This posthumously published novel was way ahead of its time when written in the 1930's. Its ethos still seems contemporary today. It introduces the character Arturo Bandini a young man struggling with his desire to be a great writer. Bandini is forced to work in a fishery cannery by his uncle to support his mother and sister. He is wretchedly alienated from his fellow workers and family by his Nietzchean self proclaimed belief that he is a writer.
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Bandini struggles to find sexual fulfillment through his collection of pictures of naked women to his sister's and mother's knowledge. He exacts revenge for his tortured life on crabs, fish and insects. He has a crush on the librarian at the local library and to get closer reads the books that she reads. He uses grandiose vocabulary to gain superiority on everyone he speaks to. He gains inspiration and writes a short novel for hours on end finally feeling fulfilled in his life. Unfortunately both his mother and sister read the novel and his sister finds it silly. Bandini is revenged and embarks on the road to Los Angeles. This brilliant and forgotten coming of age novel of a struggling writer is magnificent!
The review of this Book prepared by John Marcel