Sam Bluefarb

The Age of Dysentery Or...how Not to Write a Novel Sam Bluefarb

A World War II vet returns to Los Angeles-AKA "Tall Palms"--embittered by its materialism. To ease his alienation, he teams up with a "few rare souls." The time of this travesty is Spring, 1946. The late Susan Sontag coined the phrase "...it's good because it's awful." Apart from its outrageous sexism, "The Age of Dysentery" would be a prime candidate for that dubious--and "awful"--honor. Intended as satire, it ends as a pastiche of wooden characters and stilted dialogue. Footnotes and snide author comments add to the insanity. The result is unintended comedy.