Book Review: Pontoon

Can be summed up as follows, "Big Disappointment." The book's author is Garrison Keillor, most well known for a radio show on National Public Radio called "A Prairie Home Companion." I've always enjoyed the radio show. It was always very interesting and insightful. I particularly liked the observational comedy he'd do about Lutherans and Catholics. He would usually gently poke fun at faith, pointing out little absurdities among the faithful, but in a very respectful manner. His radio show never gave me the impression he was attacking faith in anyway, just finding humor in little old ladies who are particular about random things. So I thought, "I remember him, he was fun, I'll read his book."

The book was about an older lady, Evelyn, who dies in Lake Wobegon, the made-up Minnesota town where most of his stories are based. Before she dies, she leaves a note to her daughter asking her to have her cremated, her ashes placed inside a hollowed out bowling ball and then dropped to the bottom of the local lake. She also reveals that she had long ago renounced her faith and was simply going through the motions simply because it was easier that way. She also had a boyfriend in another town and the two would travel the country together quite often.

The daughter, Barbara, to whom the letter was written is an alcoholic and a struggling Lutheran. While dealing with this secret life her mother led, the most pivotal point for her in the book is the moment when she curses God, rejects her faith, and decides she is the only person who is going to help herself and gives up drinking. There are some side stories about a "commitment ceremony" that's not a wedding, and Barbara's son who is trying to figure out what to do with his life.

Apparently, his radio shows are edited quite a bit. I found Barbara's "growth" quite offensive. He portrayed the (Lutheran) church as full of people I would call lukewarm. Not one character was actually attempting to live their faith, they were all just going through the motions. Barbara's rejection of her faith is portrayed as a coming of age, a shedding of archaic ways, and a birth into a new and better life. The whole book seemed to be an attack on the small town country faithful, and I found his arguments shallow and poorly constructed.

On top of that, it seemed as though he was trying to give offense, to shock his reader with stories of old ladies talking frankly about sex and giving graphic descriptions. That may be how some old ladies talk, but its not fair to portray them all that way. His "musings" about the faithful and their practice were much harsher. The only Catholic priest in the story was (of course) having sex with a married woman at his church. There was a group of Lutheran priests who were touring the nation, they were portrayed as drunken materialists. The only character in the book who seemed "decent" was the Lutheran priest in the town who was trying to push his views on everyone, he was an antagonist.

I found the book sad. Just a sad story from an old guy who was trying to shock his reader but just ended up sounding perverted and crude. The only fun part of this book was the end, when of course nothing goes as planned. The son is going to drop the bowling bowl from a hang glider tied behind a boat, trips during taking off and gets dragged through the water, losing his trunks, and just ends up flying through the air flailing and completely naked. Maybe I'm being childish, but I thought it was kind of funny. Just kept thinking, "Ow, poor kid."

All in all, a big disappointment. Probably won't ever listen to the guys radio show again either. For a couple of genuinely funny moments and an interesting story telling style, I give the book 1 star out of 5. A big disappointment.