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Horse Latitudes
Time is running out for Chester Sprockett. How is an unemployed, aspiring novelist supposed to survive when the thirty grand borrowed off his dead father's credit cards is almost gone, and the only work he can find is hawking toys and cheesy novelty items door-to-door . . . and on commission yet?
And talk about woman trouble: There's Pandora, the beautiful magician's assistant who dumped him for an investment banker and the dream of becoming a performance artist; Beth, his true love, the girl he let slip through his fingers at the beach (maybe it was all that baby oil), and the mysterious blond nymph who hurls empty beer bottles at him from a black Z28 Camaro.
If it wasn't for the occasional visit from the ghost of his father, Chester would almost certainly be losing his grip on reality, and never navigate his way out of the . . . Horse Latitudes.
And talk about woman trouble: There's Pandora, the beautiful magician's assistant who dumped him for an investment banker and the dream of becoming a performance artist; Beth, his true love, the girl he let slip through his fingers at the beach (maybe it was all that baby oil), and the mysterious blond nymph who hurls empty beer bottles at him from a black Z28 Camaro.
If it wasn't for the occasional visit from the ghost of his father, Chester would almost certainly be losing his grip on reality, and never navigate his way out of the . . . Horse Latitudes.
148 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2008
1 person is currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
Quentin R. Bufogle
11 books167 followersQuentin R. Bufogle is a freelance writer, blogger, novelist, graphic artist & designer. A former contributing writer to the former Las Vegas CityLife, his work appears in the anthology: "Wish You Were Here: Stories and Essays Inspired by Fabulous Las Vegas Postcards" -- published by the former Stephens Press. He is the author of "Horse Latitudes" (once described as "the best book you'll never read"), and the most frequently quoted unknown since anonymous. He lives in the city formerly known as Las Vegas, Nevada.
"Writing is the dragon that lives underneath my floorboards. The one I incessantly feed for fear it may turn and devour my ass. Writing is the friend who doesn't return my phone calls; the itch I'm unable to scratch; a dinner invitation from a cannibal; elevator music for a narcoleptic. Writing is the hope of lifting all boats by pissing in the ocean. Writing isn't something that makes me happy like a good cup of coffee. It's just something I do because not writing, as I've found, is so much worse." -- Quentin R. Bufogle
"Writing is the dragon that lives underneath my floorboards. The one I incessantly feed for fear it may turn and devour my ass. Writing is the friend who doesn't return my phone calls; the itch I'm unable to scratch; a dinner invitation from a cannibal; elevator music for a narcoleptic. Writing is the hope of lifting all boats by pissing in the ocean. Writing isn't something that makes me happy like a good cup of coffee. It's just something I do because not writing, as I've found, is so much worse." -- Quentin R. Bufogle
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 15, 2009
"In the Sargasso Sea there is no wind. Many, many years ago, when ships travel by sail, they would sometimes get stuck here. For weeks and weeks they would sometimes drift, waiting for the wind to come. The sailors called this 'The Horse Latitudes'."
Chester Sprockett receives this definition of the Horse Latitudes from the owner of a little coffee shop after he explains he has writers' block. In fact most of Chester's life has become stuck, he feels he is always waiting for something... Once a high school football star, now he is unemployed, has split up with his girlfriend and his dream of writing a bestselling novel seems unreachable as he is suffering from writers' block.
'Horse Latitudes' is almost like a book of short stories; each chapter describes a significant event in Chester Sprockett's life. The stories are like different parts of a jigsaw puzzle that make up the whole book.
Chester is in his mid-thirties living alone in the house he was born in. He lives with regrets of what could have been - holding on to the past - wishing he had been braver and told Beth how he felt about her way back then in high school; wishing he had not let the chance of a football scholarship slip through his hands...
Chester's father had run up debts on credit cards and after he died there is a threat that Chester could be forced to sell the house the pay off the debts. He tries to find work and is disillusioned when he joins a firm of salesmen, knowing that his real dream is to write the bestseller.
His late father visits him one day when Chester is suffering from fever; his visit helps Chester realise that he needs to be liberated from everything that is holding him back from following his dream...liberated from the Horse Latitudes.
This book is full of hilarious and insightful observations. It was a joy to read and I would recommend it to everyone!! As I was reading it, I thought it would be excellent if this book was made into a film, it definitely has a 'Hollywood' feeling about it. It will make you laugh out loud. One example is when Chester is looking at Beth: "She was just standing there in her bikini holding the ice cream... In fifty years she'd be old and wrinkled. In a hundred fertilizer. It didn't matter." There's plenty more laughs where that came from. Do yourself a favour and buy 'Horse Latitudes'. It's a tonic we all need in the credit crunch era!!
Chester Sprockett receives this definition of the Horse Latitudes from the owner of a little coffee shop after he explains he has writers' block. In fact most of Chester's life has become stuck, he feels he is always waiting for something... Once a high school football star, now he is unemployed, has split up with his girlfriend and his dream of writing a bestselling novel seems unreachable as he is suffering from writers' block.
'Horse Latitudes' is almost like a book of short stories; each chapter describes a significant event in Chester Sprockett's life. The stories are like different parts of a jigsaw puzzle that make up the whole book.
Chester is in his mid-thirties living alone in the house he was born in. He lives with regrets of what could have been - holding on to the past - wishing he had been braver and told Beth how he felt about her way back then in high school; wishing he had not let the chance of a football scholarship slip through his hands...
Chester's father had run up debts on credit cards and after he died there is a threat that Chester could be forced to sell the house the pay off the debts. He tries to find work and is disillusioned when he joins a firm of salesmen, knowing that his real dream is to write the bestseller.
His late father visits him one day when Chester is suffering from fever; his visit helps Chester realise that he needs to be liberated from everything that is holding him back from following his dream...liberated from the Horse Latitudes.
This book is full of hilarious and insightful observations. It was a joy to read and I would recommend it to everyone!! As I was reading it, I thought it would be excellent if this book was made into a film, it definitely has a 'Hollywood' feeling about it. It will make you laugh out loud. One example is when Chester is looking at Beth: "She was just standing there in her bikini holding the ice cream... In fifty years she'd be old and wrinkled. In a hundred fertilizer. It didn't matter." There's plenty more laughs where that came from. Do yourself a favour and buy 'Horse Latitudes'. It's a tonic we all need in the credit crunch era!!
July 1, 2010
This 'goodread' keeps you wanting more. Right when you think you know what is around the corner, it surprises you with something totally different. Horse Latitudes is by far a book to read in a day, on the beach, on vacation. Or whenever you are looking for a quick mood-pickerupper. Highly recommended!
DP
DP
July 3, 2010
A brilliant novel about a struggling writer trying to live idealistically in the shadows of the American Dream. Chester Sprockett, an anti-hero of the magnitude of Dostoevsky's Underground Man, tries his hand at love, writing, and sales. The narrative bounces back and forth between past and present, showing Chester's loss of innocence with rich humor laced with deep emotion.
My favorite scenes include a football game with famous dead authors and zombies and the chapter "Four 20s and a 10."
If you enjoy John Updike, Augustan Burroughs, or any of the classics, HORSE LATITUDES is the perfect read for you!
My favorite scenes include a football game with famous dead authors and zombies and the chapter "Four 20s and a 10."
If you enjoy John Updike, Augustan Burroughs, or any of the classics, HORSE LATITUDES is the perfect read for you!
March 31, 2009
Don't take my word for it. Read it yourself.
November 21, 2010
my Boyfriend got me this Book , I Loved it !!! Sexy , Funny , very pleasent read
July 18, 2010
I bought this book used from Barnes and Noble and it seems to be signed by the author, so I am keeping it for sure.
I saw the author on Goodreads and he seemed like a very interesting person, so I had to read his book.
I am not going to tell you what this book is about because you can see this from the Goodreads summary. Here is a quote from page 38: "In the Sargasso Sea there is no wind. Many, many years ago, when ships travel by sail, they would sometimes get stuck here. For weeks and weeks they would sometimes drift, waiting for the wind to come. The sailors called this 'The Horse Latitudes'."
This was just a good all around book and I highly recommend it.
I saw the author on Goodreads and he seemed like a very interesting person, so I had to read his book.
I am not going to tell you what this book is about because you can see this from the Goodreads summary. Here is a quote from page 38: "In the Sargasso Sea there is no wind. Many, many years ago, when ships travel by sail, they would sometimes get stuck here. For weeks and weeks they would sometimes drift, waiting for the wind to come. The sailors called this 'The Horse Latitudes'."
This was just a good all around book and I highly recommend it.
January 25, 2012
'The human heart was a peculiar piece of work: it never truly let go."
Love that.
It seems like you go a lot of places and touch a lot of emotions and laugh out loud quite a bit in one short book and that's pretty cool.
Love that.
It seems like you go a lot of places and touch a lot of emotions and laugh out loud quite a bit in one short book and that's pretty cool.
January 13, 2010
Best book ever!!!
March 10, 2024
I loved this book, read it in a day!! I laughed out loud, l cried, loved how hot and sexy Quentin Bufogle is!!
My favorite author, so brilliant and talented…He always leaves me wanting more!!!
You all have to read this!!!
My favorite author, so brilliant and talented…He always leaves me wanting more!!!
You all have to read this!!!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews