Tom Robbins is the spokesman of my generation. One Hell of an imagination and the eloquence to communicate it to an audience. If you are a stick-in-the-mud right-wing, NRA card-carrying member--stay away.

What to call my favorite scene... let's call it: in the bathroom on hands and knees eating salad. Probably the funniest laugh-out-loud scene I have ever read.

από που να ξεκινήσω...
Εν αρχής ο Σουιτερς είναι ο πιο αγαπημένος μου φανταστικός ήρωας. η απολυτή αντίφαση, η λαγνεία, η εξυπνάδα, η επιρρέπεια σε όλων των ειδών τις απολαύσεις και τις πρωτόγνωρες εμπειρίες. Η γνωριμία μου μαζί του συντέλεσε στην αναδιαμόρφωση της κοσμοθεωρίας μου και της οπτικής που αντιμετωπίζω τη ζωή.

Τι να ναι αυτό λοιπόν, που θα μπορούσε να ανάγει μια γνώση σε απαγορευμένη?
Και πόσο μακριά διατίθεται κάποιος να φτάσει για να απαντήθει αυτό ερώτημα?

Είναι η ζωή ένα σύνολο φυσικών φαινομένων και συμπτώσεων? Ή έστω, η ψευδαίσθηση τους?

Είναι η ηθική άπλα θέμα του εκάστοτε πολιτισμικού περιβάλλοντος?

Φωτισμένος είναι ο άνθρωπος, με διευρυμένη την συνείδηση και την Χρυσή Τομή του Χιούμορ?

ΑΘΡΩΠΟΙ ΟΛΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΚΟΘΜΟΥ...ΧΑΛΑΡΩΘΤΕ ΕΠΙΤΕΛΟΥΘ!!!!!


where to start by ...
In the beginning Switers is my favorite fictional hero. The absolute contradiction, lust, intelligence, susceptibility to all kinds of pleasures and new experiences. My acquaintance with him was instrumental in the reshaping of my worldview and vision of life encounter.

What this then, that could reduce a forbidden knowledge;
and how far we can go in order to answer this question;

Life is a set of natural phenomena and coincidences; the very least, the illusion of them;

morality is simply a matter of individual cultural environment;

Enlightened is the man with enlarged consciousness and the Golden Section of Humor;

(Maybe one day I will bump this to five stars, if the book sticks in my mind.)

I want to say that I wanted to dislike this book from the get-go, but that's not true. What is actually true is that I had a rocky start with this book, and after only making it through a few pages in six weeks, (and with four days left before a bookclub meeting), I realized I had to knuckle down and plow through this bad boy.

To help myself wade through what I initially labelled as complete crap, I compulsively rewrote the first twenty pages. And edited "kosher chicken" out of the opening line (try "plucked, dressed, and copacetic chicken"). My impression during this phase was that the author was writing exploratorily, getting good-writing writer's block, tenuously connecting the disjointed leads of the narrative; and looking back at his work to try to make it more natural and comprehensible, and completely failing to do so. I seemed not to understand a sentence until I read the one after it.

After that, I managed to read about 100 pages a day. I didn't properly enjoy myself until Smithe began telling the story of his meeting with the Kandakandero Shaman. But from then on, I found myself enjoying the book more and more. The wry, witty humor: I soon, bitterly, began comparing it to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and then to Candide.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, I was surprised to find out, is not everybody's favorite book. I love it for its philosophy, because while everything in the universe is absurd and unexpected, nothing is out of place. The way in which the characters consciously or unconsciously follow through with their ineffective, wishful habits no matter anything allows the nature of the human condition to be illustrated again and again. And Douglas Adam's take on the human condition is at once hopeless and impossible, and very (pretty), (and) very (friendly) (and) loving and beautiful and uplifting.

Fierce Invalids flourishes a larger vocabulary than the Guide, is set in a much more mundane and believable locale, and has a slightly more woo-woo bent. Switters is influenced by zazen and modern conscientiousness. He speaks constantly of the fluidity and non-essentialness of things such as concepts. He encounters nuns and otherwise devout characters, speaking unfazed in their terms.

Five things fazed me: It is hard to relate to a pedophile. Switters claims psychic remote viewing works. Grandma "punched offline", which means absolutely nothing (try, closed her browser? Ripped out her extension cord?). The dialogue between Switters and Maestra in their first scene is extremely stilted. I did not like the viscous flow of adjectives Robbins used in the opening scene (it was, I grudgingly admit, too damn vivid).

Most things did not faze me. That means this list is going to be pretty weak sounding: Finnegan's Wake is spoken of in the terms I view it: incomprehensible and existentially funny. Switters dreams of foreign lands and strange situations. He has cool gizmos. He admires an arms-runner. He doesn't dwell for a moment on money. Switters is completely convinced he is hot stuff. Switters is completely convinced that he can't set foot on the ground because a Shaman in the Amazon rainforest told him he must do so never again. Ever after, he jokes about seeing things from "two inches off the ground", which is how a knowledgable monk described enlightenment to somebody up the grapevine.

This book is stream of consciousness, but in a nice way, not at all like Ulysses. Since the story is Switters' experience, it might be completely unreliable. That is part of the beauty of this book. Life is an unreliable narrative. It is chaotic, and it is a canvas for your ideas. These absurd events are a canvas for Robbins' ideas, which is how this book is similar to Candide (I much prefer this to Candide). Life is an unreliable narrative, which is why I like this book.

I found myself at times not-exceedingly-infrequently reading non-linearly over the span of 5-10 pages, because I can't stand suspense. Is Switters permanently disabled? (I had my reservations until the end.) How do those scenes in the beginning connect? (Connecting all those scenes will take you all the way through the book.) I found that this book reads best on a very large monitor.

I can imagine this book not being a person's cup of tea. Especially if you particularly identify with any of the non-Switters characters: their arguments are typically not given any consideration. Sometimes, you might think that they are temporarily filled with straw. The first 100 pages for me drew scathing comparison to Eoin Colfer's philosophically vacant and attention span insulting 'And Another Thing'. And Robbins' god damned first sentence was just too damn inaccessible. But I already said that, and another four other things.

Switters' occupation (airheaded CIA agent) is incidental, providing an absurd dose to otherwise less strange situations. The real story is his fierce determination to fit his own beliefs onto whatever backdrop has been placed before him, and a certain brazen confidence which keeps him from taking most of himself and pretty much all of everyone else too seriously.

I felt good during and after reading this book.

This was such a weird book and I enjoyed it immensely. Switters is a hilarious protagonist, with his nonsensical musings and never-ending fascinations with Finnegan's Wake and John Foster Dulles (and hey, as a DC guy myself, I'm always up for hating on Dulles).

Plot-wise, the book presented to me as being very similar to Don Quixote, except layered with profanity and vulgarity, as well as a modern lens. And our protagonist, Switters, was no doubt quixotic in his adventures. Between Seattle, Sacramento, Peru, Syria, Rome, etc, Switters was nearly constantly on the move, always having one plan derailed by the next, or having to course correct as new obstacles were encountered. In this sense, it very much read as though it were a comedic epic.

I cannot say enough positive words about Tom Robbins' writing. What a joy! Even in the moments where the plot was too outlandish or foolish for my liking, I never tired of Robbins' beautiful prose and commanding hold over the English language. I'd definitely be interested in reading more works by him.

Overall, definitely recommend, and I'm glad my friend Sarah got me to pick this one up!

Some people love this shit and find it oh so witty and creative, but to me the perfect phrase to describe this book (and all Tom Robbins) is "verbal masturbation." If you value the simple beauty of good prose, you will feel dirty after ol Robbins spews gratuitous, barely cogent metaphors willy-nilly all over your literary face line after nauseating line. Robbins is clearly getting off on his own cleverness; it's just too bad he didn't stop to think about your needs.

Αυτό το βιβλίο με έκανε να γελάσω. Το γέλιο είναι καλό, οπότε μου άρεσε. Πολλές λεπτομέρειες που μου έφεραν νύστα σε κάτι φάσεις σουπερ ντάγκλας. Δεν αποκλείεται και το βιβλίο να έχει γραφτεί σε ανάλογες φάσεις (ψυχεδελικές).
Ο Switters είναι ο καλύτερος αγριεμένος ανάπηρος από καυτά κλίματα που γνώρισα ποτέ και αυτό γιατί είναι αυθεντικός.
Μη διαβάζετε άλλα βιβλία με δράμα και θλίψη και όλα τα κακά του κόσμου. Διαβάστε αυτό.

Ugh. I loved the writing as much as I hated how gross and misogynist it was. It was delightful and at times I thought my eyes would roll off and begin lives of their own dedicated to rebuffing mansplainers and unapologetic pedophiles the world over.

A 2.5

For the first third of this book I alternated thinking it was brilliant and banal. Then it mostly bored me. Switters annoyed me. I kept thinking how aggravating he would be in real life. His pompous shenanigans did not strike me as half as witty as the character (and the author) seemed to think they were. I tired of him.

I also did not understand the author’s choice to mostly tell the story through Switters, but then at times step out and play narrator, even a few times addressing the reader directly. It did not work for me. The change in voice was awkward and broke the tempo of the book. Robbins also used way too many over the top similes, metaphors and descriptions. Although occasionally creative and enjoyable, more often they were taxing. It added to the pompous nature of the book that turned me off.

I enjoyed the overall themes of the book: religion, modernity, women’s issues, spirituality. Robbins raises some interesting ideas and makes some poignant observations about modern western culture. I also appreciated the grand scheme of the plot. Convoluted as it might be, it worked.

Although Maestra was a memorable character, she seemed too much of an anomaly to me. Her spy knowledge and tech expertise seemed very out of place, and devoid of explanation. Her skills seemed to exist solely to give the author an authority to keep Switters in check.

Spoilers ahead:

There were a few other items that did not make the grade. Twice Switters unloads his pistol and people laugh it off, once into the boat, and a second time at the lock in compound. The first one is the biggie. You mean to tell me that if I owned a medium sized boat and someone shot into it a number of times, I would not mind? Also, if Maestra, Suzi and others thought something was legitimately wrong with his legs, why did they not question the fact that Switters was still driving? Finally, I realize the curse is arbitrary, but why would stilts be ok, but shoes not ok? If his feet could not touch the ground, wouldn’t shoes do the trick? These are not major plot holes, but annoyed me none the less.

I don’t think I will be reading any more books by Robbins. He does not seem to be my cup of tea.

Wild! This might be my favorite book!! A great combo of the sarcastic, zany, and philosophical! And don’t even get me started on the main character... Switters is something. He is realer than a lot of nonfictional characters I know irl.

Tom Robbins has honestly outdone himself here. He is a master of the English Language unlike any other. His working vocabulary definitely towers over that of the White House, combined. His metaphors and analogies have given me reason enough to live. This book is a study in contradictions. I love this. How can a book be so flippant yet hilarious yet disgusting yet profound?

I am 100% going to read this again. There are so many nuggets of pure gold, kernels of truth buried in the pages of this book.

This book is by no small margin my favorite novel of all time.

First off, Switters is the greatest single character to emerge from modern literature pure and simple. Not only is he hilarious and a great role model for any law enforcement employee, but his personal philosophies (not discounting his desire to plow his step-sister,) are intriguing and captivating. "Rather than eschewing his contradictory nature, as is typical Western practice, Switters embraces it. He's a CIA agent who hates the government. He's a pacifist who carries a gun. He's as much in love with a sixteen-year-old girl as he is with a forty-six-year-old nun. Switters feels that the core of the universe, the heart of existence, is light and dark existing together. One is not separate from the other, they just exist,"(-The Wikipedia Page for Feirce Invalids). He is totally bad-assed, and while a little difficult to like or identify with at first, he quickly and enthusiastically grows on you.

The story itself is fascinating, zany, off the wall, engaging, and at times nerve wracking. The philosophies presented within are engaging and thought provoking, and presented in an incredibly accessable (no, not dumbed down, but artistic...) and well thought out way. An exciting and provocative discourse on the nature of Duality, this book not only has a purpose behind every minute action therein, but disguises it in such a way that it goes unnoticed until a thorough debriefing is held between the kid in you (who likes Fierce Invalids for its comedic, world hopping spy thriller action with sexy ladies and awesome protagonists,) and the wannabe philosopher in you (who'll love it for its stylistic diction and damn near poetic prose, its dense symbolism, and its staggering humanistic study of dualism.)

I can't begin to do this book justice in this discription. Its a great book, and if you're not affraid to think while you read, you should check it out.

Sometimes you find a book at the wrong time in your life, and you think how much you would have liked it if you had read it 10 years ago. This is one of those books for me.

I kept reading anyways, probably because there are enough funny/interesting parts to propel you through the annoying parts.

Someone recommended it to me when I was a college freshman, but I only recently got around to reading it. He told me something along the lines of "you're sex positive, so you would enjoy this sexy romp of a book." I don't remember exactly how he described it, but something like that. I probably would have like it back then as an eighteen year old, because it is raunchy and seemingly philosophical. I say seemingly, because if you let yourself be whipped around by Robbins' wordplay, it seems clever, but if you really pay attention, it's fairly routine sort of philosophizing. And a lot of trying waaaaay too hard to point out some truth or theory about humanity. WAAAAAY too hard. I kept thinking, "Um, is that it? Am I suposed to be in suspense?" Nope.

But really why this book is wrong for the 28 year old me is the disappointing extent to which women are discussed and portrayed. The unbelievably standard view of teenage virgins as the ultimate in sexiness is presented as a risky taboo in the book. Oh! The shocking desires of the main character! (/sarcasm) Is there any sexual desire LESS predictable??? I think not. Not to mention all the descriptions of sex scenes that are so not what get women all hot and bothered--even though he implies that aaaaall the women in the book want it, and they want it from Switters soooo bad. I don't know why so many guys think that girls love it when you twist and pinch our nipples, but we don't. Really. We don't. Stop that.

I'm pretty sure this book is who the author wishes he was--super clever CIA agent that all the girls are after, having crazy adventures and saying any random thing he thinks, all of which come out sounding clever and deep. Good for you, Robbins, I'm glad you have dreams.