[.ca] Parasites Like Us (ISBN 0142004774)

phenomenal:
This is a phenomeal book--it's a classic dark comedy. Humor runs through this novel, even at its darkest moments--and there are a few laugh out loud moments. The book has a deeply philosophical bent to it. The characters are likeable, even the most annoying of the bunch, and the storyline is plausible, even if it stretches here and there. I do think the ending is a littl weak, but overall you are dealing with a great story: humor, philosophy, anthropology, and the apocalypse. You just can't go wrong.

Wonderful prose, questionable narrative:
Adam Johnson is gifted writer. Let there be no denying that fact. His prose can take your breath away. His characters were well written, but if you're a fan of contemporary fiction, you will recognize the shadow of a Jimmy Minty or Grady Tripp, borrowed from Russo and Chabon. My biggest gripe concerns the storyline, which really sort of goes down in flames toward the end. Oh, it's worth reading and it will, at moments, leave you shaking your head in appreciation. At the end though, it'll just leave you shaking your head.

The New Face of Postmodern Fiction:
Johnson's first novel is a loose, brawling, gritty, comic tale while retaining a great touch of the transcendent. The jokes come fast and the heartache faster. The attention to detail and fact (or not - who knows?) is astounding; small details abound - but certainly no small ideas as Johnson attacks our notions of archeology, academia, history, memory, and family. The next generation of writers is developing as we speak, a new vanguard of young novelists whose style and themes will come to dominate American fiction: Johnson may not be driving this boat but he sure has his hand on the throttle. This is a thrilling read with intelligence and talent to spare.

Dark and clever comedy:
Hank Hannah is a professor of anthropology, but he is the antithesis of Indiana Jones. He works at a second-rate university, has difficulty gaining credibility among his academic peers, and is unlucky in love. He finally hits pay dirt when a doctoral student he advises unearths the grave of a prehistoric Clovis hunter. Attempting to dig at the site without the appropriate permissions, Hank winds up in a scuffle with the police that lands him in a minimum security prison. In the meanwhile, the dig unleashes a nasty surprise with worldwide repercussions. There is a lot of dark and outlandish humor here, as first-time novelist Adam Johnson pokes fun at academia and our materialistic society. There are many comic scenes of Hank and his students fumbling their way through their research, of Hank's womanizing, carefree father, and of the cop who likes Pomeranians, hates Hank, and raises his kids in boot-camp fashion. Interspersed with the wry humor, however, is a serious message. There are some powerful descriptions of life after the apocalypse. We are reminded of the gloomy forecast for our future if we repeat the history of our Clovis antecedents by destroying our environment and ourselves with it. We get to view ourselves as a future anthropologist would when looking back on our culture through the artifacts of our lives. "Parasites Like Us" will make you laugh. But more importantly, it will make you think about what it means to be human. I look forward to other novels by Johnson.

Couldn't Put Down:
After reading the first paragraph I couldn't put this book down until it was completely read. Now I wish I hadn't read it yet! This is a great book for people who like caveman setting type books.