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One of the better books I have read lately. The narator sparks your interest right away. His mania/paranoia sucks you in making the book a very qui... (show more)
The Contortionist's Handbook
The Contortionist's Handbook is the story of John Dolan Vincent, an abnromally gifted child with a prclivity for mathematics beyond his years. However, he also bears a rare deformity—polydactylism—and his genius is counterbalanced by a near absence of social skills and episodes of severe migraines.
As an adult his migraines occur with alarming regularity, and his repeated attempts at self-medication send him over and over to the emergency room. He knows that to visit twice is to... (show more)
The Contortionist's Handbook is the story of John Dolan Vincent, an abnromally gifted child with a prclivity for mathematics beyond his years. However, he also bears a rare deformity—polydactylism—and his genius is counterbalanced by a near absence of social skills and episodes of severe migraines.
As an adult his migraines occur with alarming regularity, and his repeated attempts at self-medication send him over and over to the emergency room. He knows that to visit twice is to risk being institutionalized as a suicide risk. So, following each trip to the hospital, he draws upon his skill as a petty forger, and reinvents a new identity for himself.
The Contortionist's Handbook is about the lengths people will go to in order to protect themselves from others and ultimately from themselves. (show less)
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I've been a fan of Chuck Palahniuk's work for a long time, and because of this I never stopped hearing about Clevenger's book "The Contortionist's ... (show more)
I've been a fan of Chuck Palahniuk's work for a long time, and because of this I never stopped hearing about Clevenger's book "The Contortionist's Handbook." I assumed from all the hype that it must really be something to write home about so I gave in and bought it.
I'll admit that the mind-games executed by the narrator are somewhat fun to read. It's intriguing to hear him talk about how to forge vintage papers, how to determine which dead people you can steal identities from, how to trick a psych evaluator.
Or, I should say, it's intriguing to hear the FIRST time he mentions them. By the middle of the book these "tricks of the trade" become boring, their constant repetition is unnecessary and makes it seem like the author is running out of ideas.
By the end of the book I didn't care if the narrator ended up dead, in jail, in a padded cell, or a billionaire. The romantic storyline was lacking to the utmost, and I ended up being really disappointed by a book I'd always looked forward to reading. (show less)
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Along with all the other avid readers of Chucky P, this book has been on my list of books to read for a long time. I finally got around to reading it after hearing it was worth it from Cindy, my Book Okayer.
I'm sure Chuck's quote on the cover which claims its the best book he has read in 5 years, maybe even 10, has helped out this books sales quite a bit.
But then I also think this same quote leaves many who read it a bit let down.While the book is definitely well written, its not exactly... (show more)
Along with all the other avid readers of Chucky P, this book has been on my list of books to read for a long time. I finally got around to reading it after hearing it was worth it from Cindy, my Book Okayer.
I'm sure Chuck's quote on the cover which claims its the best book he has read in 5 years, maybe even 10, has helped out this books sales quite a bit.
But then I also think this same quote leaves many who read it a bit let down.While the book is definitely well written, its not exactly all that exciting. It isn't until the last 20 pages that I got that feeling of, "wow, this book is awesome." That was only because it ends a bit twisty, and on one of those hopeful love notes.
I would definitely recommend the book to someone, but it would be later on my list of book you should read. (show less)
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I first decided to buy this book on the basis of the resounding author-recommendations on the front cover from two of my favourite writers, Chuck Palahniuk and Irvine Welsh. After reading it, it's not surprising that they loved it.
This is the story of John Vincent, a hyper-intelligent system-dodger plagued by unhappiness, drug abuse and horrific migraines which force him to pop pills like Skittles in an effort to blot out the pain. Clevenger's cool and unrelenting style really lets us insid... (show more)
I first decided to buy this book on the basis of the resounding author-recommendations on the front cover from two of my favourite writers, Chuck Palahniuk and Irvine Welsh. After reading it, it's not surprising that they loved it.
This is the story of John Vincent, a hyper-intelligent system-dodger plagued by unhappiness, drug abuse and horrific migraines which force him to pop pills like Skittles in an effort to blot out the pain. Clevenger's cool and unrelenting style really lets us inside the head of his portagonist, without shying away from the fact that Vincent is a sociopathic drug addict who constantly works the angles, picking apart the world around him with terrifying intellect. It's nice and short, not giving you time to get bored and there is real heart there, albeit buried under cynicism and dissolution.
As a fan of my darker tales, I'd thoroughly recommend it. (show less)
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