Wednesday, April 25, 2012

"Motherless Brooklyn" by Jonathan Lethem

How is each of the "Minna men" described by Lionel early in the book -- and how does each change? Additionally, how do their individual relationships with Lionel evolve?

For further informaiton about the author, check out:
http://www.jonathanlethem.com/

For further information about Tourette syndrome, go to:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tourette-syndrome/DS00541






1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I liked the book. It was a different story/mystery and well written. The style of writing was not easy reading but the orphan theme and Lionel's Tourette's nudged me on.

When I got to the 'meat' of the story, I found myself wondering if the author had Tourette's symdrome. He was very adept at getting into the head of a Tourettic. He seemed so able to describe certain feelings, how and why certain outbursts are caused.

Lionel, one of the orphans and has Tourette's is called a 'human freakshow'. Regardless of what the other characters think, he is very intelligent as a result of being a voracious reader in the orphanage library. Minna knew he was smart and obsessive/compulsive and that's why, as Frank was dying, he made Lionel concentrate on 'high holy man' in a joke. Frank knew Lionel's obsession on those words would keep him digging for the truth about the circumstances of his killing.