Awakened this morning a little before five - couldn't get
back to sleep - so, I went downstairs, made coffee, and finished reading The
Moviegoer - a novel by Walker Percy.
The Moviegoer is usually described as a philosophical
novel - sometimes as a stream of consciousness novel - I prefer the phrase “contemplative
fiction.” It’s about the quest for purpose and meaning and the angst that goes
with that search. Sort of a Southern fiction
version of Waiting For Godot (Beckett). Compelling, quirky, and very
engaging.
The book is set along the Gulf Coast and ranges from the
Garden District of New Orleans to Ship Island near Biloxi. If you're from the
region, ever been to the region, ever passed through the region, you'll
recognize all of the places and references.
Released in 1961, it was the surprise winner of the
National Book Award and established Walker Percy as one of the great Southern
writers.
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