The Wizard of Loneliness

Rating:
Summary: Nichols Understands the Human Condition
Review: Having read "The Milagro Beanfield War" and "Nirvana Blues", I was anxious to finish his New Mexican trilogy. I could not find the book, however, and off I went in search of his other work. I was deeply impressed by the aforementioned books, especially by his treatment of characters, his probing of conflicting emotions in complex situations. Often, Nichols characters seemed to be lamenting their lives, feeling as though they have missed out. These characters are generally middle age or older. However, in this book the main character is around 11 years old. The thoughts and emotions of this prickly young boy are written with such authenticity and cleverness, it's as though Nichols is conjuring up a real person. It is depressing at points, as most of the characters grapple with their senses of mortality, but there is something distinctly uplifting about it.