Rating: 
Summary: Waiting until April
Review: In May of 2000, while running through LAX to catch my flight, I saw, out the corner of my eye, "Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates" displayed at the aiport bookstore. Though I nearly risked being late for my flight, I dashed into the bookstore, bought it, and read happily, nonstop, abandoning everything I was SUPPOSED to be reading. I hadn't even known a new title was being released, so I couldn't believe my good fortune. A Tom Robbins novel for a four hour flight! Ever since "Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas," I had been eagerly awaiting, praying almost, for a new novel. During those six long years, I reread all his other books. "Jitterbug Perfume" is my favorite, followed by a tie between "Skinny Legs and All" and "Still Life with Woodpecker." So I am a big fan, which is important to contextualize my disappointment in this book! Yes, I was delighted by much of it: the synchronistic plot twists and character connections, the bizarre situations and exotic locales, his signature brillance with word play, his inevitable references to mythology, politics, and philosophy, and his ever engaging characters, that is, except for Switters. Switters is the quintessence of the eternal boy imbued with narcissism and an unnecessary dose of misogynisism. Don't begin your foray into Tom Robbins with this book. I am undaunted. Although I had not reread this book, I still plan to pre-order "Villa Incognito," due out in April, which I hope deliveres what Robbins is capapable of providing.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun fun fun fun fun
Review: Seems to be his most accessible writing.. amid skinny legs, still life, perhaps cowgirls.. very amusing and rather funny... yes darling yes.. go read it
Rating: 
Summary: I liked it, and that bothers me...
Review: This was my first Tom Robbins novel. I borrowed it from my 24-year old daughter who reads all of his books (she especially loves "Jitterbug Perfume").
I have to say I was bothered by the pedophilia, but not nearly as much as I was bothered by the main character trying to convince the reader why it's okay. And trying to convince again, and again, and...
But it was a fast moving story, fun insight on Catholicism, and just plain wacky situations, though it got a little wordy. Sometimes, I just wanted to shout, "Shut up!" Still, I would recommend this book, but not to the prude...
Rating:
Summary: Why read the reviews ? Buy it already.
Review: Anyone who tries to put Robbins in a box will be disappointed because he is elusive yet tangible. Although, I have heard his style described as 'magical realism'....it doesn't mean it's Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I have read every Robbins' book there is and I love them all. Stop horsing around and buy the book. If you haven't read ANY Tom Robbins you may want to start with an earlier book....perhaps Even Cowgirls Get the Blues or Jitterbug Perfume (his finest work IMO), or Still Life with Woodpecker. Robbins traditionally takes you from one place to another and, like a finely woven tapestry, brings it all together in the end. His work is beautiful, spiritual, and sensual. He seems to research things very well and so, if you're a stickler for facts, they're there.
Rating:
Summary: Some work...but an awful lot of fun!
Review: This is not so much a novel as a sprawling treatise on such diverse topics as innocence vs. purity, spiritualism, pedophilia, the nature of language, experimental literature, quantum mechanics, geopolitics, consumerism, and red-eye gravy -- with the ultimate message easy enough that it can be spoken posthumously by a parrot: "People of the world, relax."
The main character, Switters, ex-CIA spook struggles with a pyramid-headed witch doctor's curse, affections for his underage stepsister, and an unexpectedly growing love for a nun whose order is charged with protecting a long-held secret of the Catholic church.
This was my first Tom Robbins book, and although his writing can devolve into something similar to a 12-year-old popping repetitive wheelies on his new Schwinn Stingray in front of an increasingly bored audience, the consistent humor, snappy dialogue, and harebrained side-trips make it all an ultimately fun ride.
I'd recommend it to readers who have patience for stories that develop in the author's, not the reader's (or an editor's), time. There are a lot of cool things to learn and think about here, but don't expect a complicated, freewheeling - or marginally logical -- plot. Reminds me in tone of John Irving's "The Water-Method Man" or even Salinger's "Franny and Zooey."
Rating:
Summary: Robbins in the Amazon
Review: Robbins is right on form with this one! My only criticism is that his protagonist is an anarchist CIA agent with child-molesting tendencies. Which is, of course, ridiculous. Anarchists are far too moral to be CIA agents.
Rating:
Summary: well worth it, glad i read it
Review: this was recommended by a friend and i felt embarrased i had not read it first. a cool adventure, it is just pure literature. a great story, well told, well written, funny, entertaining, enjoyable. i now reccomend it to others. tom robbins has some great turns of phrase, some i have commited to memory and used in conversation.
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