Going Native by Stephen Wright Review

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GoingNative

byStephenWright

GoingNativeisStephenWrightsdarklycomictakeontheroadnovel,inwhichonemansheadlongescapefromtheAmericanDreambecomeseverybodysworstnightmare.WylieJonesisset:lovelywife,beautifulkids,barbecuesinthebackyardofhistastefullydecoratedsuburbanChicagohousewithgoodfriends.Set,butnotsatisfied.Soonenighthejustwalksout,getsbeh...more

Paperback,320pagesPublishedApril12th2005byVintage(firstpublished1994)

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StephenWright(born1946)isanovelistbasedinNewYorkCityknownforhisuseofsurrealisticimageryanddarkcomedy.Hisworkhasvariedfromhallucinatoryaccountsofwar(MeditationsinGreen),afamilydramaamongUFOcultists(M31:AFamilyRomance),carnivalesquenovelonaserialkiller(GoingNative),toapicaresquetakingplaceduringtheCivilWar("TheAmalgamationPolka").Hehas...more

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The75BooksEveryManShouldRead(fromEsquire)87thoutof88books44voters

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KrokZeroratedit reviewofanothereditionRecommendsitfor:pomophilesRecommendedtoKrokZeroby:MikeReynoldsfirst,thenahighplacementonLarryMcCaffery'stop100Shelves:winter10to11

Firstthing's,asusual,first:despitewhathisGoodreadsauthorpageindicates,StephenWrightthenovelistisnotthesameindividualasStevenWrightthedeadpanstandupcomedian.Itwouldbealmostinconceivablyawesomeifthiswerethecase,butitisnot.IhaveGoodreadslibrarianshipsoIguesstechnicallyIcouldfixthiserror,butIamabusyman*,anddonothavetimeforsuchmenialtasks.(*Iamnotabusyman.)

So.Bywayofforestallingmyreviewofthisgreatbook,andtoavoid...more

28likesLikeseereview

Drewratedit

Americaisdeaditjustdoesn'tknowityet.

Oratleastthat'swhatStephen"N.R."Wrightwouldhaveyoubelieve.Andhemostlymakesaconvincingandeloquentcase.Thebigstrengthofthisbook,atleastaccordingtome,isthefrenetic,chaoticyetprecisequalityofthewritingtheproseperfectlymatchestheideasthatWrightistryingtogetacross.Andit'sagoodthingtoo,becauseIthinktheideasthemselvesarealittletired.We'vereplacedmeaningwithentertainment?Learnedthat...more

8likesLikeseereview

VitBabencoratedit

Newsofhisinfamousscreenplayshehadbeenlisteningtoforthelastfiveyearsatleastanditschancesofsoonseeingthelightofday,letalonethelightofacinemascreen,wereaboutasgoodasherroaringoffintheaccordwiththepackedsuitcasethathadbeenlyinginwaitinthetrunkformostofadecade.Ifaestheticsofpopculturecinemawereappliedtotheeverydaylifetherealitywould'veturnedintoanightmare.Whatinthemovielookscaptivatinginlifewouldbehorror.But...more

7likesLikeseereview

AlanrateditRecommendedtoAlanby:MikeReynoldsandothersShelves:novels,readin2009

stillhummingwiththisone,three/fourdaysafterfinishingit.IsaidtoaGRfriendeachsectionwasliketakingadifferentunknowndrug,andwaitingtoseewhatthebuzzwasandmostlyyouweren'tdisappointed.It'stakenmeawhiletoorganisemythoughtsonit,andthenextbookEllroy'sMyDarkPlacessufferedfrombeingsodifferentitwaslikereadinganotherlanguage(althoughI'mfinewithitnow).ThisistheoppositeofEllroy'sminimal,staccatosentences:thisislush,hyperr...more

4likesLikeseereview

Pinkyratedit

It'sbeenabout8yearssinceIlastrereadthis,soIcan't/won'tsaymuchhereexcept:readit.(SinceDanChaon'sexcellentAwaitYourReplygoosedmymemoryofthisWright,I'mplanningtorereaditagain,too.)Ipickeduptheoriginalhardbackcoldin

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Notriviaorquizzesyet.Addsomenow

Thesubterraneanlairofthewilyhumanrelationship:adarkmazeofpopupdemons,funhousemirrors,spookydeadends,multiplefalsebottoms.3likes

Anengagingdiscussionuponthenatureofthesoul,itsdefiningqualities,thepossibilityitmanifestsaspecificshape,thelikelihoodofitsintegritybeyondformaldehydeandflowers,speculationonitsabsencefromanunfortunatesumofmortalbeingssinceGod,atthemomentofcreation,releasedintotheuniverseafixednumberofsoulstoberecycledamongadiminishingpercentageofanexponentiallyexpandingpopulation,hencebodieswithoutsouls.2likes

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TriviaAboutGoingNative

QuotesfromGoingNative

thebookstore,knowingnothingofitsauthor,andtookaquicklookatitsblurbs.DonDeLillo,ToniMorrison,RobertCoover.Whaaaa?Thebookmanagedtomeetconfidently,swaggeringlyexceededmyexpectationsgiventhatunlikelytrio.

2likesLikeseereview

Katherineratedit

Youhavenoideahowdifficultitisformetodo,butImquittingthisbookmidway.Itgoesagainsteveryfiberofmybeing.ButImtryingtoembracetheadviceofacoworkerstickingwithabookthatisnotforyouwastestimeinwhichyoucouldbereadingthenextbookyoulllove.

StephenWrightisawordsmithtobesure.SomethinginhispreciseandthoughtfulimagerymakesmethinkofDenisJohnsonsJesusSon.Andthatsahighcomplimentinmymind.Still,whileIpushedmyselfthrough...more

1likeLikeseereview

Tungratedit

StephenWrights(authorofMeditationsinGreen)thirdnovel,ifyoucancallitthat.Thebookstartswithanuppermiddleclasssuburbancoupleenjoyingabarbecuewithanotheruppermiddleclasssuburbancouple.Thedescriptionofthissceneisafantasticportraitofthebanalitiesofsuchalife.Oneofthemendisappearsandcantbefoundandthesceneends.Thenextsceneisadescriptionofaboyfriendandgirlfriendwhoareaddictedtocrack.Theendofthatsceneinvolvestheboyfr...more

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Kylieratedit

AtfirstIabsolutelydespisedthisbook.IwasforcedtoreaditformyInterpretationofLiteratureclass.Originally,Ifoundthewritingtobeincrediblypretentious.AfterreadingfurtherintothebookandbecomingmoreaccustomedtoWright'swritingIstartedtolikethebook.

IreallyenjoyedWright'sideasaboutpopculturebeingareflectionofprimaldesires.ThroughoutthebookthereismanyHollywoodreferences,andthereadercanseejusthowinfluentialpopcultureisonthecharact...more

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DavidrateditShelves:21stcentury,crime,crimenoirfiction,fiction,literature,thriller,usa

CouldneverquiteengagewithGoingNative.

ThewritingwasgoodtheproductplacementalittletediousasitwaswithAmericanPsychoandFightClubthecharacterizationsnotquitecookiecutterbutclosetothis.Thestory,thoughengaging,couldnotquiteovercometheseotherdefects.

Therearethosewhowill,andhave,enjoyedthisbookverymuchandMr.Wright'sGoingNativeisabookwhichdeservesawideaudience,eventoday,butthisreadercouldneverquitefindawayintothecharac...more

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AlexanderWeberrateditShelves:mccafferys20thcenturysgreatest

Atfirst,Ididn'tcaremuchforthedifferentcharactersandstoriesthatwerebeingintroducedwitheverychapter.Thefirstchapter,whichintroducesustoourmainprotagonist,wasreallygreat.Fromthere,Ifeltthechapterswerejustshortvignettes/storiesIwasreadingthrough,notpeopleoreventsIwasconnectingwith.Then,maybehalfway,youstarttogetintohowthisbookisbeingpresented,andbythesecondlastchapter(whichis80pages(morethan1/4ofthebook))whichon...more

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BrianWaderatedit reviewofanothereditionShelves:2011,blownawayinagoodway,locallibrary,manfiction,esquires75

GoingNativeisviolent,dangerous.AttimesitreadslikeEllis'sAmericanPsychosetinthe90s.ThisisanotherbookthatismuchmoreenjoyablethelesstheReaderknows

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abouttheplot,structure,etc.InretrospectIwishIhadn'tevenreadtheinsidedustjacket.Althoughrelativelysuperficial,eventhejacketgivesawaytoomuch.I'mprettysureIwouldhavegivenGoingNative5starsifIhadknownabsolutelynothingaboutthestorypriortostartingit.

Iwouldreallyenjoyreviewinga...more

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JrateditShelves:fiction,mccaffery

Dense,haunting,cynical,impressive.Somebooks,whenyoureachtheend,tauntyoutojuststartrightoveragain,andthisbookwasoneofthemwhatexactlywasthejourneyofWylieJones,andwhydidhispathintersectwiththelivesofthesepeople?Thestoryisstructurednotsothatwearerunningamarathon,butthatwearestandingbythesideoftheroadwatchingamarathon,andeachtimeweseetherunnerswearegettingbackintoourcarsanddrivingtothenextlocationtocatchthe...more

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Schuylerratedit reviewofanotheredition

ClickonStephenWrightandGoodreadshasanicebioonthedrycomic,StephenWright.ThisisnotthesameStephenWright.Atfirst,Iwaslike,"Wait,thedryironiccomicStephenWrightwroteseveralworksofpostmodernishfiction?"Well,no,hedidn't,andhespellshisname"Steven"not"Stephen".Nowthatwegotthatoutoftheway.

Mostreviewsreferencethisasa"horror"typenovel,andevenDeLillocallsita"slasherclassic".Iguess.Itdidn'tstrikemeaparticularlyviolentnovel....more

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Mattratedit

Youknowthatideayouhave,aboutthenovelthat'snotreallyanovelexactly,butnotacollectionofstorieseither,inwhichyoufollowsomeobject(likeacar)asittransfersfromownertoowner?Yeah,well,aboutthat...StephenWrightalreadydidit.

Butdon'tworry,there'sstillroomintheworldforyourmasterpiece.Or,roominadifferentworldtheoneWrightlivesinisprobablynotethesameasyourshisismoreunnervingandchaoticandviolentandawful.Sowriteaway!(Therei...more

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Tocotinratedit reviewofanothereditionShelves:myownbooks,icanhasslash,usedbooks,contemporaryliterature

AtfirstIlikedthebookimmensely,itstartedwithabackyardpartyoftwomarriedcouples,peoplewhoclearlyweren'tfeelingcomfortableintheirlives.ThenoneoftheguysdisappearedandIthoughtthiswouldbethestartingpointofastory.Itwas,inaway,butwhereIhadexpectedanovel,Igotastringofvignettesaboutlivesofabunchofpeople,livesconnectedonlybythechameleonlikeappearancesoftheguywhohaddisappearedinthefirstchapter.

Someofthestoriesweremild...more

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GusSanchezratedit

Notsomuchanovelas8shortstorieswithacentralthemeoflosingone'sidentity,GoingNativeisagritty,hardedged,brilliantworkofpostmoderndread,expertlywordedbyStephenWright.ThenovelrevolvesaroundthecharacterofWylieJones,amanwhoseeminglyhasitall:abeautifulhome,awellpayingjob,awife,2children.Duringaseeminglyinaneparty,Wyliesuddenlystealshisneighborsbattered'65FordGalaxie500andjustdisappears.ThesubsequentstoriestellofWylie'sd...more

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Unbridledratedit reviewofanotheredition

Thebook'scoverfeaturesaquotefromMichikoKakutanioftheNewYorkTimes:"Anuncompromising1990'sversionofOntheRoad...chillingandoftenbrilliant."Withthisblurb,howeveroutofcontextthisblurbmightbe,Ms.Kakutani,whohasneverbeena

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favoriteofmine,hasearnedmyeternalcontempt.Oftenbrilliant?OntheRoad?HasshereadOntheRoad?GoingNativeistoOntheRoadasKakutaniistoLionelTrilling(whichisnotfairtoTrilling)i.e.,notatall.

Liketheamateur,thi...more

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Jimmieratedit

Ididn'tthinkthisstoryreadwell.ithadinterestingtidbitslikeallthepopculturereferencesandmanyofthecharactersbeingnamedaftercartooncharacters,butthestorydidn'tfeellikeastorybutrathermanyscenesplacedtogether.Ididnotcareforit,butthoughtitwasinterestingseparately.

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AbsurdfarcerateditShelves:literature

GoingNativeisoftendescribedasadarkversionoftheAmerican"roadnovel",America'scultureofviolencerenderedthroughaseriesofpainfulsceneslooselyconnectedbyanarrativethread.Thebookwouldbecompellingforthesereasonsalonebuttheauthor'sastonishingprosemakesitsomuchmore.Wright'sstyleisbestdescribedasarapidfiresequenceofimagesandthoughts,anampedupstreamofconsciousness.Theeffectistocompletelyimmersethereaderintothesceneonedoesn't...more

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Justinratedit

Storyofaguywhobailsonhissuburbanfamily,stealsacarandsetsoffonanincreasinglyviolentandcriminalexpeditionacrossAmerica.Soundsawesome,right?Butsomehow,itkindofwasn't.Thewritingisvirtuosicwhenhedescribes,forinstance,aguysmokingcrack,itactuallymakesyouwanttotryitbutinsomeplacesIfelttheprosewasalittletoolayeredandcomplex,inthatPynchonesquewaywherethere'ssomuchgoingonthatyoucan'ttellwhat'sactuallygoingon.Butthere...more

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JudeJosephLovellratedit

Oneofmytop5novelsofalltime.Itisbrilliant.ThisauthorisCRIMINALLYundersungandunknown.AterrifyingandveryhonestbookabouttheAmericannightmare.

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Lostinanovelratedit

Thisreadsmuchmorelikeaseriesofshortstoriesthananovelbutabitfrustratingbecausethestoriesfeelunfinished.Ididn'tliketheshadowynatureofthemaincharacterthatweaklylinkedthestoriestogether.IalsowasabitconfusedregardingthethemeofAmericansbeinganationofvoyeurs.LotsofreferencestoHollywoodandthereaderoftenfeelslikeavoyeur,butthecharactersthemselveshavefacinatinglivesthemselvesandarenottvzombiesintheleast.

Despitemycriticism,...more

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Haleyratedit reviewofanotheredition

Callingit.Gotabouthalfwaythroughandlifeisjusttooshorttospendonbadbooks.EvenifI'vehadthemonmyTBRfor6years.Nope.

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Mikeratedit reviewofanotheredition

Areallygoodread,evenifattimesitfeelsalittledisjointedoroverlonginitsepisodes.WylieJonesisthemaincharacter,thoughheismostlyspectralthanactualinthesensethatweneverreallyseehim,exceptinthefirstchapterandthefinalchapter.

TheironyofWylie'sfinalappearanceisthatheseemstoberightbackwherehestartedinadeadend.ThenovelendshereandthereaderischallengedtoimaginewhereWylie

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willgonext...anythingispossible.

Mr.Wrightweavesinter...more

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Steveratedit

Amasterworkwritteninbrilliant,hallucinatoryprose.

Inaseriesofshortstories,Wrighttakesajourneyacrossdark,innersouloftheUnitedStates.Thestoriesarelinkedjustenoughtothemaincharacter'sownjourneythatyoucancallitanovel.But'smoreaweird,almostdruggyexplorationoftheAmericanmindsetattheendofthe20thCentury.

Wright'sstyleiswonderfullycrafted,fullofimageryandinvention.It'snotaneasybook,butit'sreallyinterestingtoexplore.It's"Heart...more

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Benratedit

Adazzlingnovelbyoneofourbestwriters.Discussed(alongwithWright'sMeditationsinGreen)onmyblog:

http://friedfetusdream.wordpress.com/...

Likeseereview

MarckBaileyratedit reviewofanotheredition

WhatIdon'tunderstandaboutthisbookiswhyitisconsideredanovel.Itfeelsmuchmorelikeeightseparatestories,withlittleifanycarryoverfromonechaptertothenext.Noneofwhichshouldtakeawaythesheer,thick,gloriousprosethatWrightcanturnout.IfinishedthisbookfourweeksagoasIwritethis,andI'mwellontootherbooks,butitisclearthatmyownwritingis*still*heavilyinfluencedbytherhythmsandcomplexsentencestructuresthatIentrainedtowhilereadin...more

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Zachratedit

2.5Stars.

Greatsentencesstrungtogetherwithinlooselyconnectedvignettesdoesnot=anovel.Plotmatters,charactersmatter.Notbeingboringmatters.Thisbookisbeautifullywritten,andextrakudostoWrightforcomingoffpurposefullymeretriciousandnotdarkandcorny,butIfoundthis"genrebending,slasherclassicblahblahblahthrillride..."tobetedious,and,exceptforthesentencesandparagraphs,notparticularlyclever.

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JamieGreferateditShelves:literaryfiction

Secondread:AnAmericainlovewithtelevisionandfilm,particularly"bad"film,howtheimagehasseepedthroughthescreenandsmeareditselfacrossthemindofWylie,ourmaincharacter,amanwetrackfromominousdinnerpartytothefoldsofthiscinematizedAmerica.WrightwriteswithaloveofEnglish.Thestoryunfolds,allowsimmersion,anditsabrightprose,atechnicolorexperiencelikealiteraryBmovie.Howgreatitis.

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TodWodickaratedit

Exhausting,numbing,occasionallyjawdroppinglybrilliant.Somepassagessing.Othersrant,ramble,flail.Thisbookiscold.RemindedmealittleofRobertStone'sdarkerworksbutstrippedofwhatmakesStonesopleasurable:plot,mostly,Isuppose!Or...DeLillowithouttherestraintorprecision?Wright'sgotwaytoomuchofagoodthingmaybe.I'mverycurious/excitedtoreadhisothernovels.

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