He took "Never Give An Inch" as, well, sage advice. He had me read it when I was still young enough to idolize him. Kesey, of the Acid Tests, of the trippy "silent generation" that actually made a whole heap of noise while the Boomers were kids. But of course it's not, it's part of the wonderful Americana that Kesey came from and exemplifies. it rivals any fancy work that you'd be assigned in an upper-level college class. I mean, the interplay of perspective and form, the nuance and depth. Wow, I haven't thought about this book in a long time.įirst of all, it's a literary masterpiece. I think one has to look at a character like him with some nuance. But Hank also has a great deal of courage and grit. He’s very unlikeable and the sort of man whose implacable will can crush anyone in its path. At least some men who do really hard and dangerous jobs have qualities similar to Hank’s. When the shit really hits the fan, could a man like Hank Stamper step up and see the situation through to the end? Quite probably, yes. Would I want to be involved with a man like him? God no. I also think it’s a great book about a certain type of masculine mindset that in its own way has elements of nobility to it. I think Hank is a realistic portrayal of a man from that environment in that time. I have no idea whether Kesey himself viewed women the way that Hank Stamper did. Logging is one of the most dangerous jobs out there. But one point is that women were secondary players in this very macho and brutal logging environment. I agree with your GF about the way women are portrayed. I read this years ago, at my husband’s recommendation.
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