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Between the Bridge and the River

Craig Ferguson

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Nov 07, 2011 Tony rated it liked it

Shelves: novels

Comedy is probably the hardest genre to pull off, both in fiction and film -- every one's funny bone is set at a slightly different angle, and it's hard to pull off something that's consistently smart and funny. As a result, I'm always feeling slightly starved for comic fiction, and so I picked this up to try and fill the void. Ferguson has always struck me as smarter and funnier than most of his late night talkshow brethren, so I figured it was worth a shot.

And indeed, the one-liners come fast Comedy is probably the hardest genre to pull off, both in fiction and film -- every one's funny bone is set at a slightly different angle, and it's hard to pull off something that's consistently smart and funny. As a result, I'm always feeling slightly starved for comic fiction, and so I picked this up to try and fill the void. Ferguson has always struck me as smarter and funnier than most of his late night talkshow brethren, so I figured it was worth a shot.

And indeed, the one-liners come fast and furious in this antic picaresque redemption tale. It follows two pairs of protagonists: two Scottish men who were friends as boys, and two American half-brothers who we first meet on the run from foster care. One of the Scots is a sleazy televangelist who flees to America as his career crumbles amidst a sex scandal. The other is a terminal cancer victim who's facing death having led an utterly conventional life. Meanwhile, the two half-brothers (one is a bastard of Sinatra and inherited his easy handsomeness, charm, and voice, the other is a perverted behemoth with a canny nose for a deal) rise through the Hollywood food chain via a talent show, then sitcom, and the tabloid pages.

With its juggling of three protagonists back and forth across the Atlantic, back and forth through time, and with diversions into a dreamscape emceed by Carl Jung, the book is a little frantic and slippery. With Ferguson leveling potshots at all manner of cultural, political, religious, and philosophical beliefs along the way, it's hard for a reader to catch their breath. (And to be sure, commercial interests take a walloping at his hands as well.) This is only partially balanced by a somewhat conventional love story, and redemption of a sort for some of the characters. As with most comedy, the characters aren't very fleshed out, and the writing is mostly intent on driving from plot point to plot point via a route of gags and amusing turns of phrase, but if you're in the mood for something completely different and somewhat diverting, give this a shot -- twenty pages or so should give you enough of an idea if you'll like it or not. Ultimately, it's hard to dislike a book whose core message is that only important thing in life is to "help others." ...more

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Apr 15, 2009 alana rated it liked it

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Shelves: literature, e-book, b, author-f, fiction, c-blue, tbr-2011, book-club

Jan 23, 2015 Julie Rose marked it as to-read

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