The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards
Kristopher Jansma
Publisher : Penguin Books; Reprint edition
Language : English
Paperback : 272 pages
ISBN-10 : 0143125028
ISBN-13 : 978-0143125020
Item Weight : 8.1 ounces
Dimensions : 0.8 x 8.3 x 5.4 inches
Description
"F. Scott Fitzgerald meets Wes Anderson" (The Village Voice) in this inventive and witty debut about a young man’s quest to become a writer and the misadventures in life and love that take him around the globe—from the author of Why We Came to the Cit.
As early as he can remember, the narrator of this remarkable novel has wanted to become a writer. From the jazz clubs of Manhattan to the villages of Sri Lanka, Kristopher Jansma’s hopelessly unreliable—yet hopelessly earnest—narrator will be haunted by the success of his greatest friend and literary rival, the brilliant Julian McGann, and endlessly enamored with Evelyn, the green-eyed girl who got away. A profound exploration of the nature of truth and storytelling, this delightful picaresque tale heralds Jansma as a bold, new American voice.
Review: The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards by Kristopher Jansma
This book, which I'd purchased, was a winner of the Sherwood Anderson Foundation Fiction Award and Honorable Mention for the PEN/Hemingway Award.
The book is written by an original storyteller with a love of language.
This fictional tale of audacious prose stirs the heart and imagination. The settings and scenery ( clubs, theater, villages, cars, college) enhance the plot as we witness the differences between indirect and direct communication.
Throughout the manuscript, we glance at the fallible and untrustworthy narrator who steals identities.
My favorite part of the writing was the juxtaposition between the aspiring novelists' characters which caused me to challenge my perspective.
This story comes full circle at an airport terminal.
You can view more about Kristopher Jansma and his works here.
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Sherwood Anderson was known as the Father of Realism and his work was often self-revealing. He wrote an interesting book about George Willard's gradual coming-of-age
Ernest Hemingway is known for his terse prose style. I had the pleasure of being asked to review Ernest Hemingway: Artifacts from a Life. It is a beautiful collection of documents and photographs.