Book Review

Nine Kinds of Naked

Nine Kinds of Naked by Tony Vigorito, published by Harvest/Harcourt

Reviewed by Mike Shea

October 2008

Buy it at BookPeople

One can almost smell the patchouli wafting off the pages of Nine Kinds of Naked, a neopsychedelic satire from recently transplanted Austinite Tony Vigorito. Channeling the spirited humor of Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series, Vigorito suspends the rules of time and space to create an alternate reality in which a tornado pounces on Normal, Illinois, and propels half a dozen citizens—such as pastor J. J. Speed and housewife Bridget Snapdragon—through portals where their names and roles change with dizzying speed. Tossed like dice between epochs and identities (today an FBI agent, tomorrow a crusader!), their various incarnations finally converge 25 years later in the shadows of a “hypercane” that is stalled off the coast of post-Katrina New Orleans. Despite the sogginess of his rambling sermonettes on love and oneness in the universe, Vigorito’s is a crisp, sardonic voice. Harvest/Harcourt, $14

E-mail

Password

Remember me

Forgot your password?

X (close)

Registering gets you access to online content, allows you to comment on stories, add your own reviews of restaurants and events, and join in the discussions in our community areas such as the Recipe Swap and other forums.

In addition, current TEXAS MONTHLY magazine subscribers will get access to the feature stories from the two most recent issues. If you are a current subscriber, please enter your name and address exactly as it appears on your mailing label (except zip, 5 digits only). Not a subscriber? Subscribe online now.

E-mail

Re-enter your E-mail address

Choose a password

Re-enter your password

Name

  
 

Address

Address 2

City

State

Zip (5 digits only)

Country

What year were you born?

Are you...

Male Female

Remember me

X (close)