So Much for the Pulitzer Prize
This book received the Pulitzer for Fiction in 1996, which is very revealing about the standards used by the Pulitzer judges. The writing and structure is skillful, to be sure, but the protagonist and his allegedly sordid life are really incredibly square (he wears yellow socks and sells real estate!). And he goes on and on about how wise he is, which is very tedious. For those readers who live in gated communities and play golf, this will thrill you, because he is a typical empty-headed, attachment-disordered American capitalist. For readers searching for quality literature and bold characters and ideas, this book will disappoint.
