Continental Drift by Russell Banks
Great book that almost made it into my all time favorites, but then it turned out to be less positive than this panglossian reader likes his reads to be
There are two small chapters to this note.
The first in order of conception is at the bottom and it was written when Ii have been through only a small part of the book, but still realized that I will enjoy it.
And I did, albeit, I am confused and unsure if this book is to be included into my all time favorites, with Vernon God Little for instance.
The ride is great, up to a point where the plot starts turning up some tragic events that, although worthwhile and meaningful, have put a dent into my joy of reading.
Bob Dubois is fascinating and I identified with him until the sky becomes cloudy, a hurricane is about to hit (the shit hits the fan) and I will not mention more.
In a way it is lucky that I have recorded my impression of the first chapters, because now when I know all that would happen next, I remember that I have made up a list of books where I would change the course, the ending from one point on and feel puzzled by Continental Drift.
And this could be one of the works that i rather see changed.
The adventures of the hero, his brother Eddie, the best friend - Ave, the family and girlfriends are mesmerizing and I folowed them breathlessly at times.
The Haitian part of it though left me with mixed feelings, and not just for the voodoo chapters, which I did not particualrly like.
Then I have also read about the author and his fascination with Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, which albeit short lived, did annoy me, for I loath those SOBs and I hate to see them on so many T-shirts and recently, as tattoos as well.
I had no idea that the author is behind the scripts for The Sweet Hereafter and Affliction, both based on acclaimed books by Russell Banks, and movies that I have enjoyed
Here is what I wrote a few days ago, based on the first encounter with this very good book:
In Continental Drift, Bob Dubois is the main character, as far as I can tell from the 13% that I have read so far.
At one point, after having extra marital sex, Bob Dubois is off in a department store- I guess it is JC Penney.
The shop is about to close and the man has no time left to buy ice skates for his daughter, as a Christmas gift.
There is asome dispute with the seller, who wants to close since it is about or after five, but Bob is keen to buy those skates and keeps asking questions and annoys his interlocutor, up to the point where the latter threatens to call the manager.
- I do not want to buy from here
- Ok then
- I do not like JC Penney anyway
- That ‘s fine
- I will find better elsewhere
But after apologizing for his outburst, he goes into the parking lot, where his car is covered with snow and starts smashing all the windows, one by one…
Once home, he starts crying and Elaine, his wife is mystified, for he never cried before, not when his father died, their daughter seemed to be seriously ill.
Bob Dubois fires out a speech that will stay with me for a long time, because alas, I identify with thsese issues of lack of achievement, meaningless in a life that has little more to offer.
I do not feel like that most of time, on the contrary, I tend to be well satisfied with many of the things that I have accomplished-
Been through a revolution and mentioned for that in Newsweek, in a paragraph of about 60 words, went on to make serious money- at least in the developing world- worked for AT&T as country representative, then the US Embassy and others, been the boyfriend of Miss Romania (for some months, but it still counts, ain’t it?), invested in a company that brought some good money, at least before 2008. We live in a large house, albeit with a still large mortgage, my girl is going to a private school, there are two cars in the driveway, albeit the Alfa has been more or less redunadant after the company missed targets.
We have an incredible number of six large dogs, and five used to be giant breed, with consequent feeding and other bills.
So there are differences, but I still felt in a similar position with Bob Dubois, when he said to his wife something like this
- I am dead and you are dead. There is nothing more that life will bring. I cannot afford to add winter windows to the house and I cannot afford the bill for the heating. Then I also have to keep the car, but the transmission will fail, before I can buy anything else. I also need to paint the house, but do not have the means to do it.
- I cannot even buy godamn skates for my daughter and this is killing me. My brother is having cocktails with his wife, down in Florida. Right now. And his accountant is working late to fix yet another tax break for him.
- I used to be better than both my brother Eddie and Ave. Ave is right now, with a case of Jim Bean, on a tropical island. It used to be my dream, to travel with a boat, but the one I have will not be used, because I cannot afford to take any time off. In fact, I have to be in for the extended time, or else I will miss the payments.
- My life is over, I will always be a godamn fixer of oil burns here in Catamount, never able to afford anything. There is not enough money to do anything and I have to work like crazy just to drag it along.
The words are mine and it may be that even the message is a little twisted by my memory and the imagination.
But it struck a chord.
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