A Man in Full

Rating:
Summary: Hits the mark on Atlanta, misses on the story
Review: As an Atlantan, I was impressed with Tom Wolfe's ability to pick up on the Atlanta social scene and what drives the residents of the City Too Busy To Hate. Because of this, I can't understand the uproar around town about how Wolfe has "burned" Atlanta for the second time.

As a Wolfe fan, I think he started out with a great story line and character development, then lost his focus about 2/3 of the way through and had to really stretch to tie things together without going over 1,000 pages. Quite a shame, because this book has the makings of one of the better American novels in the last 20 years. Instead, I think it'll wind up being one of the better selling novels in the last 20 years, but nothing more than a footnote 20 years from now.

Rating:
Summary: A nice surprise
Review: I usually only read horror and suspense novels and for some reason decided to pick this up because of all the hype. I am happy to say that it was well worth reading. This is an easy book to read that should appeal to most people. If you are looking for something to pass some time and entertain you, pick this up.

Rating:
Summary: He's a great storyteller.
Review: He's a great storyteller. I went in with apprehension. My fears started to come true in the beginning. It felt too much like bonfire. then I got caught up in the story and that was it. Great story. Greater depth than bonfire.

Rating:
Summary: A love/hate relationship with this book
Review: Everytime I got to the point where I said, "You know, this book really is great", Wolfe would blow it with a ridiculous scene that was 20 pages too long. A sharp editor could have streamlined this novel into a masterpiece. Instead, there's just too many irrelevant subplots. The alleged rape, the fulcrum around which everthing else turns, is barely even touched upon. But hundreds of pages are devoted to Conrad's prison experience. Sure it's well-reached, but is it relevent?The most disappointing part, though, was the ending. An epilogue in which two characters discuss where the other characters have ended up -- what was he thinking? Not only is it the most artificial, unnatural writing Wolfe has ever done, but it's a hack's method of ending a book that never really goes anywhere to begin with.Expect to love this book. But also expect to hate it.

Rating:
Summary: Could have been better
Review: It's extremely well written, of course. And, the characters are very interesting. I found myself thinking about the people a lot - even when I wasn't actually reading the book. But I, too, was disappointed in the ending. It's like all a sudden there's some big hurry to wrap up the story. Since I had already spent more than a week reading this - and enjoying it, I wouldn't have minded reading a few more chapters devoted to a more detailed and fully developed ending.

Rating:
Summary: Ending killed the novel
Review: I must admit up front that I am new to Wolfe's writing. Through the first, oh, 600 pages of A Man in Full, I was enraptured. Sure, there were some rough spots (in my mind, the chapters on Conrad in the Santa Rita prison), but what should one expect from such a lenghty work? I was willing to overlook these spots, relatively few and far between as they were, and instead immerse myself into the pleasant cadence and humor of the characters. Until the book approaches its climax, that is. What a disappointing ending to an initially splendid work. Was Wolfe under some of the time pressures movie directors face while making the final edits? I just can't understand how he could abandon the storyline and spiral into a short, out-of-place ending where all is well for those who choose to follow Zeus. And in stark contrast to the rest of the book, the writing in the epilogue was choppy - more like something a first-year creative writing student might submit. I must say, this was a very disappointing experience to end on such a sour note. But all in all, I did enjoy A Man in Full, and plan to move on and try Bonfire and some of Wolfe's nonfiction.

P.S. Could someone explain his fascinations with the phrase "solar plexus" and the term "akimbo?"

Rating:
Summary: two hundred characters who were left hanging,along with me.
Review: Knowing that i was having surgery and would be confined to bed for a few days, i set out to buy the perfect book. Having enjoyed books by Tom Wolfe in the past and seeing the great size of the book , i knew i had found the perfect book. Imagine my surprise when the only thing this book is perfect for is a door stop. I finished this book about ten days ago and i cannot remember the name of one character, cannot remember one scene that grabbed me and i have no desire to ever buy another of Tom Wolfe's books. maybe he set out to make this book like the highway system in atlanta. long, tedious, crowded and never ending.

Rating:
Summary: Starts strongly, but fades...
Review: I liked this book. It is in fact, a hard book to dislike, however, I was somewhat disappointed with the finish. It seemed almost as if Wolfe was desperate to get the thing finished off and shot to the publisher, because the last few chapters seem out of step with the rest of the book, smacking of a "lets get this baby wrapped up" attitude. Having said that, the book was a page turner, the characters were engaging, and the commentary pithy. Very good, but not great.

Rating:
Summary: Great storytelling; richly textured; weak, wimpy ending.
Review: Disappointing finish after 700+ pages of superb storytelling, engrossing characters, and finely woven tapestry of observation, locale, and relationships. The conclusion was not a logical or fitting end to the story. What happened?

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful characters, but a disappointing ending...
Review: I concur with many of the other reviews that this is essentially a Bonfire of the Vanities, southern-style. I enjoyed Wolfe's characters, particularly Conrad and Martha but felt let down in the end when these characters, who I invested so much time in, were merely mentioned in an epilogue. It just seems like there is so much more to be written after the press conference is held! Wolfe's depiction of the South is enjoyable, especially how Charlie represents the epitome of a "good ol' boy." I don't regret reading this book, I'm just sad that there wasn't 3 or 4 more chapters in it!