Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

Rating:
Summary: A very good book
Review: This book is an example of Tom Robbins at his finest. The character development and story line are both excellent, placing this book on the same level as Still Life with Woodpecker. Plus, It's fraggin' hysterical.

Rating:
Summary: a big insulting let-down
Review: I was so excited to read this, and it just made me mad. I wouldn't care so much, I guess, but it's a kind of writing I like, done poorly. Robbins knows what he's doing, but he is just astoundingly arrogant and bigoted, so much that it makes my head reel. His tangential asides are not about the plot, or even (as they supposedly are) about themselves, but about Robbins, and about how he's extremely clever. Well, I don't think he's so much clever as he is obnoxious and self-satisfied. His dialogue is sloppy, his plot is questionable, his form is narcissitic at best, and his novel, ultimately, would be interesting only from an historical perspective, and that only if it were actually original. N.B.: I very much like Kurt Vonnegut, Thomas Pynchon, David Foster Wallace, Douglas Adams, Dostoevsky, Barthelme, &c. (that off the top of my head). Judge based on that whether or not my opinion is relevant to you.

Rating:
Summary: an unbeknownst stumbling into the goo of anti-philsophy
Review: Sissy Hankshaw, who is more so believeably beautiful by having bizzare oversized thumbs, takes into reign her idenity and freedom and hitches the best whirlwind fly by string of randomly yet cleverly juxtaposted events which create, by the end of the read, a unexpected insight into love, reality, and the connection between both

Rating:
Summary: One of the best books written to date, amusing to the end.
Review: "Even Cowgirls Get The Blues" by Tom Robbins is at first a bit hard to follow, a trademark of Robbins' work, but well worth the effort. The main character is Sissy Hankshaw, a young beauty with one minor, or maybe major flaw, her huge thumbs. Instead of letting the size of her thumbs hinder her, she uses them to her advantage, and becomes the best hitchhiker in the country, perhaps the world. Hitchhiking takes Sissy to a number of diverse and intersting places, where she meets many distinct and different people. Among the people Sissy meets is the "Countess", a gay, crossdressing owner of a douche company which Sissy becomes a part time model for. Through the Countess Sissy meets Julian Gitche, who becomes her husband. She also meets Bonanza Jelly Bean, "the cutest cowgirl in the world" who dreams that someday every little girl that dreams of becoming a cowgirl will be able to and not be told that it is a silly dream like she was told by her parents. Among the people that Sissy meets the Chink would have to be one of considerable significance, although he would not say that he "taught" Sissy anything, she learned a lot from him, and he gave the reader alot to think about too. "Even Cowgirls Get The Blues" was both entertaining and witty, coming as much from the crazy antics of the characters as from the frequent interjections from the author. "Cowgirls" is one of Robbins' best work both in imaginative characters and wild themes. It has the "stuff" to keep the reader interested to the end

Rating:
Summary: An unforgettable lark; Sissy's giant thumbs hitchike West
Review: Sissy is a beautiful small-town girl with a messed up start, and a pair of giant thumbs. She can flag any vehicle down with her huge digits, and takes off into the West. She spends a good deal of time at the Rubber Rose Ranch, a dudette ranch manned only by cowgirls, financed by douche sales (a typically Tom Robbins-esque construct which is so silly as to be almost possible). Sissy's introductions to life, love, death, and compromise are a mixture of sweet and sour, comedy and tragedy. A great read

Rating:
Summary: pooping and thumbs
Review: _Even Cowgirls Get the Blues_ Was *excellent*! My favorite parts were: a) the parenthesis, where the author would insert dry commentary and wry humor into the story - often in the character of Dr. Robins, the author; and b) the consistent use of certain metaphors (like pooping and thumbs) in both predictable and not-so-predictable places. But, really, how can you *not* like this plot:A woman with extra-large thumbs becomes the world's greatest hitchhiker and, (due to a chance encounter on a busy city street, where she is 'discovered' and becomes a kind of part-time model for a man obsessed with douching) meets the cowgirls who run the 'rubber rose' ranch... Adora

Rating:
Summary: Japanese translation version
Review: I've read a Japanese translation of "Even Cowgirls Get The Blues". When I watch the movieCI felt interested in each of characters;especially Chink&Sissy. Although I've read a translation versionC‚h could enjoy his humorous style.So I decided to make a challenge to ENGLISH version. AnywayCI was greatly shocked from his book. How broad the inside of his brain is! And his way of thinking about the meaning of loveClife etc is amazing.And I strongly impressed on my mind from those.So I will be able to recommend this book anyone.This is the best book I've ever read.So I would like to express my thanks to TOM ROBBINS from faraway city;TOKYO. Next I will read "JITTERBUG PERFUMEh.

Rating:
Summary: Maybe it's just me...
Review: Maybe it's just the order I'm reading the books, but after "Still Life With Woodpecker" and "Jitterbug Perfume", this one came up a bit short.

Maybe he just got better with age, like fine wine and aged cheese.

Maybe I just haven't read enough of Tom Robbins' books, and so haven't acquired a complete appreciation for the clever wordplay, but this one seems to be far too wordy at the expense of content and story. There are at least two chapters that unapologetically say absolutely nothing, and do not advance the story in any way.

Maybe I was just too impatient to get to the "meat" of the story, and got frustrated with the rambling.

As I said, maybe it's just me.

The characters are very Tom Robbins, especially Sissy Hanshaw, the super-sized digited ugly duckling who grew up to be a hitchhiker, model and cowgirl, the delightfully named Bonanza Jellybean, ranch boss and all cowgirl, the hygienically challenged Countess with castanets for teeth, Delores del Ruby, whip maestro and forewoman, and the Chink, pecker waving yam lover.

Parts of the story are very similar to "Jitterbug Perfume", especially if you consider the Chink as an oriental Pan, all musky and ready to rut, and compare the Clockworks tribe to the Bandaloop, both of whom possess the wisdom of the ages and are more finely attuned to nature than the rest of us.

Readers of "Still Life" will note that "O O Spaghetti O" makes about as much sense as "Ha ha ho ho and hee hee"

There's a wonderful storyline here, with our thumb-tied heroine struggling to find herself, the all cowgirl ranch, and the interrupted migration of the protected whooping cranes, but alas, it was hidden amongst the rambling passages, and I almost couldn't see the story for the words.

In my opinion, not a good beginner's guide to Tom Robbins - there are better - but still a clever concept teeming with physical and spiritual love, nature and magic, cultural differences, freedom, overcoming handicaps and of course, hitchhiking. It's a three thumbs up, but could have been a five.

Ha ha ho ho and hee hee

Amanda Richards, edited August 30, 2004


Rating:
Summary: silly throwaway entertainment
Review: Maybe my expectations are too high or I am a snob, but I thought this was a truly lousy novel. It is a typical frivolous 70s-style story, posturing as a more genuine 1960s anti-establishment statement but really just baldly commercial.

The plot is full of characters that are 2-dimensional sterotypes, from the neurotic Indian advertising artist to the guru in the desert. With its breathtaking pretentions, it is not even as good as a TV sitcom.

Not recommended. Watch Mork & Mindy or re-runs of the original Saturday night live instead, if you want a genuine 70s experience.

Rating:
Summary: Woohoo! Makes me want to hitchhike around the globe!
Review: Sissy Hankshaw is something else in this book. The movie does not give this book any justice. Although it is worth checking out also. How can you go wrong with a girl that has the biggest thumbs in the universe and has hitchhiked around the whole galaxy? Definately another one of Tom's mind benders and worth the read!