Still Life with Woodpecker

It's hard to know where to even begin when describing the book "Still Life with Woodpecker" by Tom Robbins. It's about a princess and an outlaw who fall in love against all odds. And it's about a pack of Camel cigarettes. "Still Life" combines the philosophical, imaginative, and sociological aspects of life and rolls them all together.

Tom Robbins is quite the character and after reading an interview with him, I began to understand where he's coming from a little bit more. I loved his explanation of what he tries to do with his writing:

     "What I try to do, among other things, is to mix fantasy and spirituality, sexuality, humor and poetry in combinations that have never quite been seen before in literature. And I guess when a reader finishes one of my books -- provided the reader does finish the book -- I would like for him or her to be in the state that they would be in after a Fellini film or a Grateful Dead concert. Which is to say that they've encountered the lifeforce in a large, irrepressible and unpredictable way and as a result their sense of wonder has been awakened and all of their possibilities have been expanded."

"Still Life" was a perfect summer read for me and I really enjoyed it (despite initially being confused when I started the book on where it was all going!). I would love to hear your comments on "Still Life" and for those of you who've read Robbins' work, suggestions for my next Robbins adventure!