680. Amateurs

Amateurs
Donald Barthelme
1976
Around 185 pages

Once again, the Powers That Be have sneaked a collection of short stories on this List, the crafty bastards. I haven't been too impressed with Donald Barthelme so far, so I was happy to have the opportunity to experience his writing in smaller doses. 

I suppose the Listmakers thought this could pass for one entry because it is such a tonally consistent collection. But just like with albums, there are always going to be some weaker tracks, even if it is an overall decent curation. I did enjoy a few of these, but Barthelme's humor never really lands for me. It often comes across as dated.

Nothing too offensive here, so another meh notch on our bed posts. 

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Wrote over 100 short stories.

UP NEXT: Cutter and Bone by Newton Thornburg

672. The Dead Father

The Dead Father
Donald Barthelme
1975
Around 180 pages

I was looking for a somewhat lighthearted break after Fatelessness, but of course we are immediately confronted with dead fathers. Luckily this was so confusing, I barely knew what was going on.

Which makes it pretty difficult to summarize, but I'll still give it my best shot. The Dead Father is a powerful being hauled with a cable by some children. All I can say is Barthelme's dad must have been a piece of work, for fatherhood to be represented the way it is in this novel.

This isn't as obnoxious to me as other post modernist novels have been, maybe because it wasn't 700 pages. It did contain some good moments, and would probably have had greater resonance if you are a parent, or have an overbearing father. Luckily, that doesn't describe me.

I appreciated how many influences Barthelme drew on for this, from Gulliver's Travels to Christian lore. So an impressive work, but not my cuppa.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Chapter 17 includes an adapted version of a previously published short story, "A Manual for Sons."

UP NEXT: Grimus by Salman Rushdie

581. Come Back, Dr. Caligari

Come Back Dr. Caligari
Donald Barthelme
1964

Around 185 pages

Another collection of short stories, but I actually find postmodernism much easier to swallow this way. 

Here we get fourteen short stories, each featuring absurd situations and characters. A few of these stories really stand out, others not so much. I really do think with absurdism, you have to keep it short and sweet. That's why The Nose and A Modest Proposal slap so hard. Barthelme does a good job with this format, even if it was a little uneven.

Just kind of meh, but we've had so many clunkers lately, I'll take it.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Barthelme was married four times.

UP NEXT: Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey