I wondered how long it would take for Random Walk to come up.
I've read this one more than once, and I honestly don't know
what to make of it. And I say this as a mammoth Lawrence
Block fan.
A guy whose life isn't going anywhere in particular decides
to take a walk, triggering an entire movement. He and a bunch
of other like-minded individuals are just going to walk the
earth. You know, like Caine in Kung Fu. At the same time, we
also follow a guy who has applied the lessons of a
get-rich-quick real estate seminar to serial killing. He's
also wandering the country. Eventually, both storylines
collide.
The killer storyline is up to Block's usual standards, dark
and deftly etched, with real psychological acuity. As for the
walking stuff, you got me. A New Age pall hangs heavy over
the proceedings, and the ending is very ... let's say
mystical. I seem to recall Block at one point intimating that
he intended the book as a parody. At other times, he
indicates that it's meant to be taken at face value. The
edition that I have -- with a blurb from the director
of
"Nomad University" and jacket copy that compares the book to
Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Stranger In A
Strange Land, among other titles -- seems to imply the
latter.
If pressed, I'd say that I don't particularly care for the
book, but that it's worth reading for Block completists. The
serial killer material is strong stuff, though. Maybe it's
time I took another look at it.
Glad to hear other RA members were able to check out the
Ellroy picks on Turner Classic Movies. I've got them parked
on the DVR.
Vince
http://www.VinceKeenan.com
Pop culture, past and present, high and low. One day at a
time.
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