A review by sisteray
House of Holes by Nicholson Baker

4.0

In many ways, I believe that this is the book that Alan Moore was hoping to deliver with Lost Girls. Sure, it is filthy as a come spattered fuck-fest could possibly be, but I never felt that this book was intended for one handed reading. Rather, this seems like Baker set up a safe and justified environment for his whacked out surreal fantasies. It presents itself as a vehicle for bizarro encounters more along the lines of Fellini rather than anything intentionally erotic. Mostly, it plays for laughs than for any kind of excitement. It is closer to Southern's Candy or Polanski/Brach's Quoi? than it is to Nin's erotica and that suits me just fine. While not a masterpiece, I found the book to be giggle inducing and as entertaining as a book of this sort can be.

In general, Baker tends to write as the observer and his style comes across as warm and earnest. This books steps away from the personal and is caught up strictly with the concepts. If you are looking for the ol' Baker sentimentalism, there isn't any here.