The ‘goon’ in this title is time. A character said: ‘Time’s a goon, right? You gonna let that goon push you around?’ The book answered yes – time beats all of your characters to a pulp. Do you think time ever makes people wiser or better?

[Marc]

Good question. I'd say rarely. people are stuck in their blindspots, destined to repeat the same mistakes over and over with the only variance being in the social context in which they take place. Why else is there such a thriving self-help industry? Fictional characters go on journeys, but in real life people rarely do, unless they impose such an analysis looking back on their lives. There ought to be more books about stuck people!

[Glauber]

I was moved by the redemption story at the end. I enjoyed the portraits of musicians and people in the music business. Time is a goon.

[Jon]

I'm not the same person now as I was when I was in my 2o's...growing up....maturity....getting a sense of perspective....call it what you want, but I know I've changed.

[Dena]

Actually, I thought many of the characters seemed wiser (sometimes happier) by the end.

[Marc]

Jon wrote: "I'm not the same person now as I was when I was in my 2o's...growing up....maturity....getting a sense of perspective....call it what you want, but I know I've changed."

changed in certain attitudes & outlook yes, but has the essence of you changed?

[Dena]

Good question! For me, the essence of me has not changed, but I have come to know it, whereas before I was clueless, but that, in a sense, is a monumental change.

[Marc]

a change in perception, but not a change in real terms perhaps :-)