Genre-Bender

Jonathan Lethem writes chick lit, with occasional kangaroos.


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Published: Mar 20, 2007

Jonathan Lethem denies he has some kind of obsession with marsupials. The author of seven novels calls it kind of a coincidence that kangaroos pop up in his books from time to time, including his newest, You Don't Love Me Yet, which he's reading from at the Free Library on March 22.

NEW LOVE: Lethem calls his latest novel "playful," avoiding big issues and heavy themes.

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His first novel, Gun, With Occasional Music, concerns — among other things — a highly evolved kangaroo named Joey, who, in addition to driving and talking, works as a hired gun for a power-hungry gangster and harasses the Sam Spade-esque detective protagonist. You Don't Love Me Yet centers on Lucinda Hoekke, the bassist for an unnamed indie/alt band in L.A., but also features a depressed female kangaroo named Shelf the Flyer who's kidnapped by the singer of Lucinda's band.

"I didn't spend the last 14 years thinking about this," says Lethem about these kangaroo appearances. "It was, though, a chance to fix a mistake. In Gun, With Occasional Music, the male kangaroo walks around for the whole book with a pouch."

He gets the anatomy right in his new novel, but the unhappy pouched animal is just a side note to the disaffection of the human characters in this enjoyable, funny and not exceptionally deep read.

The story follows Lucinda as she quits her barista gig to take a job answering phones for her artist ex-boyfriend, Falmouth, who has set up a hot line for people to call and gripe about their lives. Her band is floundering because the guitarist/songwriter, Bedwin, is having trouble writing new songs. And she's just broken up with her on/off boyfriend, Matthew, who's also the lead singer of the band.

Into that tangle of connections Lethem throws an eccentric and seductive caller to Lucinda's new job, known only as the Complainer. The Complainer's evocative way of talking — like using "monster eyes" to describe how he sees his romantic partners' faults — gives Lucinda fodder for lyrics that propel the band forward and further mix up the lives of the quirky characters.

Lethem is well-known for borrowing from genres that many writers avoid in his work — particularly sci-fi and detective fiction. His most famous novel, Motherless Brooklyn, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award, revolved around a detective with Tourette's. You Don't Love Me Yet ventures further still.

"It's chick lit," Lethem says. "Like my friend Bruce Sterling said, 'It's a shopping and fucking novel.' It's all about haircuts and getting laid."

Most serious writers would probably avoid a description like that, or at least not espouse it themselves. Lethem, though, is always proud of his use of genre building blocks. "I don't mean anything bad by calling it that," he says, "I hope it's like the best of chick lit."

It's also a fairly accurate description. Lucinda has several very vivid sexual encounters in the course of the story, including a two-day bender and sex romp with the Complainer.

The setting of his new book is another departure for Lethem. His last two, and most successful, novels were set in the place he grew up: Brooklyn. Moving to L.A., the complete opposite of New York both geographically and culturally, causes Lethem few problems. He's a little reticent, however, when asked if he'll ever set anything in Philly.

"I haven't thought about that in particular, but I like Philly," he says. "It's like a giant Brooklyn. It's got a chip on its shoulder from New York and I like that."

Another change for Lethem is that You Don't Love Me Yet doesn't touch on many larger issues (race, class, future of the human race, etc.) like his previous works. "I'm not really trying to make a point with this novel," he says. "It's a very playful book. I didn't want to harangue anyone about something."

He does admit that it reflects some of the unusual views about creativity and plagiarism that he recently espoused in a lengthy article in February's issue of Harper's magazine. Lucinda cribs the band's new lyrics straight from the Complainer's monologues, sparking small conflicts and discussions about creativity, collaboration and ownership. Lethem defends that kind of creative reuse. "[It's like] how Buddy Holly watched The Searchers and hears John Wayne say, 'That'll be the day,' then goes home and writes his song." He adds, "That's how art happens."

Fans of his other works shouldn't fret that he's given up on tackling larger ideas. "The book I want to write next is a big book about Manhattan," he says. "An ontological horror novel a la H.P. Lovecraft."

For fans of kangaroos, a little hope remains, too. "Maybe in the next 15 years, I'll write a book about marsupials in the Outback and really settle into it," he jokes.

(editorial@citypaper.net)

Jonathan Lethem will read Thu., March 22, 7 p.m., free, Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine St., 215-567-4341, www.library.phila.gov.