Roomanitarian by Henry Rollins Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Roomanitarian
Book Review: Rollins Misses the Target This Time Out
Summary: 1 Stars
Henry Rollins is one of my favorite writers. If you want to experience one of the funniest, most insightful and unique literary voices in the English language, read his "Black Coffee Blues", "Smile You're Traveling" or "Nights Below the Treeline". Avoid, at all costs, "Roomanitarian". I cringe as I write this, but it's only true. Rollins' latest effort is a halfbaked fiasco.
"Roomanitarian" is essentially a book of rants. That's problem #1. Rants are the literary equivalent of tabasco sauce: a little goes a long way. Reading this book is like drinking a whole bottle of tabasco. While the ranting is mixed in with some gentler, humorous pieces, Rollins spends 90% of the book in full-on "rant" mode. The relentless finger-pointing and judging with a capital "J" get old really fast. It's too much of a sometimes-good genre.
Then there are Rollins' attempts at satire. He can often be a brilliant satirist---his take on the L.A. celebrity "culture" in "Nights Below the Treeline" is one example. But in "Roomanitarian", you can file the parodies under three subject headings: "Too Easy", "Yesterday's News" or "Ill-conceived". The piece envisioning Rosie O'Donnell as a mother pig lying on her side, as a group of Scientologists nurse from her teats, was a chore to read. Equally belabored was "Letter to Ann Hitler with Love", a pro-liberal spitwad flung at conservative critic Ann Coulter. "Letters to Whitey", an anti-racist diatribe that tries to turn the tables on crackers by making them the victims of their own pretzel logic, was damned by polite applause when Rollins prevued it at a talking show of his that I attended---in 2003. It's almost as if this book had been sitting in a drawer somewhere since then.
Satire is a dish best served fresh, hot and cooked to perfection. O'Donnell's program went off the air over 2 years ago. Coulter's "Pat Buchannon's brain in a Barbie Doll's body" act went stale at least that long ago. Nobody, not even the most skilled satirist, could do a better job of exposing the pitifulness of these topics than O'Donnell, Coulter and Tom Cruise have already done themselves. There is no topic on Earth that deserves bashing more than racism does and Rollins, admirably, has always been vehemently anti-racist. But if you're anti-racist, shouldn't that imply opposing racism in all forms---even racism against whites? In "Roomanitarian", Rollins' lampoonery arrives too late to be relevant and aims too low to score.
At some point in their careers, talented authors often stumble. "Roomanitarian" is Henry Rollins' first literary stumbling-block. I'm sure he'll soon recover with a future collection of astute and witty observations. I would, though, advise him to consider abandoning the rant genre, as he seems to have exhausted the form.
My advice to veteran Rollins readers: save that $12.00 for his next book. To newcomers: spend that $12.00 on "Black Coffee Blues" and witness a truly original author at work. Bypass "Roomanitarian".
Book Review: Short but Visceral
Summary: 5 Stars
There's no comparing this book, really, to "Broken Summers", Henry's last book, because the two are so vastly different in content, since "Roomanitarian" is more sparse and prose oriented; the kind of thing we knew from his earlier book, "Solipsist". At just under 200pgs, I do admit I wish it were longer but the content is well worth it, packed into such a small volume. It seems as he gets older, Rollins thins out his work, packing more and more into less and less with better results.
Perhaps not as great as earlier prose-style books of his when he was younger, this is still a worthy addition, though maybe not as appealing to newcomer's. I'd suggest going backwards and starting with the original "Black Coffee Blues" and working up through this book to get the full effect and range of his style but if you're already a fan, by all means, put this in your collection, you won't be dissappointed.
Book Review: Streetwise solipsist mishandles his frustration
Summary: 1 Stars
Like many avid readers, I am also a budding writer, and when I consider the books that influenced me to take up pen and paper, I must count "Solipsist" by Henry Rollins in that list. While I didn't agree with each and every sentiment in the landmark "Solipsist," I think it displayed a tense, brutal honesty and brittle rancor in its poetic and uncomfortable narratives that challenged how I viewed literature. Given his delving into multiple media, Rollins is a leading social satirist and commentator, and a very vital artist. Even so, with a heavy heart, I cannot recommend "Roomanitarian."
Most of the opening material was enjoyable for me - the back cover is not misleading his fans when it says the book demonstrates a return to the feel and focus of "Solipsist." I was glad to see the odd prose-poem-narratives with blunt, unflinching emotional and intellectual outbursts - the opening line or lines in bold text, as if each of these differentiated sentences is a sort of title to the rest of the paragraph containing them. Here, however, it doesn't feel as groundbreaking or intense as "Solipsist," but it's at first comfortable and welcome - sometimes returning to a classic style rewards one's readers as much as forging ahead. If you're not a major enthusiast of these poetic and forceful rants, you may find them intriguing novelties but only in passing. However, if you were bowled over by "Solipsist," you'll find them familiar and enjoyable, if a bit predictable.
Predictability is a curse of much of "Roomanitarian," which feels a bit forced, or seems like glimpse into the "b-side" material of Rollins' literature. He's crafting poetry, and firing off rants, but it's nothing we haven't seen, and at times feels too close to what we saw in previous works. Still, these feelings of bemusing familiarity didn't arrive for me until after I finished each piece - Rollins' gripping rancor keeps you tracing line after line until you take a breather and realize it's nothing too new, or realize perhaps that you don't care for it as executed here. It's like a well-spoken politician or a fiery street preacher - you may find yourself drawn into this new section of Rollins' world, but once you stop to take stock of your surroundings, you may not be quite as impressed.
But the real strike against the book is "To Ann Hitler with Love." I could speak of how it's the sort of obscene, cruel material mocking a thinly-veiled portrayal of Ann Coulter (heck, it's not even mildly-veiled) that she would want to come from the Far Left so she can convince her already-converted fanbase they're really under attack (Rollins' parody title for her book plays to this idea, and is a rare bright spot in the section). And even though I think Coulter is just a well-executed opportunist turning the tables on the equally vicious and off-color humorists the Left in the United States claim, I don't think she deserves this vulgarity, and I can't make excuses for it. I'm sure (let me sound bitter here) I could try to cover for Rollins like the fanbases of Limbaugh or O'Reilly do when their boys overstep the line. But, I won't.
"To Ann Hitler with Love" is jusr vulgar, childish, and beneath Rollins. Yes, he's ranged to the lurid before - but to constantly talk of Coulter's genitals is just pointless and disgusting and offensive. Yes, this woman does have a sick sense of humor herself - but that's an indictment on her, not a support for Rollins. He stooped to a low level, and both he and the edgy voices of the Left will suffer for it when it makes them not look erudite but look like giggling teenages spraypainting phallic symbols in a bathroom stall.
Rollins is still in my mind a valuable writer - one can appreciate Nabokov's "Pale Fire" without having to praise the uncomfortable elements of his "Lolita." One can divorce the overt racism of C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia" or J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" or H.P. Lovecraft's "The Horror at Red Hook" and appreciate the mastery they employed in those works or elsewhere. But one should not make excuses for the failings of said authors, and I cannot try to defend Rollins here.
Rollins has lost some degree of respect from this admiring reader, who thought him above this level of needless vulgarity and tripe that fails to make a real point.
If you loved "Solipsist," do browse the book for the sections that recall that book's wonder and tension. But spend your money elsewhere - this is not worth it.
Book Review: The Best!
Summary: 5 Stars
First I want to apologize to Henry..I was the one {the only one} who gave Henry's other book Broken Summers a one star rating..I was "blinded by the right" at the time and I was believing the lies we were fed about the war and other things..but now after snapping out of my ignorance I feel Broken Summers is one of his best books..
Roomanitarian is a return to his style of his other masterpiece Solipsist..This is the kind of book you want to use a highlighter on..I wanted to remember the unique way of Henry's social commentary and observations..Classic Rollins!..A fantastic read and as always Henry delivers!..Also,watch The Henry Rollins Show on IFC
Book Review: more power to ya
Summary: 2 Stars
The sentiments of a 13-year old expressed with 40-plus years of extra credit vocabulary. Solipsist revisited. Whatever you expect out of written word Henry Rollins, you'll find it here. Enjoy! The Kafka quote on the back cover blows the rest of the book out of the water. At least it's acknowledged.
More Roomanitarian reviews:
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