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The Factory Line
The Factory Line, A Pulp Novel
Ian starts his shift at 6:59 in the industrial wasteland of Montreal-East only to finish his day, fifteen hours later, in the notorious red light district. Simple as that. Low key, gritty, trashy… funny as hell. The Factory Line is Ian Truman’s true-ish account of life in a Montreal factory. The foreman’s on a rampage, a blonde bombshell sells hydraulic forklifts in high heels, Maurice’s fucking Marlon Brando on the job but there’s still beer in the toilet tank so everything should be alright.
Somewhere between Charles Bukowski’s disdain for life, Henry Rollins’ fighting spirit and Mordecai Richler’s comedic satire, The Factory Line feels like a punk rock song for the literary world: ‘get in, say what you have to say and get the fuck out.
Ian starts his shift at 6:59 in the industrial wasteland of Montreal-East only to finish his day, fifteen hours later, in the notorious red light district. Simple as that. Low key, gritty, trashy… funny as hell. The Factory Line is Ian Truman’s true-ish account of life in a Montreal factory. The foreman’s on a rampage, a blonde bombshell sells hydraulic forklifts in high heels, Maurice’s fucking Marlon Brando on the job but there’s still beer in the toilet tank so everything should be alright.
Somewhere between Charles Bukowski’s disdain for life, Henry Rollins’ fighting spirit and Mordecai Richler’s comedic satire, The Factory Line feels like a punk rock song for the literary world: ‘get in, say what you have to say and get the fuck out.
155 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2012
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Ian Truman
11 books19 followersIan Truman is a Franglais author the East-End of Montreal. He is a fan of dirty realism, noir, satire, punk, hardcore and hopes to mix these genres in all of his works.
A graduate of Concordia University’s creative writing program, he won the 2013 Expozine Awards for best book in English (A TEENAGE SUICIDE). His latest works include GRAND TRUNK AND SHEARER (Down and Out Books) and the Montreal Noir anthology (Akashic Press) as well as the upcoming DOWN WITH THE UNDERDOGS.
*Been inactive for quite a while on the author front, thanks you if you're checking up on the work but please don't write here and expect a reply. Sincerely, Yan*
A graduate of Concordia University’s creative writing program, he won the 2013 Expozine Awards for best book in English (A TEENAGE SUICIDE). His latest works include GRAND TRUNK AND SHEARER (Down and Out Books) and the Montreal Noir anthology (Akashic Press) as well as the upcoming DOWN WITH THE UNDERDOGS.
*Been inactive for quite a while on the author front, thanks you if you're checking up on the work but please don't write here and expect a reply. Sincerely, Yan*
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 21, 2013
I can understand how this could be filed under sarcasm. Because it's pretty funny. But anyone who's ever had a shitty, dead end job will get it. There is an uncanny solidarity among human beings around the feeling of uselessness. Truman gets it. He lived it, I'm sure.
THE FACTORY LINE is one day in the life of an bored, overworked and directionless young man, caught at a workplace that's getting the best of him. It's fascinating, pathetic and hilarious. The characters are both realistic and overdrawn, like the characters in a water cooler story.
The bottom of the barrel has never seemed so appealing than in the hands of a crafty storyteller!
THE FACTORY LINE is one day in the life of an bored, overworked and directionless young man, caught at a workplace that's getting the best of him. It's fascinating, pathetic and hilarious. The characters are both realistic and overdrawn, like the characters in a water cooler story.
The bottom of the barrel has never seemed so appealing than in the hands of a crafty storyteller!
August 10, 2016
Honest, With a Bit of License,
I warmed up to this book pretty quickly, once it seemed clear that the author was neither an MFA grad slumming for inspiration nor a sanctimonious wannabe playing Margaret Mead to some weird backward tribe in need of study. Most of the books I've read that emphasize "gritty" and invoke Charles Bukowski have a whiff of condescension or a holier than thou attitude or a smirky sense of superiority that insults the dignity of the people being portrayed. That's not what is going on here, or at least it doesn't feel that way.
Rather, we get a fictionalized version of real people striving in a real place. It's fiction, not a documentary, so everything is a little bigger, funnier, sharper, and exaggerated. It's all larger, or smaller, than life. All of the characters are big characters; all of the personalities are big personalities; all of the events are big events. This is not a slow build saga; it's not a miniature portrait constructed by an author with a jeweler's eye for detail - this book is punchy and clever and quick in a rat-a-tat kind of way, with snapshots and bits and pieces all compressed into a single day.
The result is compelling, thought provoking, fresh and full of authentic gallows, (workplace), humor. A worthy effort and a nice find.
Please note that I found this book while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
I warmed up to this book pretty quickly, once it seemed clear that the author was neither an MFA grad slumming for inspiration nor a sanctimonious wannabe playing Margaret Mead to some weird backward tribe in need of study. Most of the books I've read that emphasize "gritty" and invoke Charles Bukowski have a whiff of condescension or a holier than thou attitude or a smirky sense of superiority that insults the dignity of the people being portrayed. That's not what is going on here, or at least it doesn't feel that way.
Rather, we get a fictionalized version of real people striving in a real place. It's fiction, not a documentary, so everything is a little bigger, funnier, sharper, and exaggerated. It's all larger, or smaller, than life. All of the characters are big characters; all of the personalities are big personalities; all of the events are big events. This is not a slow build saga; it's not a miniature portrait constructed by an author with a jeweler's eye for detail - this book is punchy and clever and quick in a rat-a-tat kind of way, with snapshots and bits and pieces all compressed into a single day.
The result is compelling, thought provoking, fresh and full of authentic gallows, (workplace), humor. A worthy effort and a nice find.
Please note that I found this book while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
January 5, 2016
Heroes don't have to be bigwigs
I can't remember when I've read about a lead character like this one. I grew to admire him more and more as I read my way through the book. He's anything but perfect, but his imperfections matter less and less as the beauty of his humanity reveals itself. Having next to nothing, he shares what he has with strangers who have even less. I sensed a bit of autobiography in the book, which makes me want to meet the author. I would love to be his friend. I very much hope this is one of a series. If so, I'm ready to buy the next book immediately!
I can't remember when I've read about a lead character like this one. I grew to admire him more and more as I read my way through the book. He's anything but perfect, but his imperfections matter less and less as the beauty of his humanity reveals itself. Having next to nothing, he shares what he has with strangers who have even less. I sensed a bit of autobiography in the book, which makes me want to meet the author. I would love to be his friend. I very much hope this is one of a series. If so, I'm ready to buy the next book immediately!
October 27, 2012
Gritty and raw come to mind. I also found it motivational. I'm going to remember "Dont't be here in ten years" for a long time as that single line resonates throughout. It's advice that every character mentioned should have worked harder to follow given where they've ended up. This book set a stage for some great discussions.
February 20, 2014
Just an incredible book that I cannot reccommend highly enough. Follow our protaganist as he shows his life in one day. This is gritty, dogged and downright dirty at times. this is life on the dirty side, life less lived. Truman says what he says and gets out and leaves everything else in the air.
Don't be there in ten years.
read it.
Don't be there in ten years.
read it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews