it.

The story seemed to unfold in a dreamlike world, filled with strange characters and events that left me both confused and intrigued.

The language was vivid and descriptive, painting a picture that was both otherworldly and captivating.

I found myself constantly turning the pages, eager to see what would happen next in this strange and wonderful story.

Although it was a challenging read at times, I ultimately came away from it with a sense of wonder and a new appreciation for the power of the imagination.

"In Watermelon Sugar" is a book that I will definitely be thinking about for a long time to come.

Three books all in one package - a superb deal!

I had previously heard of Trout Fishing in America, but I had no inkling that it was such a crazy novella. It seems to encompass all things - from the actual act of trout fishing, to a person, to a place, and so forth. Brautigan's spare style is a perfect fit here. Although much of what he writes might seem nonsensical at first glance, it all manages to come together in a strange and wonderful way.

I've never been a big fan of poetry, so "The Pill versus The Springhill Mine Disaster" was a real eye-opener. Here was poetry that didn't rely on rhyme or excessive use of figurative language, yet it could be deeply moving and incredibly intriguing. I was so taken with it that I even copied out a couple of the poems to share with a friend.

I decided to do a search on the list of 1001 books you should read before you die to see if Brautigan got a mention. I was certain that either Trout Fishing or Confederate General would be on there, but to my surprise, neither were. Instead, "In Watermelon Sugar" was the one that made the cut. This is truly the perfect book. Ever since I turned the last page, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. It's a fantasy, almost bordering on science fiction in some aspects, and once again, it showcases Brautigan's spare, spartan writing style to perfection. It's easy to read and has a gentle charm, until suddenly it reveals its murderous, twisted streak, leaving you on the verge of tears by the end. It's an absolute classic that will stay with you long after you've finished reading.

This is one of those books whose appeal I completely understand, yet I don't truly love it.

That is to say, many of my talented and intelligent friends regard this as a seminal book and would mention Brautigan as one of their most influential writers.

Perhaps I encountered it at the wrong moment? There are indeed moments of absolute and objective brilliance.

During those times, he manages to be funny, sad, weird, and accessible all simultaneously.

However, there are also moments when my patience for what seems to be arbitrary and folksy weirdness wears out.

I'm glad that Brautigan's books exist, and I'm also glad that they have inspired some other books that I truly enjoy.

But when it comes to actually reading these particular works, I didn't have that intense love.

Maybe it's a matter of personal taste or the specific context in which I read them.

Nonetheless, I can still appreciate the value and significance that these books hold for many others.

I read these books during my hippie days, and I was immediately captivated by Brautigan's prose. It was truly beautiful, simplistic, and minimalist. With just a few words, he could sketch pictures that were surprisingly detailed.

BUT...

I have since matured. While these books will always be regarded as classics in the minds of young liberals who are full of idealism and have a longing to be modern-day hoboes, they may also keep their minds filled with mush and cause them to ignore the complexity of reality.

Still, like reading Kerouac's journals, Brautigan's works offer an interesting insight into the thinking of the flower children of the 60s, as well as the tragic figure of a man who ultimately couldn't cope. (Brautigan committed suicide right around his 50th birthday).

I had to lower my rating.

I had read this book several years ago when I was a teenager, deeply in love with the idea of being a rebel. To me, Brautigan was the epitome of that rebellious spirit.

Perhaps when I initially rated it, I added a touch of nostalgia. I remembered the purple capret and the incense burning while someone read to me, among other things.

However, it's extremely challenging to judge something written in a different decade, with different cultural and literary contexts floating around in the air. I wasn't there during that time, so I can't say much about it in the context of its own era.

But there is still so much original and remarkable stuff to admire. I would be a fool to overlook it. For example, consider the poems:

"I Feel Horrible. She Doesn't"

I feel horrible. She doesn't
love me and I wander around
the house like a sewing machine
that's just finished sewing
a turd to a garbage can lid.

And "Boo, Forever"

Spinning like a ghost
on the bottom of a
top,
I'm haunted by all
the space that I
will live without
you.

I can clearly see how I went crazy over a poem titled "The Day They Busted the Grateful Dead" back then.

I love "In Watermelon Sugar" for its absurdity.

"of course we used a lot less tombs when the tigers were in bloom. But now we bury them all in glass coffins at the bottoms of rivers. And we put foxfires in the tombs so they glow at night and we can appreciate what comes next."

And the tigers that ate the father; a classic poor adolescent from the start, perhaps like Harry Potter himself. But all of that doesn't make up for the repetition of Brautigan's declarative sentences. It becomes quite monotonous when read page after page.

It's truly a challenging task to rate an omnibus such as this one, particularly when the contents are so vastly different from one another.

In a certain sense, all three volumes might be considered consistent in that they are exemplary of Brautigan's unique style. "Trout Fishing" offers a jazzy-surreal snapshot of life, making me feel as if I were a beatnik or hippie in the 1960s for a brief moment (***). "Pill Vs. Springhill" is a collection of strange, funny, thoughtful, sad, and sexy little poems. It's as if someone who adores haiku is attempting to create their own horny American version of the form. For me, they ranged widely, from the rather sublime ("Machines of Loving Grace") to the slightly dated and somewhat icky (the title poem). Overall, I would rate it three stars.

Finally, we have the heartbreaking and sui generis brilliance of "In Watermelon Sugar" (*****). It's a satiric-existentialist fable that lies somewhere near the center of a Kafka/Vonnegut/Calvino/Camus Venn diagram, packing an incredible mental punch into its slim pages.

So, all things considered, a rating of 4 stars it is!

Although my app assures me it was only 4 hours and 16 minutes of reading time, it only feels like the coin dropped in the machine and not the consumption of whatever is released.

In brief, I had a mixed experience with the books I read. I enjoyed "Trout Fishing in America," loved the way the poetry of "The Pill, etc." slid by at highway speeds, and hated "In Watermelon Sugar."

To reduce it to the metaphor of a daytrip, there are the photos and postcards you'll enjoy looking at, remembering pieces of an experience you've mostly forgotten; the experience of being on the road, zipping by the places you'll visit in the mythic "one day;" and the long afternoon spent at a relative's house listening to stories about people you don't know but had complex backstories while eating semi-edible for-company pastries.

I was surprised by how hard it was to finish "In Watermelon Sugar." It is the essence of wrongness (and therefore, perhaps the only surreal work that was ever effective for me); a children's book of adulthood that contains all the wonderful fantastical fillips that I loved in those books as a younger reader set at the service of mundanity. It's a little like tearing down a playhouse. I want to like it and then I want to yell at the narrator and then I want to stop random people on the street and ask WHY?!?! What am I missing?

Overall, I can't recommend "In Watermelon Sugar," but I don't think I'll forget it either. It left a strange and lasting impression on me, one that I'm still trying to understand.

I'm curious to hear what others think of this book and if they had a similar or different experience. Maybe there's something I'm just not seeing.

Until then, I'll continue to explore different books and see what else the literary world has to offer.

Richard Brautigan is truly a remarkable find from that strange and wonderful era that lies between the beatniks and the hippies. His works are filled with an abundance of cool, humorous, and surreal writing that is both captivating and engaging. There is so much to ponder upon when it comes to the various themes he explores. He delves deep into the way the homeless are treated in society, the perils of materialism, the devastating effects of environmental destruction, and the often unfair treatment of women. It is truly astonishing how far ahead of his time Brautigan was. In terms of style, his writing is refreshingly simple, allowing you to breeze through all three of his books in just 1-2 hours each. However, don't be fooled by the simplicity of his style, as the content of his writing has an incredible depth that rewards your careful thinking and attentiveness. His words have the power to make you see the world in a whole new light and leave a lasting impression on your mind.

Although this book claims him as part of the Beat movement,

he doesn't seem nearly so sexist and dickish as all that.

He actually comes across as a pretty decent guy.

He is just having fun with words.

He is not trying to squeeze every last ounce of Life and Beauty from beauty and life, only partially in sincerity but largely driven by a hyperactive sense of Self.

Rather, he is just finding things beautiful and enjoying life.

He seems to have a genuine appreciation for the simple pleasures that life has to offer.

His approach to life and art is refreshingly unpretentious.

He doesn't feel the need to conform to the expectations of a particular movement or ideology.

Instead, he is content to express himself in his own unique way.

Perhaps this is what makes him such an interesting and engaging figure.

Despite being associated with the Beat movement, he has his own distinct voice and perspective.

He shows that it is possible to be part of a larger cultural trend while still maintaining one's individuality.