Tom Robbins

When asked who my favorite author is by someone who doesn't seem to have an hour ready to listen to me ramble, I say Tom Robbins, which is as true as an uncomplicated answer can be.

Tom Robbins writes zany, madcap novels that are generally billed as "magical realism", though that's a term I've never grown to love. The books tend to have a pretty hippie sensibility, an undercurrent of paganism, a healthy dash of polyamory, and some of the most delightfully playful prose running free across the open market.

The books of his I've read and can personally recommend are:

Another Roadside Attraction. This was his first book and in some ways it's still my favorite. The first line is "The magician's underwear has just been found in a cardboard suitcase floating in a stagnant pond on the outskirts of Miami." It's got a fun set of characters, fabulous little asides, a flea circus, a baboon, a character answering to the name of Marx Marvellous, and a blasphantastic premise.

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues- When Sissy Hanshaw is born with freakishly large thumbs, she turns lemons into lemonaide and becomes a paragon hitchhiker. This book features extensive philosophical talk about race, douching, and the anal temperature of oysters. That last one is actually how it opens. There is also a character who answers to the name Bonanza Jellybean.

Jitterbug Perfume. This book is about immortality, transcendance, industrial espionage, and beets. It also features a conversation between Pan and Tarzan.

Skinny Legs and All- There's a really sweet love story in here, wrapped up in a hot bacon shell of fun instalation art. There's also an animate spoon, sock, and can of beans, all of whom are major viewpoint characters. This book also has one of the absolute best climactic scenes I've ever seen in a novel in terms of buildup and payoff that's worth waiting for.

Fierce Invalids From Hot Climates is about looking at life from a different angle, and follows a secret service agent who is left in a wheelchair by a shaman's curse. There's also a hacker granny. Switter, our dashing hero, is really quite a charming man.

Like I said, this fellow's one of my heroes. He takes some daring leaps and there's always spectacular verbal acrobatics. If you're of a social conservative bent (or particularly religious), I think there's a chance the subject matter itself will tend to be upsetting, but otherwise I heartily recommend them.

Thanks and Happy Non-specific Winter Holiday to all of you!