The Wasties

by Frederick Reuss

The Wasties is a compassionate, darkly comic novel about a man who is slowly losing his ability to understand the adult world.

In Frederick Reuss’s highly praised novels, Henry of Atlantic City and Horace Afoot, we have the stories of people who find themselves strangely isolated from everyone around them. In The Wasties , Reuss takes us to a new level, giving us the story of Michael “Caruso” Taylor, a man who has lost his ability to speak and is gradually reverting to infancy. All of his most intimate relationships are His wife, Gina, must assume the role of mother; his day nurse becomes his nanny; and “Caruso” is reduced to drinking tomato juice through sippy straws and observing the world from a radically skewed perspective. Once a professor of literature, Michael’s predicament is compounded by a deteriorating memory of his adult self, and he begins to “see” the famous—and often dead—denizens of his former learning in everyone from a bum in the park to a doctor in the hospital. Walt Whitman, John Muir, Ralph Ellison, and a host of others materialize before him as he tries to comprehend and articulate his plight. He calls his condition “the wasties”—but what kind of malady is it? Physical? Psychological? Or some sort of higher madness?

Humane, funny, and deeply affecting, The Wasties is a satiric work of unique vision and voice about one man whose infantilization plays out a secret fantasy many of us to shun the responsibilities of life as an adult.

Genres: Fiction

240 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2002

About the author

Frederick Reuss is the acclaimed author of several novels. He lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and two daughters."

Reviews

[Rachel M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like I was supposed to be smarter and more cultured to really enjoy this book.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel details the progressive deterioration of a college professor. While his actual condition is not named, he calls it "the wasties" and as the book starts he can no longer speak and has some trouble with motor skills. His wife has been caring for him, but this is becoming more and more difficult for her. His mind is changing as well, as he begins to see famous people in ordinary situations, such as Jimmy Carter and Walt Whitman. He has anger and frustration, and while the things he does make sense to him, from the outside, his behavior becomes more worrisome. His wife first hires a nurse, but when his actions begin to worry her more, she has no choice but to find an institutional situation. When her life situation becomes more challenging, she relies on a friend, increasing her husband's jealousy. As the story unfolds we see him slipping into a more childlike state. An interesting, but sometimes difficult story to read, this book may not appeal to all readers. While it has a dark theme, there is some humor and lightness in the tale, as told from the subject's perspective.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very strange book. It feels somewhat like "Still Alice" for obvious reasons, but more interior and dare I say without condescension - much more creative. It should be OK to call a book creative, but when you're writing at this level it doesn't feel right.

For me it's also always fascinating to be inside the mind of a man - even one losing his mind. (Aren't we all)

[Gregory Rothbard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt torn between the book being a good read and something else. At times it was philosophical preaching. And yes the main character is adroit and infantile but this is the charm of the book. I think the plot did not move much, but then again it was a book of character exploration. I have had my feel of this character. I also felt empathy with the character's loss of himself and his family. He seems to be like the results of Henri Miller's opulence lost and disconnected from others. The books presentation of psychosis with literary figures was fantastic. The strength of the book was that reading is much more than just reading, its a journey just like Don Quixote did with the Romantic Knights; we converse with authors we have not had the opportunity to meet with. All in all an interesting read but not a great read. Chuck this one lightly into the garden.

[Tricia Villanueva · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book because the synopsis intrigued me. Just want to mention: I don't know if there is such a disease called The Wasties, I doubt there is. I originally thought I wouldn't be able to finish the book because to be honest it was far from my usual reads of coming-of-age stories or tales of small-town folks. But lo and behold I found myself reading and reading and before I knew it I was done with The Wasties. This postmodern (although that's a very dangerous term to use as its meaning super varies, but I really think The Wasties is a postmodern work) novel contains a lot of subtle yet valid observations not just about Americans, but human beings in general. I think it questions just how far the boundaries of "normalcy" reach. Through the character of Michael "Caruso" Taylor, Frederick Reuss showed that the limit of your language is indeed the limit of your world.

[Chiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middle of the road book. It had some enjoyable moments where I chuckled to myself, but was also a bit depressing at times. There was also a bit of wordy writing throughout which just didn't do anything for me to enhance the story.

[Nikkita · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has some interesting moments, but failed to engage me. It limply gestured towards something greater but didn't take me there.

[David Swire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow as an educated professor regresses to a baby due to dementia. Some parts comic but mostly depressing and an eye-opener to what may lay in store. Hope not.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I remember reading this book and being intrigued by the idea but the book itself was a little too wordy and I didn't care enough about he main character for all that.