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–Clauido Soto, 1st yr ALT, Kasukabe City
Never something as unexciting as a book review – me? Stoop to something so mundane, dare I say jejune? Why? Because, simply – Thought Gang is the best book I have ever read. I have read many books in my meander through space on this mud-ball called earth, and some of them have been very good, great even. None compare to Tibor Fischer’s brilliant string of witticisms disguised as a novel.
Thought Gang is a first person narrative by Eddie Coffin whose prestigious career as a Cambridge philosophy professor has come to an end. The two most immediately striking things about Eddie are: one, he is completely bald, and two, he is a bank robber in southern France. Moreover, he has teamed himself with a one-armed, one-eyed bandit and together they have a rat for a mascot. A big rat.
This fast-paced story progresses in a non-linear style bouncing between Eddie’s reflections and memories to his present misadventures, injecting humour in the most unlikely of situations. Along the way, Fischer redefines what it means to be the “last man standing”, and takes an unheroic and apathetic character who most people would find disagreeable and makes him likable by virtue of these qualities.
On another level Fischer’s irreverent treatment of “the boys” and “the biz”, philosophers and philosophy, is a welcome poke at snooty high-mindedness. "You want the truth? Attach electrodes to someone's testicles and you'll get the truth pretty damn quick!" Fear not, however, as the references to philosophy are mainly for effect and you certainly will not learn more about philosophy by reading Thought Gang. Fischer said it himself, “I'm coming to the conclusion it’s [writing is] much easier and more authentic just to make it up.”
The energetic narrative draws you from one page to the next in a dizzying display of verbosity and verbal acrobatics. I have never seen so many words beginning with the letter ”z”. Thought Gang is incredibly clever, at times completely audacious, and the funniest thing I have ever read. Before reading this book I am not even sure that I had ever laughed while reading a novel.
If I learned anything from Thought Gang I would be hard-pressed to say what it is. However, I will say that I found reading it a completely edifying experience. If for no other reason, you should read Thought Gang because it is eminently readable. |
