There are books and then there are books. And Sometimes a Great Notion is one of of those “then there are books.” A work of mad genius by a mad genius. It’s 599 pages of narrative that will have you turning back to pg. 1 the moment you finish and beginning to read again – and you’ll learn even more about the book. Now that’s good plotting.
There’s a lot to say about this book, and a certain Barney Rubble playwright friend of mine could go on for hours and hours about it as well. The depth of character is maybe greater than in any book I’ve ever read. And sure, much like Faulkner, the first few hundred or so pages are hard to navigate until you get a feel for the land – in this case the Wakonda Oregon territory – but once you do, you won’t want to leave.
But what sets the novel apart is Kesey’s ability to plumb the complexity of humanity as seen here via the Stamper clan. But the way he does so with a narrative that’s both exicting and maddening is a tribute to him and to literature. And he wrote it when he was 27?!?! Yikes.
Plus it’s about logging. Which is cool. And he knows what he’s talking about. And it’s always cool to read about something you know nothing about in a novel. And if you’re a logger, then all the better to hear someone singing your song. But if you’re like me, you can argue with your wife: what’s more dangerous coal mining or logging?
Get this book. Read it. And then you’ll understand the winter. And maybe you’ll stop giving up those precious inches.
Tags: Ken Kesey, logging, Oregon, Sometimes a Great Notion, William Faulkner
