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47th out of 52 books
—
183 voters
The Angry Buddhist
by
Seth Greenland (Goodreads Author)
It is the week before a local election in Palm Springs. Incumbent, Randall Duke, is dodging scandal while courting the Christian vote. His opponent, Mary Swain, a sexy, well-financed newcomer, does not have a firm grip on American history or elemental economics. Meanwhile an anonymous political blogger, “Desert Machiavelli” is exposing new secrets daily.
Paperback, 400 pages
Published
April 24th 2012
by Europa Editions
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THE ANGRY BUDDHIST. (2012). Seth Greenland. *****.
This is a new author for me, and the first thing I have to do is to find his earlier two novels and have my library put them on hold for me. It is an excellent novel that deals with politics (mostly dirty), sexism, murder, and – by the way – Buddhism. The setting for the plot is the area in and around 29 Palms. The central theme is the race for office between the incumbant, Randall Duke, a man who has already served three terms, and his challeng...more
This is a new author for me, and the first thing I have to do is to find his earlier two novels and have my library put them on hold for me. It is an excellent novel that deals with politics (mostly dirty), sexism, murder, and – by the way – Buddhism. The setting for the plot is the area in and around 29 Palms. The central theme is the race for office between the incumbant, Randall Duke, a man who has already served three terms, and his challeng...more
Greenland is a terrific writer, and I enjoyed this book very much, although maybe not quite as much as his previous novel, The Shining City. Here he tells the story of political shenanigans on the run up to an election for Congress. The story focuses on the Duke brothers -- Randall, the Congressman, Jimmy, an ex-cop who got kicked off the force and is now working for the DA's office, and Dale, the youngest brother an ex-con just out of jail whose career as a criminal got its start when he took t...more
I liked this read a lot. The characters are believable though most certainly crazed in one sense or another--much like real life people--and the action is interesting and well paced. The novel's main unanswered tenet is worthy: how do individuals relate to their own moral compasses--and does everyone even have one?
Greenland's artfulness comes into play as a weaving of this central issue of the individual's sense of morality around the curve balls that come from life in general. As characters in...more
Greenland's artfulness comes into play as a weaving of this central issue of the individual's sense of morality around the curve balls that come from life in general. As characters in...more
There aren't enough stars. It#s not as bad as a two star rating would imply, but it's not as good as Johathen Franzen's Freedom, which wasn't good enough for four stars.
It's readable, characters are many and varied (none too deep, though), the pages were all printed the right way up and there weren't loads of crimes against grammar and cliche. (just some). The email exchanges between the eponymous character and his guru are faintly shoe-horned-in sixth-form psychology (maybe that's the point?) a...more
It's readable, characters are many and varied (none too deep, though), the pages were all printed the right way up and there weren't loads of crimes against grammar and cliche. (just some). The email exchanges between the eponymous character and his guru are faintly shoe-horned-in sixth-form psychology (maybe that's the point?) a...more
I was seduced by the pretty Europa edition of this book and the lure of a dark comic novel about southern California. Instead, it read like the outline of a script for a movie or TV show. The book could work well as one of those in the right hands, but as a novel it disappointed. No interiority for any of the characters, and no character to root for. (Of course, one doesn't need a character to root for, but the writer needs to be much more skillful to pull that off. Greenland isn't.) I wish I ha...more
I gave this book 3.25/5 stars on InsatiableBooksluts.com.
Review excerpt:
"Real live politics clearly influenced The Angry Buddhist. Swain is a stand-in for Sarah Palin in many ways, campaigning with loads of good looks and a “folksy” demeanor, but without much professional experience to back herself up. Randall’s campaign manager, Maxon, seems to be a smaller-time Karl Rove-type character, a man who will do anything to win even if it’s not legal or moral. The book delves into the messier side of...more
Review excerpt:
"Real live politics clearly influenced The Angry Buddhist. Swain is a stand-in for Sarah Palin in many ways, campaigning with loads of good looks and a “folksy” demeanor, but without much professional experience to back herself up. Randall’s campaign manager, Maxon, seems to be a smaller-time Karl Rove-type character, a man who will do anything to win even if it’s not legal or moral. The book delves into the messier side of...more
Kind of a So Cal desert version of Carl Hiaasen, Greenland rips his way through Coachella Valley stereotypes with a chainsaw, applying his final blows with rapier wit. The Angry Buddhist is a social satire that skewers a broad range of desert types-- power-made politicians, corrupt cops, demented ex-cons, social-climbing prosties, and various other fuck-ups who converge in a kind of manic mashup of the police procedural and a Marx brothers movie. I had lots of fun with it, with a special shout-o...more
Structurally sound but relentlessly stock in characters and predictable in plot. Biggest problem is the bland dialogue that reads like it's from a screenplay - that is, it's dialogue that only gives readers the broad outlines of a communication / motivation, from which the actors, with the help of the director, will realize / color in etc. So, TAB is a useful book for writers to see the difference between the role of dialogue in the two forms.
I loved Seth Greenland's first two novels and this one is his best.
"The Angry Buddhist" weaves story lines involving politics, sex, police work, and--of course--Buddhism, into a novel that grabbed me from the first page.
Plus there are good dogs and dog-loving cops alongside the corrupt politicians, regular crooks, and sex-confused citizens of Palm Springs and the shores of the Salton Sea.
Read this book! I guarantee it.
"The Angry Buddhist" weaves story lines involving politics, sex, police work, and--of course--Buddhism, into a novel that grabbed me from the first page.
Plus there are good dogs and dog-loving cops alongside the corrupt politicians, regular crooks, and sex-confused citizens of Palm Springs and the shores of the Salton Sea.
Read this book! I guarantee it.
HORRIBLE! One of the most poorly edited pieces I've ever read. The mistakes were distracting ... not sure who edited it, but there are multiple issues with "it's" and "its," use of noun as adjectives, it's truly pitiful. Couple that with the fact that this story is SLOW and totally uninteresting ... I have no idea who got paid off to write the reviews that it got.
Fun, fun, funny, satirical and well-written. Great characters, interesting desert setting, lots of good plotlines dextrously intertwined. Boy was the copy editing distracting, though. Next time, get a proofreader who knows the difference between its and it's, can spell, understands what commas are for.
Summer read, entertaining, a page turner. Easy to imagine on film. Maybe too easy. But that's what made it a good fly-through novel.
Great characters, so that I want more of their story. Sorry to see the last page.
Great characters, so that I want more of their story. Sorry to see the last page.
I might have liked this one better if it hadn't been such a hot mess in terms of editing/proofing. When you misuse "its/it's" multiple times--in the same sentence, even--it's time to bring in the copyeditor.
1 like · like · see review
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I really did not like any of the characters but I think that was the point. A hard read, but very good. The characters are very well developed and unfortunately probably very real. The story was compelling and made me want to finish quickly.
This is a good book, quick read. Has a quirky nature to it, but not overly so. I recommend. The author has a great voice that clearly resonates.
This was an enjoyable read but, despite the jacket comments, not really a satire. Or maybe it's just me and the feeling I have that Sarah Palin is as much a satire as anything that can be found on SLN.
“The Angry Buddhist” is Seth Greenland’s third book. I have read the other two, 2005 “The Bones” and 2008 “Shining City”. I have enjoyed all of his books giving all of them a 4 star rating. Mr. Greenland has away with characters and plots, there is a hint of Carl Hassen in his books (high praise).
I will not go into the story-line, many other reviews have already done this so I will just rate the book on its elements (0 to 5 being highest):
Protagonist Development: 4
Antagonist Development: 4
Min...more
I will not go into the story-line, many other reviews have already done this so I will just rate the book on its elements (0 to 5 being highest):
Protagonist Development: 4
Antagonist Development: 4
Min...more
Good new suspense writer along the lines of Carl Hiaasen. Enjoyable characters, good story. I liked.
Aug 20, 2012
Alan
added it
Interesting political/crime novel notable for its setting in California's Inland Empire.
it was ok. a little disappointed with the ending.
There's hard-boiled, and then there's overcooked.
1 like · like · see review
Politics in Palm Springs.
Interesting murder mystery told from an interesting perspective.
Loved it!
yuck.
This is a new author for me and after only 44 pages.......this is going to be fun!
Didn't finish it, it was too boring!
I read this because of the Buddhist tie in but I didn't enjoy it. I skimmed quite a bit just to get to the end. But I was intrigued to see how an author would use Buddhism in a story line and that part I enjoyed.
Great summer reading--sex, politics, intrigue--set in and around Desert Hot Springs, CA, where we own a piece of sand.
Political satire and buddhist teachings together? Who'd a thunk it?
Very funny (but also sad) meditation on life's meaning.
I'm already looking for more by this author.
Very funny (but also sad) meditation on life's meaning.
I'm already looking for more by this author.
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