David Schwinghammer's Blog - Posts Tagged "quirkiness"
The Portable Veblen
Veblen Amundsen-Howda was named after Thorstein Veblen early twentieth century author of THE LEISURE CLASS. He despised corporations, materialism, and the American consumer class who seemed to be suckers for every new contraption conjured up by the above.
Veblen, the woman, is a temp worker who also translates Norwegian for a group determined to promote the old world culture to the diaspora who immigrated, primarily to the United States. Veblen is a quirky sort; she talks to squirrels for one thing. She likes to type, even when a typewriter isn't available. When she moved to Palo Alto she converted a run-down hovel into a nice little cottage doing all the remodeling herself. Her mother. She is plagued by her mother, Melanie, who is the epitome of hypochondria. She also has an ex-husband who suffers from PTS whom Veblen is trying to get to know.
Veblen is in love with Dr. Paul Vreeland a researcher who thinks he's invented a device that will help field medics deal with brain injuries, at least stop the swelling. But he's made the mistake of hooking up with Clovis Hutmacher, a lead executive at one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Paul wants to do testing on cadavers and volunteers; Clovis wants to get the product into production as soon as possible.
Paul has family problems, too. His parents are former hippies; he has an older brother, Justin, who, coincidentally, also suffers from a brain injury. Paul thinks Justin has them wound around his little finger and is smarter than he looks. He uses his handicap to torture Paul.
The squirrel has taken up residence in Veblen's attic. It keeps Paul awake at night. Paul tries to catch it with a humane trap, but apparently it's too smart for him.
So . . . we have a number of conflicts going on here: family versus potential spouse, unethical pharmaceutical companies trying to take advantage of a somewhat naive inventer and an engaged couple who aren't quite sure what they're getting into or even if they really want to.
As in many modern novels everybody, including the squirrel, gets a point of view, and we bounce from Veblen to Paul to Melanie to Clovis. I think it would have been a better book if Veblen narrated the whole thing. As is it needs editing badly, but I do like it, primarily because Thorstein Veblen, who should be a modern progressive hero, is mentioned and quoted periodically, along with a brief biography.
Veblen, the woman, is a temp worker who also translates Norwegian for a group determined to promote the old world culture to the diaspora who immigrated, primarily to the United States. Veblen is a quirky sort; she talks to squirrels for one thing. She likes to type, even when a typewriter isn't available. When she moved to Palo Alto she converted a run-down hovel into a nice little cottage doing all the remodeling herself. Her mother. She is plagued by her mother, Melanie, who is the epitome of hypochondria. She also has an ex-husband who suffers from PTS whom Veblen is trying to get to know.
Veblen is in love with Dr. Paul Vreeland a researcher who thinks he's invented a device that will help field medics deal with brain injuries, at least stop the swelling. But he's made the mistake of hooking up with Clovis Hutmacher, a lead executive at one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Paul wants to do testing on cadavers and volunteers; Clovis wants to get the product into production as soon as possible.
Paul has family problems, too. His parents are former hippies; he has an older brother, Justin, who, coincidentally, also suffers from a brain injury. Paul thinks Justin has them wound around his little finger and is smarter than he looks. He uses his handicap to torture Paul.
The squirrel has taken up residence in Veblen's attic. It keeps Paul awake at night. Paul tries to catch it with a humane trap, but apparently it's too smart for him.
So . . . we have a number of conflicts going on here: family versus potential spouse, unethical pharmaceutical companies trying to take advantage of a somewhat naive inventer and an engaged couple who aren't quite sure what they're getting into or even if they really want to.
As in many modern novels everybody, including the squirrel, gets a point of view, and we bounce from Veblen to Paul to Melanie to Clovis. I think it would have been a better book if Veblen narrated the whole thing. As is it needs editing badly, but I do like it, primarily because Thorstein Veblen, who should be a modern progressive hero, is mentioned and quoted periodically, along with a brief biography.
