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Wrinkles
Vignettes from the life of a divorced, middle-aged writer demonstrate that age does not automatically bring wisdom
- GenresFictionLiterature
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
About the author
Charles Simmons
48 books10 followersCharles Simmons (August 17, 1924 – June 1, 2017) was an American editor and novelist.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See:
Charles Simmons, American clergyman and author
Charles Simmons
Charles Simmons, Autobiographer
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. See:
Charles Simmons, American clergyman and author
Charles Simmons
Charles Simmons, Autobiographer
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 4, 2014
Charles Simmons' Wrinkles is an unusual book. Not that there's anything particularly unusual about the basic storyline - boy grows up, marries, has extramarital affairs, divorces, has some professional success, drinks too much, confronts aging and death in himself and others. What's unusual is the structure - forty-plus chapters of roughly four pages each, with each chapter consisting of a single paragraph which presents one aspect of the protagonist's life (career, sex, neighborhood, etc.) as it changes throughout his life - from childhood through young adulthood (both in past tense), to middle age (in present tense - the protagonist is roughly in his fifties at the time of narration) and then old age (in future tense, as he anticipates what will happen to him later).
The effect of this method is unsettling, as if the protagonist's life is being lived over and over again through the narrow prism of its various aspects. I imagine this book as being a series of circles - the reader witnesses the cycle of the protagonist's life again and again. The narrative method benefits the book as a means of livening up what is admittedly a very ordinary plot, presenting an unremarkable life in a fresh and innovative way. On the other hand, however, it makes the narrative very fragmentary; despite the focus being entirely on the protagonist, with the ancillary characters being mere sketches, I never got a fully clear portrait of him: when his parents died, exactly what his corporate career involved, who were the various women in his life, and what his writing (yes, he's also a writer) was all about. Arranged in a conventional manner, all of these fragments might very well have presented a full portrait of the man; however, that conventional portrait might have well have been neither interesting nor compelling. So in that sense, the narrative method works. And I'm not sure the method would have worked with a complex plot at all - it might have rendered the story all but incomprehensible - so the structure is a good fit with this basic story.
All in all, Wrinkles was a fascinating read - not necessarily a great book, but one which uses a very interesting approach to storytelling.
The effect of this method is unsettling, as if the protagonist's life is being lived over and over again through the narrow prism of its various aspects. I imagine this book as being a series of circles - the reader witnesses the cycle of the protagonist's life again and again. The narrative method benefits the book as a means of livening up what is admittedly a very ordinary plot, presenting an unremarkable life in a fresh and innovative way. On the other hand, however, it makes the narrative very fragmentary; despite the focus being entirely on the protagonist, with the ancillary characters being mere sketches, I never got a fully clear portrait of him: when his parents died, exactly what his corporate career involved, who were the various women in his life, and what his writing (yes, he's also a writer) was all about. Arranged in a conventional manner, all of these fragments might very well have presented a full portrait of the man; however, that conventional portrait might have well have been neither interesting nor compelling. So in that sense, the narrative method works. And I'm not sure the method would have worked with a complex plot at all - it might have rendered the story all but incomprehensible - so the structure is a good fit with this basic story.
All in all, Wrinkles was a fascinating read - not necessarily a great book, but one which uses a very interesting approach to storytelling.
January 26, 2016
I didn't know exactly which of my Goodread "shelves" to put this book on, because it defies any kind of usual categorization. Let's just say the author doesn't color inside the lines. Or tell a linear story. Or even tell a story...
Except he DOES. In a rambling stream-of-consciousness kinda way, he manages to paint an oftentimes touching picture of a man's lifetime. It's like sitting at the feet of an eccentric old uncle, listening to him tell tales of his life in bits and pieces, without apparent rhyme nor reason... except to him. The telling of one memory sparks thoughts of another memory, and his words aimlessly follow his wandering thoughts. And carry the reader along with him.
This book is different from any I've read before. No chapters. No discernible direction. But still? It works. In its own way, it's enchanting, and I enjoyed it. Then again, I was always fond of my eccentric old uncles.
Except he DOES. In a rambling stream-of-consciousness kinda way, he manages to paint an oftentimes touching picture of a man's lifetime. It's like sitting at the feet of an eccentric old uncle, listening to him tell tales of his life in bits and pieces, without apparent rhyme nor reason... except to him. The telling of one memory sparks thoughts of another memory, and his words aimlessly follow his wandering thoughts. And carry the reader along with him.
This book is different from any I've read before. No chapters. No discernible direction. But still? It works. In its own way, it's enchanting, and I enjoyed it. Then again, I was always fond of my eccentric old uncles.
August 31, 2014
Reading an innovative fiction that is brilliantly conceived is exhilarating in a distinctive way. Simmons reviews a man's life--using a unique structure-- in short takes of about 3 pages each, with shifts from past to present to future tense, each structured this way: early childhood on a certain aspect, then later, then as an adult in the past, then, without alerting the reader, the present, then the future. From ordinary subjects to serious subjects.
April 3, 2017
What a weird, quirky, wonderful book.
January 31, 2024
I picked this book out on a whim at a local used book store after reading a singular page from the middle of the book. I truly adored the writing style of this book. the stream of consciousness style invited the reader into the life of the man. thought these vignettes of memories often felt dull— the writing style made them interesting. okay so why is this only worth 3 stars? the protagonist was completely and utterly unlikeable, there were many details that pointed towards him being misogynistic, likely experiencing internalized homophobia, and there was far too much “dick talk” for my taste. Again though, even with all of this, i thought the style of the book was beautifully handled and i loved the weaving of memories throughout.
April 5, 2021
If not for the fact that I had to read this for a class, I never would've read this book or picked it up. And unless you want to examine it from a purely form perspective, I cannot recommend it. I can only read so much about what a man does with his dick.
July 3, 2018
This is an odd book. The style makes it seem very disjointed. There is a lot of emphasis on minute details, which makes it seem tedious much of the time.
August 12, 2025
I don't know man ... I just don't know about this one. Certainly a quick read. Writing style is more epic poem than novel, maybe? I don't know...
The book came indirectly recommended by Earl Shorris and the Clemente Course in the Humanities...
Some Golden! moments:
His brother made up sideshow chants about him: "Come see the dog-faced boy! He barks, he bites, he swallows flies."
p. 47
One day when he was banker and the pot was high a black boy asked him if he could run fast. He said no; the boy scooped up the money and ran.
p. 56
"Mine are literary, yours are not," he said. "What do you mean by that?" the novelist said. "Mine are written in a certain style; all the styles they are not written in are implied by not being used. Your books are catch-as-catch-can." "Well, fuck you!" the novelist said and left the table. A woman friend he told this to said, "He wanted to know whether you thought yours was bigger than his. He should just come out of the closet and settle down."
pp. 57-58
This will be the first of a series of doctors younger than himself, and when the heart specialist retires he will realize that the appeal of having a doctor older than oneself is the appeal of having an expert between oneself and death.
p. 64
WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO BE TAKEN to his first movie he asked his mother what movies were like. "They're dark in one place and light in another," she said.
p. 69
In the army he joined the paratroopers, made one practice jump, decided that air was an unnatural medium for human locomotion, and quit.
p. 83
As sex becomes less important to him so will sexual differences: people will seem to be peering through sexual masks they can't remove.
p. 94
Less and less will he think of people as good or bad; rather it will seem to him that benefactors look good to the beneficiaries, injurers bad to the injured, and that the rest is taste.
p. 106
Some of his friends in the city had only one parent living; all the children at the beach community had both.
p. 179
The doctor examined him, said he was all right, and suggested that when he felt uncomfortable he suck on a piece of hard candy. He now plays games with newspaper obituaries, picking one at random and saying, "I will die at the age this person has died at." If the age is less than his, "I've outlived the prediction; it's false." If the age is much greater he computes the difference and says, "In the meantime anything can happen." If the age is a little greater he reads the obituary for special background details: "He was a striver, now he's paid for it," or "Theatrical people lead desperate lives, and this one sounds queer." As he gets older he will sometimes try to inquire into his deepest wishes, hoping to find a weariness with life that would make death less fearsome, but can't.
p. 182
The book came indirectly recommended by Earl Shorris and the Clemente Course in the Humanities...
Some Golden! moments:
His brother made up sideshow chants about him: "Come see the dog-faced boy! He barks, he bites, he swallows flies."
p. 47
One day when he was banker and the pot was high a black boy asked him if he could run fast. He said no; the boy scooped up the money and ran.
p. 56
"Mine are literary, yours are not," he said. "What do you mean by that?" the novelist said. "Mine are written in a certain style; all the styles they are not written in are implied by not being used. Your books are catch-as-catch-can." "Well, fuck you!" the novelist said and left the table. A woman friend he told this to said, "He wanted to know whether you thought yours was bigger than his. He should just come out of the closet and settle down."
pp. 57-58
This will be the first of a series of doctors younger than himself, and when the heart specialist retires he will realize that the appeal of having a doctor older than oneself is the appeal of having an expert between oneself and death.
p. 64
WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO BE TAKEN to his first movie he asked his mother what movies were like. "They're dark in one place and light in another," she said.
p. 69
In the army he joined the paratroopers, made one practice jump, decided that air was an unnatural medium for human locomotion, and quit.
p. 83
As sex becomes less important to him so will sexual differences: people will seem to be peering through sexual masks they can't remove.
p. 94
Less and less will he think of people as good or bad; rather it will seem to him that benefactors look good to the beneficiaries, injurers bad to the injured, and that the rest is taste.
p. 106
Some of his friends in the city had only one parent living; all the children at the beach community had both.
p. 179
The doctor examined him, said he was all right, and suggested that when he felt uncomfortable he suck on a piece of hard candy. He now plays games with newspaper obituaries, picking one at random and saying, "I will die at the age this person has died at." If the age is less than his, "I've outlived the prediction; it's false." If the age is much greater he computes the difference and says, "In the meantime anything can happen." If the age is a little greater he reads the obituary for special background details: "He was a striver, now he's paid for it," or "Theatrical people lead desperate lives, and this one sounds queer." As he gets older he will sometimes try to inquire into his deepest wishes, hoping to find a weariness with life that would make death less fearsome, but can't.
p. 182
November 30, 2018
Whoa…what a strange book. It's very short (190 pages), but still I had to slog my way through it. That said, I can't decide if it really is just exceedingly boring or exceptional literature penned by a genius—or both?
Written by Charles Simmons, this is the story of one man's life, pretty much from birth to death. He is never named. Other than that, we know just about everything there is to know about him—he loved his Irish nursemaid more than this mother; as a child, he got so angry, he did not speak to his older brother for a year; and he was fascinated with explosives, knives, guns and other weapons—until he went into the Army. He marries, has children, is an indifferent father, has several adulterous affairs, treats women (very) poorly, divorces, and takes on a series of lovers. He is afraid of dying. He is rather promiscuous, and there are chapters that go into great detail about his conquests and carnal techniques. None of this is a spoiler because this book has no plot. The story, such as it is, is told in 44 short chapters or vignettes—each just a few pages long, although many seem like they go on and on and on.
I am an avid reader, but I have never read a book like this one. If you enjoy literary curiosities, buy it when its on sale. Otherwise, skip it.
Written by Charles Simmons, this is the story of one man's life, pretty much from birth to death. He is never named. Other than that, we know just about everything there is to know about him—he loved his Irish nursemaid more than this mother; as a child, he got so angry, he did not speak to his older brother for a year; and he was fascinated with explosives, knives, guns and other weapons—until he went into the Army. He marries, has children, is an indifferent father, has several adulterous affairs, treats women (very) poorly, divorces, and takes on a series of lovers. He is afraid of dying. He is rather promiscuous, and there are chapters that go into great detail about his conquests and carnal techniques. None of this is a spoiler because this book has no plot. The story, such as it is, is told in 44 short chapters or vignettes—each just a few pages long, although many seem like they go on and on and on.
I am an avid reader, but I have never read a book like this one. If you enjoy literary curiosities, buy it when its on sale. Otherwise, skip it.
December 31, 2014
Una vita raccontata per argomenti, affrontati separamente in capitoletti scollegati.
I più vari: il sonno, i vestiti, i compleanni, l’alcool, i feticci...
(Significativamente, manca il sesso, anche se c’è un capitolo dedicato a pene e vagina. Manca come argomento, perché onnipresente – pur in forma discreta. È il tema che si annida “nelle pieghe” – il titolo originale è meramente “wrinkles” – insieme con, più in generale, i rapporti interpersonali e famigliari).
Ogni argomento viene visitato cronologicamente cominciando dall’infanzia e il tempo verbale trascorre dal passato dell’infanzia e della giovinezza per arrivare al presente dell’età che aveva l’A. al momento della stesura (intorno ai 50) e sfociare nel futuro dell’età anziana. Un futuro immancabilmente amaro e di brusca rottura con passato e presente.
Originale, non manca di poesia, ma lo schema diventa un po’ ripetitivo, riproponendo in fondo ogni volta un percorso che va dalla scoperta all’elaborazione del significato, per arrivare al presente dell’indifferenza e al futuro dell’abbandono.
Banalmente, l’ultimo argomento affrontato è la morte.
I più vari: il sonno, i vestiti, i compleanni, l’alcool, i feticci...
(Significativamente, manca il sesso, anche se c’è un capitolo dedicato a pene e vagina. Manca come argomento, perché onnipresente – pur in forma discreta. È il tema che si annida “nelle pieghe” – il titolo originale è meramente “wrinkles” – insieme con, più in generale, i rapporti interpersonali e famigliari).
Ogni argomento viene visitato cronologicamente cominciando dall’infanzia e il tempo verbale trascorre dal passato dell’infanzia e della giovinezza per arrivare al presente dell’età che aveva l’A. al momento della stesura (intorno ai 50) e sfociare nel futuro dell’età anziana. Un futuro immancabilmente amaro e di brusca rottura con passato e presente.
Originale, non manca di poesia, ma lo schema diventa un po’ ripetitivo, riproponendo in fondo ogni volta un percorso che va dalla scoperta all’elaborazione del significato, per arrivare al presente dell’indifferenza e al futuro dell’abbandono.
Banalmente, l’ultimo argomento affrontato è la morte.
October 31, 2019
I absolutely could not finish this book. I am a firm believer that once a book is started, it should be read entirely but this book, after reading about 25%, was too hard to understand.
Read
October 21, 2018serendipitous finding this while i'm in the midst of a sorrentino jag, since the whole taxonomizing (?) someone's life seems like the kind of constraint he woulda grooved on. worth noting that the main dude & his milieu are aggressively white & bland & middle-class, so if, e.g., richard yates or the rabbit tetralogy irked you be wary!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews