Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
16th out of 28 books
—
8 voters
The Lunatic
In this outrageously out-of-order, hilarious novel, the reader discovers that lunacy is by no means restricted to the village madman, and that goodness and forgiveness may be rarer qualities, found in unexpected places.
Aloysius is tolerated by neighbors but forced to eke out a living by doing odd jobs, using the hospitable woodlands for shelter. He is starved of human comp...more
Aloysius is tolerated by neighbors but forced to eke out a living by doing odd jobs, using the hospitable woodlands for shelter. He is starved of human comp...more
Paperback, 210 pages
Published
June 1st 2007
by Akashic Books
(first published January 1st 1987)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
184)
The principal character here is, who else, the lunatic. He traipses about the Jamaican countryside mad. How can a contemporary novelist succeed with a character like this, so common already, a staple of comic novels and literary humor we've seen before? I expected Anthony C Winkler to fall flat on his face. I went on reading. Aloysius is the village madman's name, but when you asks him what it is, he'll enumerate a thousand. Several comic situations using this. A little bit inspired, yes. Then h...more
7 likes · like · see review
view all 7 comments
The Lunatic was well written, with a really good use of dialect throughout making it accessible to both the international reader while still retaining the whole Jamaican identity of the characters and landscape which were then contrasted against Inga’s German accent which Aloysius ends up picking up. Winkler has a sort of dry humour similar to Douglas Adams, just more Jamaican which brings light to most of the situations Aloysius finds himself in.
I found myself really liking Aloysius, he is a v...more
I found myself really liking Aloysius, he is a v...more
Jul 29, 2011
Alana
added it
Oh gosh! Anthony C Winkler has done it again! Only he could write a story about a lunatic that mixes elements of entertainment, sympathy, bachannal, rich Caribbean flavour, the rich, the poor, the ugly and the beautiful all in one!! De man could write! Get any of his books and start reading!!!
This was hilarious because everything that happens in this book is insane. The main character is a lunatic who finds himself in a relationship with a strange German tourist, so that should give you a starting point on imagining how weird and funny this was
I found myself laughing out lood on more than one occasion and all week I've been telling everybody that "pum pum rule". To get this book, you have to understand Jamaican lingo - patois! A pretty solid read, and definitely memorable.
1 like · like · see review
The FUNNIEST book I've EVER read. I sat and laughed for the ENTRIRE 400 pages. Anthony Winkler took me into the mind of a madman and I soooo wanna go back there!!!!! MUST READ!!!!
Brilliant and super fun...A real experience looking through a mad man's view of the world- set in Jamaica.
The life and times of a Jamaican madman. Another hilarious page-turner from Winkler.
Had me in stitches- an easy read and I love Winkler's use of vivid imagery.
A very funny book with an unforgettable main character.
Fucking hilarious book.
Jul 10, 2012
Christopher
added it
its a very good book
Brilliant!
Oct 16, 2011
Hazel
marked it as to-read
Birthday present...
My friend Sophie gave me this book, a satire set in Jamaica. The question posed: who is crazy? Is it Aloysius “the lunatic” who speaks with trees and bushes, Inga, the German tourist who’s a nymphomaniac, Service, a butcher who confesses to grizzly crimes, or Busha who is obsessed with where he’ll be buried?
I laughed aloud as I read. I could relate to the craziness as it’s part of our reality here in Negril. The narrator speaks in standard English but all conversation is in patois.
I laughed aloud as I read. I could relate to the craziness as it’s part of our reality here in Negril. The narrator speaks in standard English but all conversation is in patois.
Hilarious.
A funny yet sobering page turner that follows the life a Jamaican madman and his adventures in the bushland with the use of social commentary interwoven.
Hilarious
One of the funniest novels I've read in a while. This nice tweaker dude at a book convention gave it to me saying that I'd read it and then pass it on to all of my friends, which I actually did. This book'll have you running around and screaming "bloody out of order" and "what is this rass foolishness?" with reckless abandon. I want to meet the author and drink spiced rum with him while playing dominoes.
I reread the book and laughed no less than I did on the other three or more occasions I read it.
FUNNY, Scandalous, blasphemous, sacrilegious, outrageous, base, stupendous, hilarious, vulgar, silly, condescending, unbelievable, believable (I will add more as I think of it).
HahateeheehahahaLOL
FUNNY, Scandalous, blasphemous, sacrilegious, outrageous, base, stupendous, hilarious, vulgar, silly, condescending, unbelievable, believable (I will add more as I think of it).
HahateeheehahahaLOL
I'm struggling with this one... it's supposed to be "incredibly funny", but thus far, not so much. If things aren't better by page 100, this may be one of the very, very few books I don't finish.
****
Update: barely made it past page 50 and gave up.
****
Update: barely made it past page 50 and gave up.
She break off me limbs! Me cripple fi life!
A madman and his best friend, the flame heart tree, vs a tourist woman and the ingrained social strata of his day. Features plenty of swearing and a cricket game.
A madman and his best friend, the flame heart tree, vs a tourist woman and the ingrained social strata of his day. Features plenty of swearing and a cricket game.
Quality story laden with social satire.
A quick read, an entertaining read, and an informative read. I definitely recommend.
A quick read, an entertaining read, and an informative read. I definitely recommend.
this book is just the dose of comedy i needed...i'm reading lots of caribbean fiction these days and loving it.
This book totally changed my view of language.
Mentioned in The New Yorker 8/27/07
May 09, 2013
Chelsea Ramjarrie
marked it as to-read
Apr 21, 2013
Patti
marked it as to-read
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
