Work Shirts for Madmen

by George Singleton

Renegade artist Harp Spillman is lower than a bow-legged fire ant. Because of an unhealthy relationship with the bottle, he’s ruined his reputation as one of the South’s preeminent commissioned metal sculptors. And his desperate turn to ice sculpting might’ve led to a posse of angry politicians on his trail. With the help of his sane and practical potter wife, Raylou, Harp understands that it’s time to return to the mig welder. Yes, it’s time to prove that he can complete a series of twelve-foot-high metal angels―welded completely out of hex nuts―for the city of Birmingham. Is it pure chance that the Elbow Boys, their arms voluntarily fused so they can’t drink, show up in order to help Harp out in a variety of ways? And why did his neighbor smuggle anteaters into desolate Ember Glow? Is it true that there’s no free will?

Genres: Fiction

336 pages, Hardcover

First published September 17, 2007

Reviews

[Joey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I devoured it, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's borderline brilliant in spots, and it all comes together nicely.

On the other hand, Singleton is a bit of a one-trick pony, and his crazed Southerner shtick is getting thin.

[Sam A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had forgotten how absurdly funny George Singleton is. I read These People Are Us several years ago and found myself comparing him to another wacky favorite of mine, Carl Hiaasen. Singleton's characters are every bit as ludicrous as Hiaasen's and their adventures as crazy as well. The main characters of Work Shirts for Madmen is Harp Spillman an alcoholic sculptor and former ice sculptor until an unfortunate incident at a Republican convention and his ceramist wife Raylou who is well known for her "face mugs". Raylou has been attempting to get Harp to give up booze for many years and this time it appears that she may have found success with help from a cast of oddball characters in their home in rural South Carolina. Singleton's humor may not be for everyone but there are obviously enough folks with one as offbeat as mine to get this an average 3+ rating on Goodreads.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like Singleton, especially his humor and political/social leanings, as well as his humorous pinpricks to folks in South Carolina, and this is especially the case in his short stories. Although there is still a lot of that in this novel, it wasn't as sharp or enjoyable for me. Still, I liked it but didn't love it. I will keep picking up his offerings however.

[Rick Mathis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice book. Funny in the vein of Confederacy of Dunces. I loved the mentions of Birmingham, Al, Sylva, NC, and other places in the South. I will read more from this writer.

[Mskarla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t read this for the plot. It meanders. Read it for the great writing, eccentric characters, and multitude of laugh out loud sentences.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was kind of a hard one for me to rate. Although it wasn't as funny as the blurb tried to make it out to be, the story was still interesting. But it was also pretty confusing, and at times Harp seemed more intelligent than I felt like he should have been. For example, what art student knows the names of asteroids? Why would a black-out drunk alcholic of over 20 years still remember that from college? And the cheap shots at South Carolina got really old after a while.

But other than that...I can't really complain about the writing. In fact, I liked the way the characters communicated, often talking over each other, or completely ignoring the comments of other characters for a paragraph or two before answering. It sounded like real conversation, especially amongst the inebriated. :p

So, in the end, it was entertaining, but I feel like there are better things I could've been reading. A 3 out of 5.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harp Spillman is an artist who has spent much of his life drinking. After a run-in with the national Republican party, he, with the support (and perhaps more) of his wife Raylou, sets out to quit drinking. The novel doesn't have much of a plot; it's more like a string of events set against a crazy rural South backdrop as Harp struggles to stay away from booze. That said, some of the vignettes are laugh-out-loud funny and some of them are sad or poignant. The structure makes it hard to get into (I put the book down several times before returning to it), but overall it's engaging .

[Vicki Carvalho · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very weird but funny book. Singleton again brings in characters from his other stories and makes mention of towns and stores that may have been the focus in one of this other novels. Easy read about a guy who doesn't remember half of his what he did in life because he spent it completely drunk. Nationally-known sculptor for his work and also his antics with government and state officials. Very funny!

[Cnelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crazy characters. A story just barely the safe of convoluted. And a protagonist willing to deal with it all so he may become a better man.

Plus, this is the rare book whose length is almost perfect.

[Thomas]

more from a southern short-story master.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very funny book about an artist's attempt to stop drinking. Like many southern novels, it's full of odd characters. It's a very enjoyable and easy read.

[Gregg Jamback · Rating 5 out of 5]

funny exploration of one man's return trip from the bottle

[Alphawoman · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was something so wonderful and free about this book!

[Sarah Key · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harp Spillman is an unreliable, paranoid, scary-looking, Republican-hating, limp dick, recovering alcoholic, sculptor, and I'll be the first to admit that he was my kind of screwball.

[Renie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the end sputtered in a belabored way, I appreciated the dry wit of the author. Not sure that I wholly recommend this book, but I'd be interested in reading another of Singleton's works.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

lots of quirky characters and southern eccentricity...reminded me of Carl Hiaasen's crazy plots...hilarious

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is solid, but his short stories are his strength.