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Ironman
Colson Whitehead’s novel, John
Henry Days, works well on so many levels. There’s a great parallel
between the life of protagonist J. Sutter and the historical figure or
mythical figure of the title. Whitehead presents characters, background and
plot with ease and in an indirect, meandering way that becomes charming after
a few dozen pages. The creativity, coupled with descriptive and poetic
language, makes this an enjoyable and entertaining novel.
Here’s an excerpt that describes Lucien,
the executive who maintains the List of junketeers who populate PR events:
“Lucien has to
keep Lawrence on his toes. He looks into the future: Next time they have an
out-of-town event, Lawrence will research all the local flora and fauna, just
in case. But Lucien will not ask the next time. Lawrence will wait for the
questions but it will not come, then he’ll try to slip his new knowledge into
the conversation somehow. Listen to that red-breasted robin, Lucien, it’s
their mating season and that is their mating call.
These trees do not dissemble. They are true to their natures, like Lucien.
Lawrence his first day on the job probably imagined he was coming to work for
a Mike Ovitz, or a fashioner of summer blockbusters. A postmodern Barnum in a
slimming Italian suit. All who meet Lucien expect such, such is his
reputation, misearned. Certainly he surprised Lawrence immediately, in those
first few days (he must have) with his humility and soft, careful speech. Oh,
he thunders now and again, but only at those who understand thunder and will
listen to nothing else. Certainly he surprised Lawrence with his sincerity over
time. (Ticking off here his favorite attributes.) Lucien is not, as many
believe him to be, fake. Such a label implies premeditation, that the inner
man does not match the outer man and fakery is involved. But he is no
counterfeiter. From time to time, after the lights have been turned out and
the surly emanations of the streetlights fill his bedroom or in odd moments
at well-attended events when he is in between greetings and small talk and
alone in a crowd before he has decided on his next strategic interaction,
Lucien will find himself lost in his landscape. How he stumbled there is not
important, which sign he misinterpreted that led him into this introspective
cul-de-sac, what is important is that he is face to face with his character
and must account for what he has become, and in those moments he will not
flinch. He can describe the man he sees with merciless acuity, recognize the
hunched and shriveled creature before him and there, it happens, he extends
his arms without reluctance or disgust to embrace his true self. And there is
no disagreement between Lucien at that moment of sudden confrontation and
Lucien at this very moment, on the job, timecard perforated, en route to his
latest assignment. No false front, he does not dissemble, he is exactly as he
appears to be.”
You’ll spend an enjoyable several hours
reading John
Henry Days, and will savor Whitehead’s fine writing, and think about his
characters for some time to come.
Steve Hopkins, January 9, 2002
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