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The density of the prose is intimidating. Finding I have to be really committed to the reading experience. The rule of three is a bit overdone in his descriptions. Do we really need three examples for everything? Structurally, I'm curious how this plays out after it begins with an opening section (prologue? though, not called that) titled "Happiness." Seriously, where could this go after a start like that? We'll see.

This is actually the third time I've read this so I'm surprised to see that I hadn't previously written a review. Upcoming this time. Published in 2001 and 20 years on we have realized a literary mindscape that expands Rebein's themes into many more categories, so that his once expansive focus now seems too narrow for the multiplicity of voices and modes of expression that have bloomed from our blighted culture.

In the learn something everyday category: "I switched the cash money, all of it from one wallet to another and became Gavin Lee. Known as Gav. Known as Mr. Lee. This follows Meyer's theory that when you pick a new name, pick one that has the same basic vowel sounds. Then you will react if you hear somebody behind you say your assumed name." Yeah, but, what if they yell out Trav and McGee? And your head turns?

Nice bit of characterization by example on pages 98-99. How do you know some act is out of character? You list counterexamples from their prior behavior. McGee in investigative mode, won't go gentle into that good gigolo night. (Side note: ever notice how close giggle and gigolo are in the dictionary? Separated only by the computer science acronym GIGO, that's how close.)

McGee getting a six shooter unloaded on him from close range and the not getting shot pre-figures that great scene with Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction. How does McGee cope with that life-altering experience? He navel gazes that he's lost half-a-step and maybe should give in, retire from the "salvage" business, and become the highly-sexed rich widow's full-time boy-toy.

In on another of the "missing 38."

Don't know how keen I am on how the shift in narrator's is structured.

One of the "missing 38."

Imagining the stakes grow as this progresses, but the bunco-man protagonist has things about as easy as could be in the first three chapters.

Philosophy from Orrie Hitt? WTF "It was no better than other escapes. You were what you were, she thought, you were like a series of letters posted from no one knew where, all addressed to yourself and mailed at different times. You learned from one day to the next who you had become."

No chapters in this book. Just four "Parts." Cover art by Norm Eastman who did a lot of men's adventure magazine covers.

How to pop me out of the flow of the story? Write a sentence like this: "He grimaced a smile." Ok, I'm trying to picture it. I'm scrunching up my face trying to make one. I'm checking my dictionaries. Here's one definition of "grimace:" an ugly, twisted expression on a person's face. Yes, he grimaced a smile. How about this instead: His grimace eroded into a smile.

Nutso, deep, deep dive. Summarizes each section and then summarizes the summary!

Reading this as I reread Infinite Jest. Strong recommendation that you do not read this until you've read IJ through once.

The kept man is a playwright with writer's block, so a lot of discussion about that.

Second to the last Goodis novel and slow moving so far.

On the home stretch now. The last hundred pages have been especially grueling as most are narrated in free-indirect discourse from the POV of a character on a ventilator coming and going from dream states in between having to listen to addicts recount their woes. As per his style, DFW here inverts the Pareto diagram, it's 20/80, payoff/verbiage.

Goodreads had this listed as an edition of Sin on Wheels by Loren Beauchamp, which is about a trailer park. This is about a driving school instructor and a completely different book, so I split it out as a separate book. Both Loren Beauchamp and Don Elliott were pseudonyms of Robert Silverberg, so unless you looked at both books it's a easy mistake to assume they are the same.