Percy-L: Literary, Religious, Scientific, and Philosophical Discussion of Walker Percy

[Doug Brown <wply1223 AT gmail.com>]

Hi Michael,

I'm delighted to hear that you are reading through Percy's novels. I think you are taking the right approach to read them in order. I think that will help you see the sort of progress of the novels as the characters and plots get funnier and sometimes darker. 

Please don't be discouraged by The Last Gentleman. I'm going to be straight up honest with you. I don't like it either. I'm a huge Walker Percy fan, so I've forced myself to read The Last Gentleman a couple of times. But I find it awkward and not very interesting. It is my least favorite of his books. Like you say, I just don't find the characters appealing. All the other novels have characters who are funny and charming and goodhearted. Be prepared for Love In The Ruins to be kind of weird. The main character, Tom More, is a little bit insane. But it's also funny and deeply meaningful. Percy doesn't spare anyone in that novel - everybody is a possible target for his satire.

I know - I absolutely know - that some people on this thread will disagree with me. And that's fine! Lots of people love The Last Gentleman. But it's not for me. Feel free to shrug it off and move on.

Best of everything to you, Michael.

Doug Brown

On Mon, Apr 17, 2023 at 1:31 PM Michael Martin Serafin <michael_serafin AT hotmail.com> wrote:

I am making my way through Percy's writings in order of publication. I just finished "The Last Gentleman" for the first time. Now, I am an elderly northeastern working-class Pole with a high-school education, who makes minimum- wage, and likes to read. I love Percy's elegant turns of phrase, but, some of his characters sail over my head. Binx Bolling's aunt was one of them. This time, it's Sutter. I like him for his intellect, but not for his sociopathic self-absorption. That said, Will Barrett's behavior throughout the novel also had me scratching my head. I am not as highly educated as most, if not all, on this listserv. I am moving onto "Love In The Ruins" as soon as it gets delivered , hopefully this week.

Michael Serafin

Chicopee, MA.

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