646. House Mother Normal

House Mother Normal

B.S. Johnson
1971
Around 200 pages

Once again, I was only able to track down a B.S. Johnson novel by obtaining a free audio version, as my library has tried to wipe out all proof of this guy's existence in their collection. I don't entirely blame them. As this novel is presented in a series of monologues, it actually worked better as a performance than it likely would have on page. But I still hated it, and my plea to the gods for non disgusting novels continues to go unanswered.

Set in the a nursing home, the novel gives each old person a section to narrate. Everybody is experiencing the same day, but each character has their own interpretation of events, given their varying levels of senility and hearing loss. We get increasingly non lucid accounts until we finish with the House Mother's section.

Nursing homes are the most depressing locations in the world, so I guess Johnson is trying to bring some absurdist levity to the situation. And the humor just does not land for me (see above, regarding sickening prose). Although I did relate to the one woman who just wanted everybody to leave her alone so she could read.

Happily, this is the last B.S. we will have to deal with.

RATING: *----

Interesting Facts:

There is a collection of B. S. Johnson's literary papers and correspondence in the British Library.

UP NEXT: In a Free State by V.S. Naipaul

594. Trawl

Trawl
B.S. Johnson
1966
Around 210 pages

My library had never heard of this novel, rightfully so, but I managed to find a free audio version of the book. I don't usually listen to audiobooks, but it was a good idea here. I haven't been clicking with postmodernism, so maybe a fresh approach was necessary.

As you might have noticed, I am a fast reader. But the audio version forced me to spend eight hours with this story.  And oh, what an eight hours it was. Our protagonist is on a trawler, deeply seasick, with nothing to do but reminisce about his sexual past. 

Thank goodness I listened to this, otherwise the vomiting scenes would not have been quite so vivid. This is a pretty gross novel, which carries over to the sex scenes. I don't need to know about your lovers' dirty feet, thank you. 

Our narrator is super annoying too, he can't commit to any thought. If you must read this, hopefully your experience is shorter than mine was.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Johnson left school when he was 16 years old to work various odd jobs, but taught himself Latin in the evenings, attended a year's pre-university course at Birkbeck College, and passed the university entrance exam for King's College London in 1956.

UP NEXT: The Birds Fall Down by Rebecca West

580. Albert Angelo

Albert Angelo
B.S. Johnson
1964
Around 180 pages

B.S. are rather ominous initials. Even more damning is Samuel Beckett's praise on the cover of my edition ("A most gifted writer"). So I knew things were going to get weird.

Albert Angelo is a substitute teacher who wants to be an architect and is still in love with his ex girlfriend Jenny. The style would have made Joyce proud, and apparently the physical copies of this book have holes cut into the pages so you glimpse events ahead of the story (my copy was online). Do talented storytellers really have to resort to gimmicks to stand out? 

So I guess this was an experiment, and a novelty, but doesn't have much lasting power.

RATING: *----

Interesting Facts:

The day before his suicide he had told his agent: "I shall be much more famous once I'm dead."

UP NEXT: Come Back Dr. Caligari by Donald Barthelme