Water Music is the first T. C. Boyle novel I read back when he was T Coraghessan Boyle. I’ve often wondered if his publishers implored him to drop that tricky-to-spell middle name or whether he shrugged it off happily. I’ve read many of his subsequent books but none has bettered this one for me.
It’s based on the eighteenth-century explorer Mungo Park’s compulsive quest to find the source of the Niger. Whilst Mungo pursues his obsession, causing anguish and disruption for his family, the attempts of petty con-man Ned Rise to go straight are foiled by the lust for vengeance of his humiliated victims. The picaresque tale of how this unlikely couple come together in the depths of West Africa is told in Boyle’s characteristic darkly humorous, baroque style. A novel packed with extraordinary characters who never seem to have a dull moment.
What about you, any blasts from the past you’d like to share?
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Intriguing. I’ve read exactly nothing by Boyle.
He’s very quirky, covers a lot of ground. He’s never bettered this one for me and I’ve given up with him now.
Not only have I read nothing by this author. I’d never heard of him. Time to put this right!
I’ve not read anything new by him for a little while but I think he’s still writing. Your library might have a copy of this one they can dust off!
Only Water Music …
I’m impressed that they have it!
It’s not on the list yet. Tottering Pile Issues …
I understand, entirely…
This is the only Boyle I’ve read! At the time I loved it—it scratched my then-unattended 18th-century itch—but I wonder how I’d feel now, five years into a postgraduate degree specialising in the era. I do recall it being very engaging. Reviewed it here: https://ellethinks.wordpress.com/2021/01/17/water-music/
Oh, great. I’ve not *met* many people who’ve read this one, and thanks for the link. I suspect you’d not be so enthusiastic now, having studied the period in such depth
I’ve only read The Tortilla Curtain by Boyle sooo long ago and I remember liking it but never picked him up again! It’s good to know where to try him next, this sounds powerful.
I remember writing a reading guide for that back in the dim and distant past!
For months i saw “Water Music’ on the remainder table at the Strand in NYC. Then i finally succumbed and bought it, read it, loved it. I was then on a T.C. Boyle track and -for a while – read everything. “World’s End” was a stand-out. Wondering now how it would stand-up to a re-read.
It’s one of those I hesitate to go back to in case of disillusionment. I’ve not read anything by him for a long time.
His Tortilla Curtain is an “update” or modern re-telling of the Grapes of Wrath. He is a very compelling writer.
He is indeed.
My husband used to read his books. I think he might have read this one. By the way, I hope you don’t mind, but I added a link to this post to my #ThrowbackThursday link party.
More than happy! Thank you.
I have one of his other books lined up for the end of this year on the recommendation of another reading friend, but this one also sounds intriguing (I can’t recall the recommended title, none of the ones mentioned above, but his short stories are also on my TBR).
I’ll be interested to see which one if you review it. He’s quite prolific.
I’ve read a number of Boyle’s books now but not this one — though I do have a copy! It sounds a bit like Measuring the World by Daniel Kehlmann.
I thought of Water Music as I read the Kehlmann!
So funny.. when I read your Blasts from the past on Tim Murphy’s Correspondents I started thinking about books I’d strongly recommended to people myself and remembered The Tortilla Curtain which I hadn’t thought about for years… I absolutely loved it at the time. I did read a few other books of TC Boyle’s but wasn’t keen on them but I haven’t come across Water Music so I will add it to my tbr list. I looked at Tim Murphy and decided to read Cristadora first, I really enjoyed it and will definitely try Correspondents so thanks for that.
I agree about TC Boyle. I enjoyed The Tortilla Curtain but he’s never surpassed Water Music for me. I hope you like it, and the Murphy. We seem to have similar taste!