Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Visible Man

3.65 of 5 stars 3.65 · rating details · 3,080 ratings · 417 reviews

Austin, Texas, therapist Victoria Vick is contacted by a cryptic, unlikable man who insists his situation is unique and unfathomable. As he slowly reveals himself, Vick becomes convinced that he suffers from a complex set of delusions: Y__, as she refers to him, claims to be a scientist who has stolen cloaking technology from an aborted government project in order to rende...more

Hardcover, 230 pages

Published October 4th 2011 by Scribner (first published January 1st 2011)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

NPR

48th out of 124 books — 90 voters

Book Buzz - The Quirky, Heterodox Reads

30th out of 81 books — 9 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Oct 17, 2011 RandomAnthony rated it 2 of 5 stars

Chuck Klosterman's Visible Man sneaked up on me. When was this novel released? I read everything Klosterman writes but, honestly, this is probably his weakest work yet. I don't think Visible Man suffers from lack of effort. But Klosterman trying to be a “real” novelist, if you will, is Klosterman trying not to be Klosterman. And Klosterman can't help but be Klosterman.

What do I mean? The book's narrator is a female psychologist but, at best, the character sounds like Chuck Klosterman in drag. I...more Chuck Klosterman's Visible Man sneaked up on me. When was this novel released? I read everything Klosterman writes but, honestly, this is probably his weakest work yet. I don't think Visible Man suffers from lack of effort. But Klosterman trying to be a “real” novelist, if you will, is Klosterman trying not to be Klosterman. And Klosterman can't help but be Klosterman.

What do I mean? The book's narrator is a female psychologist but, at best, the character sounds like Chuck Klosterman in drag. I don't want to visualize the author in drag, thank you very much. And the visible man (who seems invisible but isn't, really, long story) sounds like an angry, crazier Klosterman. Both characters engage in the rapid-fire, brain-twisting cultural analysis inherent in the author's catalog, usually in the form of first person essays. I very much admire Klosterman's cultural analysis, don't get me wrong, but I can't pretend the novel's premise (a man in a special suit becomes obsessed with observing people when they're alone, then tells his psychologist all about his observations) is anything but a thinly veiled vehicle for Klostermanesque commentary. The novel has its moments, and appears to pay tribute in PK Dick (both in name and style) but falls way short of PKD territory. I wouldn't start new Klosterman readers on Visible Man. I'd recommend, warily, the book to fans, with a “if you want to be a completist, check it out” message. I didn't hate Visible Man. But I was kind of waiting, honestly, for the book to end.

Sidebar: this is the first book I've ever read that cites goodreads by name. I wish I had copied the reference before I returned the novel to the library, but I remember the passage's gist. When describing a character, the visible man says (near quote), “he doesn't read many books but devotes a lot of time to a site called goodreads.com.” This makes perfect sense. If you would asked, a year ago, “Which author on your goodreads list is most likely to mention goodreads by name?” Klosterman would be a no-brainer response. That's a blessing, because he's good at what he does, but it's a curse, I'm afraid, because he hasn't proved he can do anything else. I get the author probably want to branch out, but The Visible Man doesn't work, kind of like when Bruce Willis tried to sing or models try to act. You know what I mean.
(less)

20 likes · like · see review

Oct 14, 2011 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: hell-yeah

Oh my. I loved this book. Most of this has to do with the fact that Klosterman's writing strikes such a chord of perfection in my soul. I love his writing.
"He would see the raw ingredients for whatever recipe you use to create the public version of yourself."
"I saw this serious forty-something woman there, all by herself on a Friday afternoon. She didn't look like she was thanking God for anything."
"This is why Facebook caught on with adults: It's designed for people who want to publicize their...more

4 likes · like · see review

Apr 05, 2013 Betherlyhills rated it 2 of 5 stars

The Visible Man was such an interesting concept by an author that had previously wrote such great collections of pop culture articles that left complex questions in the mind long after reading. This was why I was so heavily disappointed when reading the book as I had high expectations for Klosterman's fictional novel. I felt like throughout the book he was trying to expand on an a really great idea but it just wasn't well thought out to drag it along for the entirety of a novel.
The story follow...more

like · see review

Jan 16, 2013 Mike Schwartz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Is this science fiction? A fictional pop culture essay? Epistolary novel? A satire? Actually, all of the above. The genesis of this novel is in an essay in Klosterman’s 2009 book Eating The Dinosaur. That piece, “Through a Glass, Blindly,” concerned who people are when they believe they are completely unobserved and the profound suspense that results from spying on people. Here he presents a smug genius who has invented an invisibility suit for the purpose of observing people and their mundane l...more

like · see review

Dec 27, 2012 Ajay rated it 2 of 5 stars

I love Klosterman's nonfiction interviews. This is his stab at fiction and I don't think it works well.

The premise (story told by therapist as a series of recorded and unrecorded encounters with a patient) is utterly contrived and not a useful device for telling the story. I found no value in it and was constantly irritated by its persistence throughout the book, despite my best intentions to try and accept it. Klosterman makes much more incisive statements on society when he is himself. The mai...more

like · see review

Oct 17, 2012 David Sai-ngarm rated it 1 of 5 stars

first of all and foremost- chuck klosterman is talented. I would congratulate-but he is a millionaire, he HAS his reward.
Yet.
His writing in this book sounds nothing more than an oxytocin dogma charged slap out social outcasts. Is this nothing more than third grade playground dynamics? Does he embellish the aspects of a positivistic attitude until it warps into an unmaneageable side of the road horror flick? Is he nothing more than a writer of horror, a Stephen King with a latte and a stylish hai...more first of all and foremost- chuck klosterman is talented. I would congratulate-but he is a millionaire, he HAS his reward.
Yet.
His writing in this book sounds nothing more than an oxytocin dogma charged slap out social outcasts. Is this nothing more than third grade playground dynamics? Does he embellish the aspects of a positivistic attitude until it warps into an unmaneageable side of the road horror flick? Is he nothing more than a writer of horror, a Stephen King with a latte and a stylish haircut and no bald head? I must say, this book affected me in a bad way, due to my own low testosterone and habituation with psychedelics (rather than stimulants), and had me scared that I WAS meta y(pencilling in criticism where the whole world wants justin timberlake ((if the romans had critics, maybe there would have not been so much lead in the water)). Turns out I am just a person with a penchant for asking questions where other people like to brush their cocks((who has wasted his time thinking that he was actually simalar enough to y's character as to actually become y-like, literary "success" and poetic catastrophe (as poetry generally IS). Apologies. But next time you become a popular writer, have some grace, have some humility (and write on the cover that you are spitting in the face of non trophic entities). This review is done in lieu of a better reaction, the anger will fade (as neurons are more efficient than cappilaries), but the rage at poor quality is likely to last. Nothing reeks worse than an abuse of power. I look forward to writing a better book.
actually, second thought(s).
Is this just an extension of Chuck's neurosis? Is he afraid of invisibility? Is he afraid of the word tenuous? Is he afraid of introspection?
Even twilight reads better than this book.
On the other hand, it serves well as an antidote to what it represents, and thus for that, and for the humor with which the topics were initially treated with, thank you.

That aside, I look forward to reading any books, and any books that Chuck writes. Cheerio.(less)

like · see review

Aug 12, 2012 Todd Drager rated it 3 of 5 stars

I wanted to like this book. I've enjoyed other work by Klosterman and enjoy his perspective, but ultimately this novel just felt cluttered and unfinished. It felt a little like coffee house filler, a cluster of topics that are interesting to discuss but ultimately dont make for a very good composed narrative. The book is told from the perspective of Victoria Vick, a therapist. The book in itself is supposedly her package of information she put together for her publicist in order to turn her adve...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 29, 2012 Danny rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book

From the inside flap: "Is this comedy, criticism, or horror? Not even Y____ seems to know for sure."

I'm unsure too. The book is filled with interesting ideas and anecdotes, but it often seems like the text is an excuse to make an argument more than an attempt to tell a story. That's fine, if that's what you're looking for. But I liked the concept, so I'd have appreciated a little more flesh to the plot.

The concept, so you know, is that a therapist is writing a book about one of her patients she...more

like · see review

Jul 25, 2012 H R Koelling rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm not necessarily the biggest fan of Klosterman, but I seem to keep reading his books and enjoying them immensely. This novel has its flaws, but I really enjoyed it. I was, frankly, quite impressed. This seems like new territory for the author and I think he pulled it off well. It's actually borderline literary. The prose is sharp, the plot is interesting and the arc is well developed. It's almost ready for the big screen!

I also liked how the main story uses smaller short-storyesque vignettes...more I'm not necessarily the biggest fan of Klosterman, but I seem to keep reading his books and enjoying them immensely. This novel has its flaws, but I really enjoyed it. I was, frankly, quite impressed. This seems like new territory for the author and I think he pulled it off well. It's actually borderline literary. The prose is sharp, the plot is interesting and the arc is well developed. It's almost ready for the big screen!

I also liked how the main story uses smaller short-storyesque vignettes to move the plot along. Y_____'s tales of his observations as the "Invisible Man" were related in spurts that let me escape the main plot to explore a brief aside, while still adhering to the central scope of the story arc.

The one thing I didn't like about this book was Klosterman's attempt to convincingly portray the psychologist as an intelligent woman. He tried, and he made a valiant effort, but he just didn't pull it off well enough for me. I think it's very hard for a man to write a novel with a woman as the central character when that character tells the story in the first person. His female character didn't come across as especially feminine. She seemed too self absorbed and constantly talked about herself, whereas women in general tend to talk and think about others. That said, I don't think this ruins the book as a whole or really detracts from the telling of the story, it's more of a personal pet peeve I have with men trying to write as women - it's not easy to do.

As for the protagonist, I still can't decide if I think Y______ is an evil character or just a maladapted uber intellectual misanthrope who means well, but is too self-absorbed to realize his own faults. He kind of scared me. I felt the same anxiety as the characters in the book who knew there was someone watching them but couldn't locate or see that person. As I read alone in my bedroom I jumped whenever I heard an unplanned sound emanating from the creaking floorboards or from the settling house frame. What if someone was there in the room with me, watching me be the person only I know I am and not the person I portray to the rest of the world? It's a spooky thought, which makes this novel a little spooky, too. It made me think a bit about who I am... and who we all are... and if I really know anyone... or if I really know myself. (less)

like · see review

Jul 02, 2012 Graham rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this darkly humorous sci-fi novella where a drug-addled scientist uses an advanced cloaking suit in order to camp out in people's homes and observe them without their knowledge. The story is set in Austin and mentions familiar landmarks: UT, the Radisson on Cesar Chavez, BookPeople. This added to the eeriness for me. One of the scientist's subjects, named Bruce, is too close for comfort actually. "He never reads books" says the scientist, "but he put a lot of effort into a website call...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 14, 2012 Cassie-la rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads

REVIEW ALSO ON: http://bibliomantics.com/2011/10/21/i......

Chuck Klosterman is well known for his hysterical essays on popular culture that feature Back to the Future jokes and comparing apples and wolverines to one another. Those are just two examples off the top of my head. I also recall an amazing essay on “Saved by the Bell”, and a tale of how Bono is a crazy person. True story.

This fiction novel (the second from Klosterman) is quintessential, Chuck, with his typical references to pop cultur...more REVIEW ALSO ON: http://bibliomantics.com/2011/10/21/i......

Chuck Klosterman is well known for his hysterical essays on popular culture that feature Back to the Future jokes and comparing apples and wolverines to one another. Those are just two examples off the top of my head. I also recall an amazing essay on “Saved by the Bell”, and a tale of how Bono is a crazy person. True story.

This fiction novel (the second from Klosterman) is quintessential, Chuck, with his typical references to pop culture, a theme that explores the impact of media on our everyday lives, and an off the walls story that no other author could write nearly as successfully. They could try, but they would inevitably fail.

Despite that this is a fiction novel, Klosterman can’t help but throw his popular culture references into it, which actually helps to ground the novel in more of a reality despite the far flung premise. Since Y___ is nearly invisible of course there are digs at H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man, Hollow Man, and magical rings created by Tolkien. There are also references to “Lost”, story arcs in which Batman dies, and scenes in There Will Be Blood. At least I am assuming there are “Lost” references, having never watched the show. But what other series has polar bears and smoke monsters and islands?

It became quickly apparent that this is not your normal A to Z novel with people who fall in love and everyone living happily ever after (references aside). First of all, the novel itself is masquerading as nonfiction. It’s written in the form of an unfinished manuscript by therapist Victoria, AKA Vicky Vicks (gotta love the alliteration) to her editor Crosby Bumpus, complete with aside notes to him about the narrative. To further complicate things, this manuscript is being sent to Simon and Schuster’s imprint Scribner, who published this same Klosterman novel. Ahhhh, you’re breaking the fourth wall a la Zack Morris. This is a typical Chuck Klosterman reference, although not nearly so refined. If it WAS a Chuck Klosterman reference you would have laughed.

The narrative itself is composed of emails, telephone transcripts, and recorded sessions, all of which are written in the calculating, clinical tone of a therapist. Y___ ‘s narrative by contrast is simultaneously intelligent, humorous, and abrasive. In layman’s terms, Y___ is kind of a douche. Especially when he realizes that Vicky, whose email we are told is thevickster@gmail.com, believes his invisibility is brought on by some sort of psychosis. She is surprised and shocked when he comes into her office for a session, nearly invisible. DUN DUN DUN. You will have course have seen it coming, because that’s how fiction works.

Despite being a class A jerk, Y___ is ultimately an extremely interesting character. He stole cloaking technology from the government in the form of a suit and a cream inspired by the Scramble Suits in A Scanner Darkly which makes him almost invisible. If you know where to look he is still vaguely visible. He uses this technology to sneak into people’s homes and watch them go about their day. He claims to be visiting Vicky in order to deal with the guilt that trying to help these people (and failing despite his best intentions) brings about. As a child, Y___ used to spy on people to learn who they really were. He believes that the only time people are truly themselves is when they are (or think they are) alone. Y___ is a pretty creepy guy. And it doesn’t help that we’re told, “He looks like an actor auditioning for the role of Ichabod Crane”. And not Johnny Depp’s Ichabod Crane.

The most interesting (and creepiest) parts of the novel are where Y___ describes the various people he watches and the habits they have. There is Valerie, a bing-eater, workout-aholic, and chronic weed smoker who has severe body image issues. There is a group of people meeting in a hotel because they have competition disorder. A pee-wee coach throws his star player impossible pitches so he strikes out and loses an important game was one example of this “disease”. It’s pretty much a room full of people trying to keep up with the Jones’. There are musician Dave and Zug who have what is constantly referred to as a “complicated relationship”. He watches a man spend all of his down time on the internet. Y___ invades their personal time and watches them for seemingly no reason except that he can. How creepy is that!?! Think of all the things you do alone and now imagine if you were doing them with someone basically invisible watching you THE WHOLE TIME. You feel so squicked out right now, don’t you? You will never scratch your butt in your empty house again!

His intelligence (and complete lack of social skills) come into play when he explores these people’s lives and tries to help them. It never works out to his advantage, but at least he tries. When Vicky hints at some sort of self-sabotage, Y___ tells her that, “Only fictional stories require an explanation. Only fictional stories can’t have accidents.” As in, everything in fiction happens for a reason, but in real life things can happen for no reason. And often do. Something CAN be an accident. In fiction, almost choking to death would be a catalyst for the entire novel (see The Name of the Star or Choke), but in real life it would just mean that I didn’t chew enough, or that I suck at eating food. No big revelation, just an event. Although if it helped me see ghosts/got me money that would be cool too.(less)

like · see review

Jun 13, 2012 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was thrilled to win a copy of this book as a part of a GoodReads First Read giveaway. I'd seen and very nearly coveted this book when spotted on a shelf in a local bookstore, but financial hardship led to its purchase being impractical.

Yesterday, I decided to start on this book, read a little bit, and then go to bed. Its format, primarily fictitious transcripts from the fictional therapist who was presenting the manuscript, is broken up into nice little chunks which would make for good light...more

1 like · like · see review

May 14, 2012 Lilian Cheng rated it 5 of 5 stars

Originally posted on A Novel Toybox (http://noveltoybox.wordpress.com/2012...):

This was an intense read. The premise itself is compelling: an "invisible" man who goes around observing people. Yes, it sounds like he has some serious issues, but he is also the perfect anti-hero. Even if he is breaking into people's houses, and messing with stranger's minds, he is one intriguing guy--and he knows it well. If that's not enough to keep you flipping those pages, I don't know what will.

I picked up this...more

like · see review

Feb 17, 2012 Ryan Schneider rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was my first Klosterman novel. I really enjoyed it. Recommend it. It has a lot to say, and is done in a fascinating plot. I immediately went back to the library to get his other books, of which only DOWNTOWN OWL is available. Reading it now.

For THE VISIBLE MAN, I continued my strategy of NOT reading the jacket copy prior to beginning the novel itself. I am VERY glad I did. I find that reading the jacket copy BEFORE reading the novel creates an expectation in one's mind, and throughout the r...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 27, 2012 Tiffany rated it 3 of 5 stars

I did not like this book when I first started reading it, but decided to keep going because I've never read a book written in this format before: it's a book proposal and treatment notes from a therapist who worked with a man who wore an invisibility cloak. I know, it sounds really hokey (which is why I really didn't like it in the beginning), but it's actually a good book! Once you get past the "yeah, OK..." thoughts, it's easy to look at this read as a sociology study. The whole reason this ma...more

like · see review

Jan 16, 2012 Kira rated it 5 of 5 stars

Considering the three Klosterman camps (love, hate, thought Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs was OK), it goes without saying that this book isn’t for everyone. The Loves will love it, the Hates will hate it and the Fair-Weather Fans could probably go either way. If you’re a Klosterman virgin though, maybe don’t start here. Start with Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs, or Eating the Dinosaur. Read some Esquire essays. Bone up on your TV first.

But for the Klosterman adherents—and I speak only to you now, my fr...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 04, 2012 Alex rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'm just going to copy and paste a comment I left on therumpus.net, by way of a review, because I'm lazy and it basically sums up my opinion:

Thoughtful review Aimee, and I'd agree with you on a number of points. Klosterman is so adept at taking aspects of culture I thought I understood and turning them on their heads. I too was blown away by his theory (or Y___'s) on the four character types that explain America.

But, therein lies my issue with Klosterman's fiction: am I getting his theories, or...more

like · see review

Nov 26, 2011 Simon rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was sure I had blogged a review of Chuck Klosterman's first novel Downtown Owl, but when I went back to look it up I couldn't find it. My decision not to render an opinion on Downtown Owl says something about the book itself, or at least about how I remember it. The look at life in a small North Dakota town, told from multiple points of view, was a pleasant read that revealed a new side to Klosterman's talent. But nothing about Klosterman's fiction made me want him to give up the funny, clear-...more I was sure I had blogged a review of Chuck Klosterman's first novel Downtown Owl, but when I went back to look it up I couldn't find it. My decision not to render an opinion on Downtown Owl says something about the book itself, or at least about how I remember it. The look at life in a small North Dakota town, told from multiple points of view, was a pleasant read that revealed a new side to Klosterman's talent. But nothing about Klosterman's fiction made me want him to give up the funny, clear-eyed reviews and essays that he writes for various magazines and websites. Who better to break down Lou Reed and Metallica or the pomposity of 1970's rock? Now here comes Klosterman's The Visible Man, a second novel of ambition that yields frustrating results. As a novelist Klosterman is a "writer to watch" in the sense that he's willing to cross genres and defy expectations, but this time out he isn't saying as much as he thinks he is.

Set up as a series of messages, notes, and transcripts, The Visible Man is told from the point of view of a rather ordinary therapist named Victoria. The book we're reading is a manuscript that Victoria is attempting to turn into a published book for reasons that will become clear. Most of Victoria's practice is ordinary, she sees herself as less interesting than the Lorraine Bracco character on The Sopranos. The book is the story of Victoria's patient Y., who after a series of phone sessions agrees to come in and meet Victoria in person. Y. is prickly, secretive, condescending, and controlling and at first seems easily diagnosed as delusional. Y. claims to have invented a method by which he can completely conceal his presence; or to use a term that's hotly disputed in the novel, he can become "invisible". The scene in which he proves his claims shifts the balance power in his relationship with Victoria. I don't know how much research Chuck Klosterman did into therapeutic practices, but the therapy scenes in The Visible Man after Y. reveals his abilities feel like works of performance art. Y. talks almost non-stop in an attempt to describe and rationalize the experiences he has had while invisibly dropping on people's lives. Y. watches a woman smoke pot and watch Lost. He spies on a group of bikers debating philosophy. Victoria observes several times that Y.'s statements feel scripted but she never challeges Y. on this point, and she offers almost no resistance as Y. dictates the subject matter and length of theirsessions. All of Y.'s visitations are in service of some great project to understand human behavior, yet Victoria (and we) can see that in fact she's dealing with a voyeur though she's too much in Y.'s thrall to call him on it.

The Visible Man avoids most of the expected rest stops that invisibility offers to a plot. Y. isn't much interested in sex with or in taking from those he observes, in fact he takes only what he needs to survive. Initially Y. seems to be a sort of messenger from the world, reminding us that even the lives of people we never think about have value. The message gets muddied as Y. becomes more eccentric and the novel edges towards violence almost out of necessity. Klosterman has created a fascinating situation but either lacks the skill or just isn't interested in taking Y. to a place he wasn't at when the novel starts. Y. gets to ramble as if he's the subject of the sort of celebrity interview that Klosterman would never do. Chuck Klosterman has a natural gift for finding the key moment of a song and the hidden truths of the lives of Midwestern heavy metal fans, but with The Visible Man he has spent too much time on structure and too little on content. May Klosterman's next novel do less and say more.(less)

like · see review

Nov 12, 2011 Tony rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: novels

Like most people coming to this book, I've always greatly enjoyed Klosterman's essays on music, pop culture, sports, or whatever catches his fancy. I also liked his debut novel, Downtown Owl, a fair amount, so I was geared up to enjoy this one as well. Unfortunately, I didn't. The premise of the book is that a therapist living in Austin receives a phone call from a man who wishes to be her patient over the phone. He's very mysterious about what he needs from therapy, and it is soon revealed that...more

like · see review

Nov 09, 2011 Alec rated it 4 of 5 stars

As a kid, I feel like it was protocol to have a stock answer chambered just in case someone (possibly a genie with Robin Williams' voice) asked you what your three wishes would be. Setting aside the inane "I'd wish for a million wishes!" response that always generated playground controversy, I vividly recall my official list of three wishes. It went as follows:

1. The ability to fly
2. The ability to turn invisible on command
3. The ability to eat leaves (and be nourished by them, I guess?)

In retro...more As a kid, I feel like it was protocol to have a stock answer chambered just in case someone (possibly a genie with Robin Williams' voice) asked you what your three wishes would be. Setting aside the inane "I'd wish for a million wishes!" response that always generated playground controversy, I vividly recall my official list of three wishes. It went as follows:

1. The ability to fly
2. The ability to turn invisible on command
3. The ability to eat leaves (and be nourished by them, I guess?)

In retrospect, the third wish is an embarrassing waste, but apparently the act of sitting unseen high in a tree while munching on scrumptious Oak leaves (full flavor in autumn) had huge appeal to young Alec. Weird. (Side note: even invisibility is a bit odd to me, since this would have been well before the "I'd sneak into the ladies locker room!" aspect would hold much, if any, appeal.)

Anyway, I bring this up because The Visible Man by Chuck Klosterman is about a man who is able to, for all intents and purposes, become invisible to the naked eye. He is identified only as Y____ (names changed to protect the innocent and whatnot) and the narrative is written from the point of view of his therapist, Vicky. The book is basically a thought experiment (in classic Klosterman fashion) of what would happen if a certain kind of person was capable of going unseen and undetected by those around him.

I absolutely loved the premise, which should be no surprise given the above wish list. The idea of being "invisible" has obviously been around for quite some time in literature, but in this manifestation, all (well, almost all) predatory or sexual avenues are ignored and the situation is approached from a strictly voyeuristic and pseudo-scientific angle. I suppose this is, in a way, what reminded me of my childhood wishes -- might I have wanted the same things as Y____? Actually no, I think I just wanted to eat leaves in peace. Duh.

The subject matter also fit Klosterman's writing strengths perfectly. I have always been impressed (in both his writing and his work on the Simmons podcast) with his powers of objective observation as it pertains to the people around him, and when speaking as a man whose freedom to observe is limitless (Y_____'s dialogue is clearly written in Klosterman's voice), his observations are insightful and incredibly entertaining. I laughed out loud many times in the book at both the language and the absurdity of the situation. If anyone reads it, the "Heavy Dudes" section was especially fun.

The actual story-arc was much less interesting to me, and the only thing preventing The Visible Man from a 5-star rating. The "only" in that sentence seems very much out of place, but if you read the book, the story really does seem secondary. The characters (other than Y_____) did not interest me and I didn't find much of the action to be surprising; it didn't matter. It's almost like some publisher said, "Listen, Chuck, essays don't sell. Write a novel." So he wrote a novel that very much resembles a collection of essays squeezed into a narrative...but in, like, the best way possible. For any Klosterman fans out there, this is a must-read.

(Note: I'm embarrassed by the length of time since my last review. I blame television. Seriously. There are way too many good shows on right now...and I might or might not be referring to the fact that How I Met Your Mother is syndicated.)(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 04, 2011 Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars

I thought this was an easy, interesting, entertaining read. It is told from the point of view of a mediocre therapist who encounters a patient who, after a few phone-only sessions, she discovers has a high-tech suit that can render him just about invisible unless you are really looking for him. And, despite his objections otherwise, this man has a very serious voyeurism issue, though not in a perverted, sexual way like you would first imagine.

The story structure is highly unusual, as it is most...more

like · see review

Sep 24, 2011 christa rated it 3 of 5 stars

It’s obvious where Chuck Klosterman came up with the premise for his to-be released novel “The Visible Man.” Old Red Beard’s 2009 book of essays “Eating the Dinosaur” includes a chapter about watching through the window a twentysomething woman who lived in an efficiency apartment similar to his own in Fargo. Making dinner, working out on a NordicTrack, cooking an elaborate dinner, then fighting with her boyfriend.

Did she watch him, too? He suspects she did. Maybe even watched him barf one night...more It’s obvious where Chuck Klosterman came up with the premise for his to-be released novel “The Visible Man.” Old Red Beard’s 2009 book of essays “Eating the Dinosaur” includes a chapter about watching through the window a twentysomething woman who lived in an efficiency apartment similar to his own in Fargo. Making dinner, working out on a NordicTrack, cooking an elaborate dinner, then fighting with her boyfriend.

Did she watch him, too? He suspects she did. Maybe even watched him barf one night. Or maybe that was a dream.

“For two years I watched a revolving door of nonevents that never stopped intriguing me,” he wrote.

Thus the invention of the character with the alias Y__. Victoria Vick is a therapist who has begun sessions with Y__, who reveals that he was involved with a government project that resulted in the creation of a series of sprays and creams that make it possible through light refraction to travel through the world unseen. He’s not invisible, per se. He’s just deeply camouflaged.

He takes advantage of this invention -- a project that was abandoned by his fellow creators and forgotten by the government -- to slip into people’s homes and observe them. He is fueled by the belief that you can never really know someone unless you see them when they are alone. That their public self is merely an adaptation that shifts depending upon who they are with.

Y__ doesn’t necessarily want a therapist. He wants to unburden himself of a secret. The nights spent silently watching a woman go for a run, come home and go nuts on a bong, binge and run some more. Eventually he feels he has to intervene. He believes that if he throws off this cycle, she will find some relief from her addictions.

Then Victoria becomes a little too interested in Y__ and his unique lot.

The novel is played as a series of meetings with Y__ that have been compiled for publication. It includes summations of sessions and emails that she wrote to herself afterward, the standard note-taking of professionals who have to record inane details about your life so that the next time you get a cavity filled you can resume a conversation about pets and vacations.

“The Visible Man” suits Klosterman’s strengths as a writer, debater, and pop culture expert in a way that his debut novel “Downtown Owl” did not. His forte is the hypothetical scenario that includes a wild card element -- then giving it fan fiction treatment. With “Downtown Owl,” the wild card was merely a looming storm. The end result was Klosterman squeezing himself into some sort of mold of what a novel should look, feel and sound like. It was better than okay, but it felt like Klosterman wearing Jon Hassler face paint.

Chuck Klosterman has a very distinct and powerful voice. Like, if you spent too long with him or read his entire canon, you would be in danger of catching it. This is a pro when it comes to his essays; a detriment to his work as a novelist. The three main characters in “Downtown Owl” sounded like incarnations of the same person, all saddled with the burden of a Klostermanian accent. Almost all of “The Visible Man” is the in the words of Y__. So when he leans Klostermanian, it works because he isn’t pitted against another version of himself. (Adversely, with the character Victoria Vick, Klosterman seems to have over-corrected and written a woman who is pretty dim and seems like an unlikely candidate for a career in therapy).

Klosterman still makes a better essayist than a fiction writer, but with “The Visible Man” he gets pretty damn close. This is a super fun read that leaves you watching yourself a little more closely in those alone moments, wondering “What would Y__ see?”(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Jun 17, 2011 Dasha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: strange

This is a strange little book.
I've really enjoyed Mr. Klosterman's essays over the years and didn't even realize that this was a novel before I got it [advanced copy.]

There are people out there who enjoy being taken out of their comfort zone, they crave jumping out of airplanes and scary movies - they like being uncomfortable, it makes them feel alive, they say. I am not one of those people, I like to burrow in blankets and read children's books. I've been criticized for it over the years and tr...more

like · see review

Jul 31, 2012 Bonnie Grove added it

The novel is a high concept story, the premise of which might be stated: What happens when technology makes it possible for a man to conduct soft science experiments that could perfect the scientific method (observation)? And what if that man is insane? (Although insane is not a medical term--it fits here.)

Or, it might read: Sci-fi meets sociology.

The novel revolves around the therapeutic relationship between Y________, and his female therapist, Victoria.

The therapist is a thinly drawn characte...more

like · see review

Jun 28, 2012 Jason Stanford rated it 2 of 5 stars

Set in Austin, Chuck Klosterman's "Visible Man" is set in an Austin in which the capitol dome is white and people walk from there to Waterloo Records in August despite having a car handy. In this Austin, longtime residents meet at a Caribou Coffee that doesn't exist and refer to SXSW not as "South-By" but as a large music festival that attracts out-of-towners even though there are more than one of those in Austin every year. In Chuck Klosterman's Austin, on a Saturday the ground floor of Book Pe...more

like · see review

Mar 01, 2012 mark rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, relationships

There is something askew about The Visible Man – the crossroads of the characters, the story, and the author. The Visible Man comes very close to unmasking that which it is to be human but, I think, because of the Klosterman’s own cynicism and youth (He’s 40) the mystery is allowed to escape and live on. Klosterman said in a lecture recently (February 28, 2012), “You are only truly yourself when you are alone,” which is the big idea he explores in this novel. He does that via discourse between a...more There is something askew about The Visible Man – the crossroads of the characters, the story, and the author. The Visible Man comes very close to unmasking that which it is to be human but, I think, because of the Klosterman’s own cynicism and youth (He’s 40) the mystery is allowed to escape and live on. Klosterman said in a lecture recently (February 28, 2012), “You are only truly yourself when you are alone,” which is the big idea he explores in this novel. He does that via discourse between a man and a woman, a married psychotherapist. The unnamed and unattached man has the ability to be unseen (how is not important) and decides to uncover what people are really like by following them into their homes and hotels to watch what they do when alone. Of course, this leads to some problems and conflicts, which then leads the man to seek out a “safe,” professional “friend,” – the female therapist, who he can talk about his situation with. And of course, this also leads to conflict—mutual attraction—between female, married, therapist, and single, very interesting and smart and knowledgeable man, who says he is asexual. The “visible/invisible” man, of course, has a very low opinion of people because he sees them as they “truly” are. Which is when they think they are not being observed. He also sees and watches them interact with others (partners, coworkers, friends, etc. and so on); and so he is able to contrast the public and private self, and comes to the conclusion that there is nothing much to like with the nature of being human. Which when the therapist uncovers this – she comes to the conclusion that her client, and everyone else, would be better off if he killed himself.

When asked by Joe Scarbourough, (October 26, 2011) “Why did you write this book?” Klosterman answered, “Writing is fun. … to talk about ideas … to understand human nature.” I agree. And so it seems Klosterman constructed a story about how he could take a look at, and discuss, the question of being human via a fictional, “honest,” relationship. A thing that is, I’m going to be optimistic and say, ALMOST – impossible in real life. And then I’m going to say that Klosterman ALMOST pulls it off. [In the above mentioned lecture Klosterman states: “Single people can be happy, you do not need validation from anyone else to be happy.” And in the novel, the female therapist writes in a cover letter to her publisher, “There are many reasons why I’m writing this book, but the main one is money.” (pg. 229)]

All in all, a fascinating story – the seen (read, and spoken and heard) and the unseen. I highly recommend this book despite it being a tad askew.
(less)

like · see review

Jan 01, 2012 Jess rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I think this book is brilliant. Klosterman has the imagination to play the "What If?" game with full, comprehensive understanding of all the potential consequences of a given scenario and then to articulate them so that you really feel their impact. He does this in his earlier works, like Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs with the short interludes, like the one that asks you to consider whether you'd rather have your dearest loved one experience the pain of having their collarbone broken every year or...more

like · see review

Jun 27, 2012 Scott Rhee rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have thoroughly enjoyed Chuck Klosterman's cleverly-written and intellectual articles and essays about Pop Culture that he has written for publications as varied as GQ, Esquire, and The Washington Post on topics as varied as movies, sports, religion, politics, 80s glam metal, and breakfast cereal (usually in that precise order of ascending importance), but I was unsure whether he had the wherewithal to attempt a full-length novel. He does. It is evident in his second novel, "The Visible Man",...more

like · see review

Jan 01, 2012 Marianne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Summary: When therapist Victoria Vick takes on a new client, she is baffled by some of his requests. He wants to pay in cash and receive therapy over the phone. As his bizarre story unfolds, she insists on meeting him in person; in both his visible and invisible states.

You see Y___ has the suit and cream. He can cloak himself, since everyone knows there is no such thing as invisibility, and uses this power to gain information.

And that is where the predictability in this story ends.

Y doesn't go...more

like · see review

Dec 23, 2011 Braxton rated it 4 of 5 stars

As a big fan of Klosterman's nonfiction work and someone who didn't really like his first novel "Downtown Owl" I was cautiously optimistic going into this book. In my opinion, it was a huge step up in quality from his previous novel.

One of the biggest problems I had had with "Downtown Owl" was that whoever was narrating or talking,their voice came off sounding like Klosterman. In this book, the characters have very unique voices, and the voice of the author comes through very little.

I was actual...more

1 like · like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
General Discussion	2	31	Jun 19, 2012 08:02am

combine
Other Editions (8)

More editions...

Videos About This Book

Add a comment

Genres

Book Club

8 users

Thriller

8 users

Novels

8 users

Dark

7 users

Contemporary

7 users

Science Fiction

6 users

Academic > College

4 users

Culture

3 users

Literary Fiction

3 users

Adult Fiction

3 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Chuck Klosterman

Charles John "Chuck" Klosterman is an American pop-culture journalist, critic, humorist, and essayist. He was raised on a farm near Wyndmere, North Dakota and graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1994. After college he was a journalist in Fargo, North Dakota and later an arts critic for the Akron Beacon Journal in Akron, Ohio, before moving to New York City in 2002.

More about Chuck Klosterman...

Books by Chuck Klosterman

Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto

Killing Yourself to Live: 85% of a True Story

Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas

Fargo Rock City: A Heavy Metal Odyssey in Rural North Dakota

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Visible Man

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from The Visible Man

“-- and it occurred to me that people who don't talk about themselves are limiting their own potential. They think they're guarding themselves for some sort of abstract dange, but they're actually allowing other people to decide who they are and what they're like.” — 4 people liked it

“Even the invisible are insecure. It's the most universal problem we have. It's so universal, it might not even count as a problem.” — 2 people liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Visible Man
avg rating	preview: The Visible Man Goodreads rating: 3.65 (3080 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10373933-the-visible-man?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348198773l/10373933.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10373933-the-visible-man?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Visible Man by Chuck Klosterman[/url]

The Visible Man

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website