The Longest 383 Pages To Read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

            How the hell did "The Flamethrowers" by Rachel Kushner, make it to The Times Ten Best Books List, last year?  I think it says more about the critics who compile that list, their lack of sophistication and integrity, than it says about Rachel Kushner herself. She is not a bad writer, just a derivative one.

               It is clear, after reading her book, that she was smitten with Patti Smith's book, "Just Kids," and that she tried to read "The Savage Detectives," or at least some of Roberto Bolano.  Both experiences left her with the inspiration to write her own riff on them, and she has, but you know what?  It has been over praised!!!!!!!!!!  Bolano and Smith did their stuff first hand; "The Flamethrowers" reads like an extended English class project, where the student cribs authors she admires in a way to please her teacher.

                 What bothers me is not so much that she did it--she has the right--but that the critics fell so readily for it!!!!!!!!!  If they think this constitutes good fiction, what do you think is going to happen to the future of good fiction?????????????  Don't throw out those Austen, Bronte, and Dickens sets yet, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                  While reading Kushner's novel was not agonizing, it did take some effort. When, finally, I was done, I wanted to take a flamethrower to it, myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                      Torch this one, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!