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The Beard
A free, serialized online novel. David Glum decides to quit everything, move back home, and grow a beard before embarking on a surreal cross-country trip that might have something to do with saving the world.
200 pages, HTML
First published March 1, 2009
21 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
About the author
Andersen Prunty
51 books669 followersAndersen Prunty lives in Yellow Springs, Ohio. He writes novels and short stories. Visit him at notandersenprunty.com, where he posts a free story every Friday.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
August 25, 2012
I once read this in a copy of The L.A. Weekly...
That's how I feel about Andersen Prunty books. The Beard is easily my least favorite of his tales but it is still pretty damn good. In fact, I feel guilty rating it at three stars (actually three and a half stars) but considering the legitimately high ratings I gave to his other works. it feels justified. Prunty is a five star writer in my book, the Nadia Comenici of authors.
So why three and a half? It feels like an early experiment, a bit forced and he didn't nail the landing. I've notice that that some of his other story can be related to classic tales and themes. For instance, Jack and Mr. Grin felt like a tribute to Alice in Wonderland while Fuckness was a close cousin to The Catcher in the Rye. The Beard read like a bizarro Pilgrim's Progress. This is a compliment. It is wonderfully wild, however I can't say it grabbed me like his other novels. But it is above average to anything else out there so I do give it a recommendation with the advice to read other Prunty works also.
Think of the worst Thai restaurant you ever ate at. Pretty good, wasn't it?
That's how I feel about Andersen Prunty books. The Beard is easily my least favorite of his tales but it is still pretty damn good. In fact, I feel guilty rating it at three stars (actually three and a half stars) but considering the legitimately high ratings I gave to his other works. it feels justified. Prunty is a five star writer in my book, the Nadia Comenici of authors.
So why three and a half? It feels like an early experiment, a bit forced and he didn't nail the landing. I've notice that that some of his other story can be related to classic tales and themes. For instance, Jack and Mr. Grin felt like a tribute to Alice in Wonderland while Fuckness was a close cousin to The Catcher in the Rye. The Beard read like a bizarro Pilgrim's Progress. This is a compliment. It is wonderfully wild, however I can't say it grabbed me like his other novels. But it is above average to anything else out there so I do give it a recommendation with the advice to read other Prunty works also.
February 15, 2011
If William Burroughs had anal sex with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and they had a butt-baby that wrote like Dean Koontz and the Dean Koontz butt-baby ghost-wrote an autobiography for Justin Beiber, it would be nothing like Andersen Prunty’s THE BEARD. I say that because I like THE BEARD and I do not like ghost-writing butt-babies. With that being said, I will heartily recommend this book. This is a story of scruffy facial hair and hallucinogenic sandwiches and elephant winds and father imposters who are perhaps fathers, but, then again, maybe not (you will just have to read and see). And Prunty slathers thick, gloopy globs of surrealism on his hallucinogenic sandwich of a book. Go ahead and eat it, don’t worry about the intestinal discomfort that may temporarily occur. The stomach cramps and loose stools are a small price to pay for such a delicious serving of words.
September 21, 2019
The beard is weird…seriously...
There was so much crazy shit going on in this one I have no idea how to describe it.
“My new purpose in life.
A beard.
A beard is power.”
Andersen is a strange cat that writes some pretty strange tales. And I dig it.
There was so much crazy shit going on in this one I have no idea how to describe it.
“My new purpose in life.
A beard.
A beard is power.”
Andersen is a strange cat that writes some pretty strange tales. And I dig it.
October 12, 2016
Awesome
I love this guy. His books are thought provoking strange and wonderful!! I would definitely recommend this. I think this one So far has been my favorite
I love this guy. His books are thought provoking strange and wonderful!! I would definitely recommend this. I think this one So far has been my favorite
December 30, 2011
I discovered Andersen Prunty through the Bizarro community. Even so the books I’ve read from him are more horror, or thriller than anything else. His book The Beard on the other hand is pure Bizarro fun. It’s a very original adventure narrated by David Glum, who after failing to get his first book published decides to go home and grow a beard. David sets out on a journey to find his grandfather who was kidnapped by the Nefarions. There are lots of interesting and bizarre characters throughout this book, along with unique landscapes. With each book that I read from Mr. Prunty he is rising closer to the top of my list of go to authors. He has quite the imagination and it really shines in The Beard.
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October 31, 2009This is now available as a free .pdf or ePub download to Goodreads users (find the button on the right under the ads and stuff). Reviews appreciated. It's also available as a trade paperback and Kindle download on Amazon.
July 22, 2011
From the quaint Ernest Hemingway nod in the first couple of pages to the final notes on the home toward the end of the novel, Andersen Prunty's THE BEARD reads like the Great American novel of 2009 that never was.
THE BEARD begins by asking the interesting question: "what happens to the authentic character when it is subject to strange situations?"
There is a moment in THE BEARD, shortly after the introduction, when the main character, David Glum, appearing to be stuck in an instance of self-actualization, quickly stops what he is doing so he can observe the people walking up and down Fifth Avenue. He asks himself "who [are] these people?" and after pondering the thought for a few seconds, decides that the real answer is insignificant to his cause and returns to his adventure-to-be.
Andersen Prunty's THE BEARD is full of moments like this--exercises in self-evaluation that explore the idea of the normal/authentic character. As the novel begins, David is a child and his grandfather, the first and only figure of fatherhood in the novel, an anchor to the home, is quickly abducted by an untraceable (and almost alien) herd of elephants. From the beginning stages of the book, Prunty is already removing all semblance of normality in David's life and subjects the reader to a bizarro tale of dramatic/epic proportions that focuses on the idea of character. This refusal to tolerate what is normal continues as David ages and later finds that his father, his whole life, was really just a man named Gary Wrench, who had been playing the role of his "real" father for the past twenty-some years. Prunty ramps up the absurdity-factor and shakes the foundations of David's origins when it is also revealed that the father-impersonator, Wrench, has also been wearing a man-suit to mimic the round shape of the old/authentic father. Oh, and David also finds that he has an imposter who follows him around.
It is only at the most crucial point of the novel, toward the end of the story (that seems to end a little too neatly and nicely and quickly) that David suddenly realizes that the idea of authenticity and the true self only matters to David, as "it is only an imposter's job to fool everyone else." It is in this moment of meta-fictional self-awareness that Prunty reveals the non-diegetic significance of THE BEARD, and it's a good one!
Since this release, Prunty has risen to the top ranks of recent forward-thinking Bizarro authors with his other texts but has still managed to single-handedly create a metaphor for identity through the imaginative character studies of THE BEARD, a novel that holds all the makings for a Great American Novel.
THE BEARD begins by asking the interesting question: "what happens to the authentic character when it is subject to strange situations?"
There is a moment in THE BEARD, shortly after the introduction, when the main character, David Glum, appearing to be stuck in an instance of self-actualization, quickly stops what he is doing so he can observe the people walking up and down Fifth Avenue. He asks himself "who [are] these people?" and after pondering the thought for a few seconds, decides that the real answer is insignificant to his cause and returns to his adventure-to-be.
Andersen Prunty's THE BEARD is full of moments like this--exercises in self-evaluation that explore the idea of the normal/authentic character. As the novel begins, David is a child and his grandfather, the first and only figure of fatherhood in the novel, an anchor to the home, is quickly abducted by an untraceable (and almost alien) herd of elephants. From the beginning stages of the book, Prunty is already removing all semblance of normality in David's life and subjects the reader to a bizarro tale of dramatic/epic proportions that focuses on the idea of character. This refusal to tolerate what is normal continues as David ages and later finds that his father, his whole life, was really just a man named Gary Wrench, who had been playing the role of his "real" father for the past twenty-some years. Prunty ramps up the absurdity-factor and shakes the foundations of David's origins when it is also revealed that the father-impersonator, Wrench, has also been wearing a man-suit to mimic the round shape of the old/authentic father. Oh, and David also finds that he has an imposter who follows him around.
It is only at the most crucial point of the novel, toward the end of the story (that seems to end a little too neatly and nicely and quickly) that David suddenly realizes that the idea of authenticity and the true self only matters to David, as "it is only an imposter's job to fool everyone else." It is in this moment of meta-fictional self-awareness that Prunty reveals the non-diegetic significance of THE BEARD, and it's a good one!
Since this release, Prunty has risen to the top ranks of recent forward-thinking Bizarro authors with his other texts but has still managed to single-handedly create a metaphor for identity through the imaginative character studies of THE BEARD, a novel that holds all the makings for a Great American Novel.
July 5, 2016
Warning: One or two spoilers in the mix.
So I traded this book for a copy of my own and I don't regret it.
An elephant wind. That’s what this book is. You probably don’t know what that means. If you try to picture it your mind, you might get some idea of what the book is. You’ll definitely know what that means after you read the book and then you can decide whether that statement is accurate or not—but for now, perhaps it’s sufficient to say that the book is an elephant wind. I took up the book in the midst of doing some very difficult school research and came away with renewed optimism in life, the universe, and everything.
What’s the book about? It’s about growing up and growing old; it’s about writing a book and abandoning it; it’s about listening to records alone in your room at a time when you wish that everything would just fade into the background; it’s about randomness and large creatures that look like whales but have human butts so that when they come out of the water, they moon you. It’s about the comfort of having a beard, but also about tripped out firemen who are on something and so who jump into fires.
It’s “absurdist” fiction, or “bizzarro” fiction, certainly. But in another sense, I think this book is also slacker fiction. When I opened up the book, man oh man, I was in need of some slacker fiction in my life. Fiction that kind of wanders around, tries to befriend you, then falls asleep on your couch for a week. That may sound bad, and in some parts of the book, I admit it’s easy to get lost—but I thought it was comfortable to read; maybe I was just in the right mood. In other ways it’s like eating a creativity sandwich. I came up with like three ideas for stories while reading this book. At one point in the book, one of the characters says, if you chase something then it only gets further away. One of the virtues of this book is that it won’t try to hard to get you to like it—it just is what it is, and for me it’s fairly easy to befriend a piece of writing that comfortable with itself.
April 15, 2009
Great novel. Prunty tells the tale of David Glum who grows a beard while embarking on a surreal journey. He attempts to find himself and his purpose in life.Full of mythology and adventure,The Beard questions identity and is sure to please any fan of weird fiction.Plus,it's free.
August 9, 2022
I don’t really know how to rate absurdist fiction; I find it amusing, but it doesn’t stick with me afterward because it doesn’t really say much of anything (except for the fairly obvious self-examination, “We all need a little more harmless nonsense in our lives.”)
The Beard tells the story of a guy who is trying to write a novel and then, upon its rejection, decides to move back in with his parents and grow a beard. About a third of the way through the book, an actual plot emerges in the form of the protagonist going on a roadtrip to return a magical flame to a hidden tribe that lives on a remote island in a made-up ocean in another world.
The humor is dark, dry, and/or twisted; events are random, and details are irrelevant. Plot “twists” consist of characters saying one thing is true and then later saying the opposite is actually true. There is an onion-headed bus driver, a hallucinogenic sandwich, and elephant wind. Even for magical realism, it’s pretty weird and inexplicable.
Although the protagonist’s beard does eventually play a significant role, the story is largely unconcerned with it. At times it felt like the author was using the beard as a metaphor for writing a novel, and elsewhere as a window through which to better understand human nature; but it still felt like the author could have done more to make the story truly about a beard, since that is the title of the book after all.
I’ll give Prunty credit for being bold and not caring about traditional narrative construction, but it also means that characters aren’t developed and climax/resolution are dissatisfying, and those are the things that actually allow a reader to connect with a story.
The Beard tells the story of a guy who is trying to write a novel and then, upon its rejection, decides to move back in with his parents and grow a beard. About a third of the way through the book, an actual plot emerges in the form of the protagonist going on a roadtrip to return a magical flame to a hidden tribe that lives on a remote island in a made-up ocean in another world.
The humor is dark, dry, and/or twisted; events are random, and details are irrelevant. Plot “twists” consist of characters saying one thing is true and then later saying the opposite is actually true. There is an onion-headed bus driver, a hallucinogenic sandwich, and elephant wind. Even for magical realism, it’s pretty weird and inexplicable.
Although the protagonist’s beard does eventually play a significant role, the story is largely unconcerned with it. At times it felt like the author was using the beard as a metaphor for writing a novel, and elsewhere as a window through which to better understand human nature; but it still felt like the author could have done more to make the story truly about a beard, since that is the title of the book after all.
I’ll give Prunty credit for being bold and not caring about traditional narrative construction, but it also means that characters aren’t developed and climax/resolution are dissatisfying, and those are the things that actually allow a reader to connect with a story.
August 16, 2021
Bizarre philosophy at its finest. There's enough of a story here that it isn't all crazy, but enough craziness that it's a silly story, in a good way. Think fantasy meets philosophy meets bizarre. It's really hard to explain. If you enjoy reading nonsensical humor with a plot, this would be a perfect book for you. I quite like it
May 31, 2009
Interesting and at times quite amusing, but it reads like he was making it up as he went along. Or maybe transcribing a random (and long) dream. So I guess it's amusing if that's what he was doing. Good even, for the way that he ties the random diversions together and makes them a part of the story. But otherwise, it's kind of inexcusable. Like Palahniuk but without the social commentary tying it together.
Here's the plot:
Protagonist (David Glum, I think) is sitting around with his grandfather when he's a young'un, and being told a story about "elephant winds" which come and take people away. Suddenly, an elephant wind comes and takes his grandfather away. Much later, this Glum guy is trying to publish a book. He encounters strange people, including someone who seems to be impersonating him. Nobody wants his book. He eats a hallucinogenic sandwich and more weird things happen. He goes home and decides that the new purpose for his life (now that he has given up writing) will be to grow a beard. His mother dies. He sees his sister at the funeral. She, like most of the other characters, is obnoxious. He finds out the man he thought was his dad was wearing a dad-costume. They go on a road trip to recover his grandfather, who was kidnapped because he stole a fire from a weird alternate reality universe. There is mention of anthropology and solipsism. Weird things continue to happen. They go to the weird alternate reality land and find the grandfather and the mother (who never really died, that was *her* impostor, of course) and the protagonist's beard gets burned when he returns the magical flame ("brilliance"). He decides to stay in magical-land and make up dreams for people, which he likens to storytelling. He marries some random dream-maker lady. There are some heavy handed statements near the end about the value of storytelling and the nature of dreams. The end.
I guess it's an amusing story, but I can't help feeling cheated by its shallowness. It's like it's trying too hard to say absolutely nothing, but still have cute quote-able moments a la Kurt Vonnegut.
And I don't like the picture (cover?) that shows up at the top of every chapter. It's annoying.
Here's the plot:
Protagonist (David Glum, I think) is sitting around with his grandfather when he's a young'un, and being told a story about "elephant winds" which come and take people away. Suddenly, an elephant wind comes and takes his grandfather away. Much later, this Glum guy is trying to publish a book. He encounters strange people, including someone who seems to be impersonating him. Nobody wants his book. He eats a hallucinogenic sandwich and more weird things happen. He goes home and decides that the new purpose for his life (now that he has given up writing) will be to grow a beard. His mother dies. He sees his sister at the funeral. She, like most of the other characters, is obnoxious. He finds out the man he thought was his dad was wearing a dad-costume. They go on a road trip to recover his grandfather, who was kidnapped because he stole a fire from a weird alternate reality universe. There is mention of anthropology and solipsism. Weird things continue to happen. They go to the weird alternate reality land and find the grandfather and the mother (who never really died, that was *her* impostor, of course) and the protagonist's beard gets burned when he returns the magical flame ("brilliance"). He decides to stay in magical-land and make up dreams for people, which he likens to storytelling. He marries some random dream-maker lady. There are some heavy handed statements near the end about the value of storytelling and the nature of dreams. The end.
I guess it's an amusing story, but I can't help feeling cheated by its shallowness. It's like it's trying too hard to say absolutely nothing, but still have cute quote-able moments a la Kurt Vonnegut.
And I don't like the picture (cover?) that shows up at the top of every chapter. It's annoying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2010
If you like Salvador Dali, you'll enjoy this book.
David Glum was first a writer. Then a napper. Then a beard grower. After that he became an unemployed philosopher. Then an adventurer, until finally he found his calling as a dreamer.
Come along, if you dare, on this surreal journey with David and his father. It will be full of trippy bus rides, imposters, hallucinogenic sandwiches, Nefarions from the Malific ocean, elephant winds, lawn mowing maniacs, and last but certainly not least a flame called Brilliance.
That's all you get, so if you choose to embark on this adventure, my promise to you is that by the very end of this fantastic voyage, you too will know the secret behind "The Beard."
All aboard!
David Glum was first a writer. Then a napper. Then a beard grower. After that he became an unemployed philosopher. Then an adventurer, until finally he found his calling as a dreamer.
Come along, if you dare, on this surreal journey with David and his father. It will be full of trippy bus rides, imposters, hallucinogenic sandwiches, Nefarions from the Malific ocean, elephant winds, lawn mowing maniacs, and last but certainly not least a flame called Brilliance.
That's all you get, so if you choose to embark on this adventure, my promise to you is that by the very end of this fantastic voyage, you too will know the secret behind "The Beard."
All aboard!
April 17, 2009
I read this book backwards, or at least semi backwards. I read it from the top of the blog down, so I read the chapters frontwards in the backwards order. Why would I do this? I felt like it. Perhaps someday I will reread it in the frontwards order. I think chapter 18 is the best chapter and that it has a fun feel where the story seems to be attempting to be about a beard regardless of all the other silly things going on, though perhaps I am title bias. Regardless it isn't particularly long and it is fun, so I see no good reason not to read it.
February 7, 2010
Loved it. If Holden Caulfield rented a timeshare in Vegas, only to find out he double booked with Hunter Thompson, and then they both sat down over a buffett of mind-altering drugs and wrote a book, I THINK it might be something like THE BEARD.
BEHOLD THE POWER OF FACIAL HAIR.
BEHOLD THE POWER OF FACIAL HAIR.
July 30, 2011
Imagine having an impostor of your self or people around you. In this Hallucinogen eating sandwich story with the works. will have you laughing at David Glum who just wanted To get his book published.
A MUST READ!
Now excuse me while I got take a nap and grow a beard.
A MUST READ!
Now excuse me while I got take a nap and grow a beard.
February 26, 2019
Andersen Prunty stories are what you get when you dream one of those awesome dreams that you’re sure will make an amazing novel or vignette, but when you wake up, it doesn’t actually make any sense... but you meticulously journal it anyway, then weave in some thoughts and all of the imagery from your latest acid trip, then tie it together with some cynical musings from people watching during the depths of your deepest hangover in your darkest depression.
Which is funny, because he's self-aware about that, and that happens to kind of be what this book is about (I wrote the above after having read about 60% of the book). The ending is phenomenal.
I really enjoy Prunty’s work. It inspires me to dream and to write. But I would absolutely hate to admit or explain if a friend or family member came across me while I was reading him and asked “whatcha reading?”
Which is funny, because he's self-aware about that, and that happens to kind of be what this book is about (I wrote the above after having read about 60% of the book). The ending is phenomenal.
I really enjoy Prunty’s work. It inspires me to dream and to write. But I would absolutely hate to admit or explain if a friend or family member came across me while I was reading him and asked “whatcha reading?”
September 7, 2020
The pacing on this one was a little strange, to say the least. When I say strange, understand I that I mean strange in comparison to Prunty's other books, not strange in the way that all of his books are very, very strange.
It was a little disappointing, because the first part of the book (following David Glum trying to get his book published in an industry that makes no sense) was a lot more relatable to me and I had hoped the whole book would follow the same tone. It eventually moves into a more fantastical scope, which was entertaining in its own rite.
Aside from being more compelled by the twisted take on the mundane opening, there was a lot to like about the epic adventure that follows. 'The Beard' was not my favorite Prunty novel, but is definitely worth a read.
It's much more optimistic than I was initially expecting.
It was a little disappointing, because the first part of the book (following David Glum trying to get his book published in an industry that makes no sense) was a lot more relatable to me and I had hoped the whole book would follow the same tone. It eventually moves into a more fantastical scope, which was entertaining in its own rite.
Aside from being more compelled by the twisted take on the mundane opening, there was a lot to like about the epic adventure that follows. 'The Beard' was not my favorite Prunty novel, but is definitely worth a read.
It's much more optimistic than I was initially expecting.
January 17, 2022
What did I just read?
2.5 stars. Got half a point because it made me laugh a few times. This was a wacky crazy story. Reading it I kept envisioning a cartoon like , Rick and Morty.
David Glum watches his grandfather taken away by a elephant wind (legendary heard of elephants). Twenty years later he fails to sell a novel, returns home where his mother dies. He finds his dad is not his dad and it is just a weird and crazy story after that. From a fantasy island, to the State of Jerry, a magical group of people called Nefarions. It is just a never ending fantasy weird, funny at times story.
2.5 stars. Got half a point because it made me laugh a few times. This was a wacky crazy story. Reading it I kept envisioning a cartoon like , Rick and Morty.
David Glum watches his grandfather taken away by a elephant wind (legendary heard of elephants). Twenty years later he fails to sell a novel, returns home where his mother dies. He finds his dad is not his dad and it is just a weird and crazy story after that. From a fantasy island, to the State of Jerry, a magical group of people called Nefarions. It is just a never ending fantasy weird, funny at times story.
October 30, 2019
After his manuscript is rejected David moves home to grow an epic beard
A well narrated adventure story for fans of all things weird
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review
A well narrated adventure story for fans of all things weird
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review
March 20, 2015
This was a tough one to review. I gave it four stars at first because the beginning was really good. In the middle, it got really really lame. Like "drunk college kid thinking he's being philosophical and creative" lame. It just seemed to be random weirdness for the sake of random weirdness and didn't particularly move the story along or develop the characters or make a point or pretty much anything. So, it dropped to a two at that point (would have been one it was so lame, but the quality of the opening chapters saved it there). Finally at the end, though, things came around again.
So, in a nutshell, this is a bunch of random suck sandwiched between a some really strong opening chapters and some pretty good ending chapters. If the middle were more developed, this would be a really good book. As-is, though, it is entertaining.
So, in a nutshell, this is a bunch of random suck sandwiched between a some really strong opening chapters and some pretty good ending chapters. If the middle were more developed, this would be a really good book. As-is, though, it is entertaining.
January 22, 2014
It was SUPER excellent. Trippy, weird, completely nonsensical and I LOVED IT. Quick summary with no spoilers: The main character in the opening scene sees his grandfather taken away by what he had just learned was an Elephant Wind. A weird tribe of people called the Nefarions take his grandfather through the Malefic ocean to their island on the wind of elephants after the grandfather has stolen their source of life, an unstoppable flame named Brilliance. Fast forward twenty years and the main character is a failed writer who goes home with intentions of growing a beard as his sole purpose in life. When the Nefarions come back in the form of an eagle headed creature, an onion head and an imposter, he knows he is in deep shit. YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK to understand how epic and amazing it is. Anderson Prunty has cemented his place in my list of Favorite Authors.
November 20, 2009
Such is the inflexibility of the Goodreads ranking system, I’ve been wondering whether to go for two or three stars, as really I’d give this book two and a half – but I’m feeling generous so I’ll go for three.
This is a quest tale which leans heavily into the absurdist/surrealist. For example there is a sandwich-maker/cobbler who sells hallucinogenic sandwiches. This kind of weirdness builds and builds until the reader is willing to accept virtually anything. However this quirkiness can be irritating, and if it was much longer I’d undoubtedly be infuriated by how ‘whacky’ it all is. But at its current length what will probably stay in my memory are the not insubstantial number of good lines and comic situations.
This is a quest tale which leans heavily into the absurdist/surrealist. For example there is a sandwich-maker/cobbler who sells hallucinogenic sandwiches. This kind of weirdness builds and builds until the reader is willing to accept virtually anything. However this quirkiness can be irritating, and if it was much longer I’d undoubtedly be infuriated by how ‘whacky’ it all is. But at its current length what will probably stay in my memory are the not insubstantial number of good lines and comic situations.
April 12, 2015
This is one of the best books, I have had the privilege of reading. A book has the power to create a world, and make you feel part of it, at least the good ones. This book based around the decision to grow a beard takes the reader deep into a world of bizarre events, characters and outcomes. It has a great story, well developed characters and hilarious dialogue. I will recommend this book to all I can, because there is so much to love about the story, and I hope anyone reading this gives this book a chance, I find it hard to imagine that anyone could walk away not a fan.
January 4, 2010
After reading Andersen Prunty's The Beard, I doubt if I'll ever have the courage to shave again.
Not really. Actually, I finished it last night, and shaved today. There's nothing scary in this book about beards (or shaving). It it not horror, but it is an immensely enjoyable read. This book would make an excellent introduction to the world of Bizarro fiction. Lots of strange characters and settings, but no weird-for-the-sake-of-weird. Heavy on the fun and subtle humor.
Not really. Actually, I finished it last night, and shaved today. There's nothing scary in this book about beards (or shaving). It it not horror, but it is an immensely enjoyable read. This book would make an excellent introduction to the world of Bizarro fiction. Lots of strange characters and settings, but no weird-for-the-sake-of-weird. Heavy on the fun and subtle humor.
October 7, 2011
Great introduction, however the book never lives up to the standard Prunty sets in the prologue. The beginning reminded me of Bradbury. The body was the usual prose found in bizarro fiction.
It's an enjoyable book. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't already enjoy Prunty's work or the bizarro genre, though.
Prunty missed out on turning this into one of the great travel novels of the new century.
It's an enjoyable book. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't already enjoy Prunty's work or the bizarro genre, though.
Prunty missed out on turning this into one of the great travel novels of the new century.
May 8, 2011
The Beard by Andersen Prunty is an excellent introduction to the bizzaro genre. The story follows a dream logic and is surreal at times. It is never difficult for the sake of being difficult or weird for the sake of weirdness. The book has a fascinating internal logic that leads the reader toward the goal of finding brilliance. Sprinkled along the way the author drops gems of sparkling insight.
November 12, 2011
I would usually consider calling a book "delightful" to be an insult, but this book was delightful in a good way.Fun, funny, weird. Sometimes tries too hard to be weird, but I have learned to forgive.
June 28, 2012
Great book by a great author. Not my fave Prunty book but plenty of bizarre twists and turns. I had been growing an amazing beard myself when I started reading this book (beard was 10 months long) after finishing this book, I promptly shaved it off.
January 23, 2015
weird, strange, unusual and somehow entertaining enough to keep me reading it. read it to discover about elephant wind, nefarions, hallucinogenic sandwiches and impostors. ah, the book is available online for free :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews