Kris Wilkes – Google

Southern Man

Why do you read? If for enjoyment or learning, this probably is not the book for you. If you instead want to wallow in exaggerated contemporary malaise, with excruciating detail, you might like this one. No question, he is a powerful writer, but the pointless meanderings through the miserable lives of individual family members, culminating in a climatic gathering devoid of any discernible meaning or message (other than nihilism perhaps) does not ring true. The sad portrayal of Parkinson’s and aging was the high point, but it is buried in odd tangents about capitalism, corporate greed, science and investments, strung together by unrealistically dysfunctional relationships. The literary awards led me astray here.

The Corrections

2 likes

Be Mine

Three episodes and I am done. They intentionally beat the undercover operative nearly to death to test her (which of course should have put her in the hospital and in a cosmetic surgeon’s hands for years), yet they promptly send her on a mission where they know she will be asked to wear a bikini; then, they are surprised when her disfiguring and grotesque injuries become a problem for her to explain. Meanwhile, operatives are sent to Van Horn, Texas, causing mayhem and death of countless innocent bystanders, yet they drive away without consequence. This is after the first episode where an unknown religious tattoo blows the whole operation. Skinny, toothpick females repeatedly beat up huge males. Stupid and unbelievable. Characters shallow and unlikeable. Completely misses the interesting dynamics of how it feels to be a female operating in a male-dominated realm. So disappointing for Taylor Sheridan.

Lioness

55 likes