Scott Carpenter’s debut novel MR. UNDESIRABLE is not for the easily offended. And here’s the litmus test: If you find the idea of a crucified Santa Claus screaming “Get the nails out! It hurts!” as a Christmas decoration funny, buy this book. If not, you might find this one more to your liking.
The titular anti-hero of MR. UNDESIRABLE is Lenny Kapowski, a simple man deemed a white-trash loser by the upper-crust denizens of his town. Back in high school, Lenny made the mistake of asking pretty, popular Amber to the prom. She said yes, but her father – an uptight snob doctor – refused to allow it, making a mockery of Lenny and humiliating him in front of classmates and their parents. Lenny never forgot, which is why he when he wins $158 million in the lottery, he sees his windfall as a bottomless pool of “fuck you” money.
Like the flipside to MY NAME IS EARL, the newly minted multimillionaire sets forth on a plot of revenge that begins with buying the only lot available in the most exclusive neighborhood, right next door to the good doctor. If he has to blackmail someone with tranny whore photos to get it, so be it. He can afford it. From there, the chaos just escalates.
Admittedly, Carpenter’s book is not for everyone. But for those with a taste for the profane and coal-black humor will find MR. UNDESIRABLE as good a fit as – to borrow a phrase from the book – “Kennedys and head wounds.” With Carpenter having a knack for decadently delicious turns of the phrase, there are several great lines to be found in several humorous situations, each growing more rowdy and raucous than the one before it, and I found myself living vicariously through Lenny’s questionably legal exploits. If there’s a glaring flaw in MR. UNDESIRABLE, it’s not in its WYSIWYG subject matter and language, but its length; at nearly 500 pages, it’s positively Tolstoyian and a good third overlong. I think Lenny’s interest in the music business could be excised totally, returning the focus to what makes the book enjoyable: sticking it to The Man.
With a successful spate of hard-R comedies ruling the box office of late, the time is right for an un-PC read like MR. UNDESIRABLE. It ain’t art. It ain’t supposed to be. Your mom would hate it. Have fun. –Rod Lott
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
great another book to be put on my to be read list.
Reading Mr. Undersirable will result in multiple literary orgasms. Scott Carpenter is an exquisite storyteller…and BTW my mom LOVED it!!!!
Mr. Undesirable is one of the funniest books I have ever read!
I missed the characters when the book was over. 500 pages of Lenny and friends was the best escape from reality I found in 2005.
THIS BOOK KICKS ASS!!! I CAN’T WAIT TO READ ANOTHER ONE FROM SCOTT!! BUY THIS BOOK, IT’LL KICK YOUR ASS TOO, YOU WON’T REGRET IT!!!