The Thumbnail Book Reviews
by John Q McDonald --- 1 October 2001
by Richard Brautigan
Willard is a sculpture. The way Brautigan describes him, Willard looks like a towering piece of 1970s bric-a-brac. But, Willard has a personality deeply appreciated by other characters in his somber little book Upstairs in a San Francisco apartment building, Bob and Constance are struggling through dark times in their relationship. Bob has slipped into a distracted and depressed state over the loss of their previous happiness. They try new things to keep going, but it looks shaky on this quiet night in the city. Their neighbors down stairs are returning from an old movie, debating whether Willard and Greta Garbo would have a future together. They cheerfully make love while the folks up stairs shuffle about. Meanwhile, the three Logan brothers are closing in on their bowling trophies, stolen three years previously in a senseless act of vandalism. The trio has turned from productive and happy bowling to a twisted life of vengence. All of these people have a night that intersects in a comically sad way. This gem of a novel is alternately funny and thought provoking. Bruatigan is a gentle surrealist here, in (for him) an accessible story. There is love and sadness, alienation, purpose and togetherness. But will the mystery of the bowling trophies be solved to the readers' satisfaction?
Also by Brautigan: [Trout Fishing in America]
See also: [You Can't Catch Death by Ianthe Brautigan]