If you were a former princess and a member of a deposed European royalty who lived in the suburbs of Seattle, how easily could you fall in love with a crook-toothed outlaw whose mantra is “Yum”?And if you were an outlaw that hates to be called “criminal” (because there is a big difference between an outlaw and a criminal), loves to drink tequila and blow up buildings, would you expect to meet the love of your life on your way to a Care Fest that you are planning to bomb?Welcome to the magic land of Tom Robbins novels!“Still Life With Woodpecker” is the third novel by Tom Robbins who is, in my opinion, one of the best authors of the last 30 years. The book is about a love affair between Bernard, an anarchist outlaw, and a former environmentalist princess-cheerleader, Leigh-Cheri, expelled from royalty after her second miscarriage. It has been called a post modern fairy tale, but for me, it’s just an amazing love story.I wouldn’t like to compare “Still Life” with Robbins’ other writings, and trying to find if there are flaws within this novel is not in my intentions; however, I’d like to discuss the questions this book brings up.

Are there two sides to every question?

The books talks about life and death; it describes how much the West differs from East and justifies why the moon is the sun’s opposite. But, does every question have two kinds of answers? As the author says: “There are two kinds of people in this world: those who believe there are two kinds of people in this world and those who are smart enough to know better.”

Why do we fall in love?

There is no why. What I like most about love is that it comes when it’s least expected. You never know which one of the frogs you are kissing will turn into a prince. Bernard and Leigh-Cheri met at the Care Fest that was taking place in Hawaii and fell in love at first sight. Two people with opposite life philosophies and yet, they had something in common. They were both redheads. Weird? I wouldn’t think so. Their red hair made them feel different and unique. Don’t we fall in love with people we have something we consider special in common?

How close can we feel to an object?

Would you ever talk to a spoon? Would you ever imagine that the only thing that makes you feel closer to your perfect half is a pack of Camel Lights, even if neither of you smoke? Would you ever think that the same pack of Camels could save your life?

It’s funny how close we can get to objects. And if you think that this has never happened to you, think again. Haven’t you ever cried during a move because you were going to miss your previous home? Was it ever difficult for you to get rid of an old shirt? Haven’t you ever washed your car because you liked it to look good? How about money? But how many people worship all this?

Will some mysteries remain unsolved forever?

The heroes of this novel try to answer some of our most common questions, considered to be unsolved mysteries. Nobody knows the answer, but each of us tries to give an explanation. Some of them are: Are there global conspiracies? How were the Pyramids built? Do aliens really exist? Does the moon have a special “meaning”? And the greatest mystery of all: how can we make love last?

Tom Robbins, with his extraordinary style, using lively and amusing metaphors (s expected) answers all these questions in his book. Maybe his explanations are a bit different than mine. This is the way I understood some of his writings. But you have to read it before you jump to conclusions. You won’t be disappointed, and in any case you won’t get bored. He has a unique way to make fun of our society and the foolishness of people. Someone said that “we have to take Tom Robbins seriously” and someone wrote that he is mad. The only “mad” thing I can see about him is that he talks to his Remington SL3 typewriter that “speaks electric Shakespeare at the slightest provocation and will rap out a page and a half if you just look at it hard” in between the chapters. But, on the other hand, this is not madness, it’s freedom of speech. Even if it’s speaking to your typewriter.

Anyway, I’ve selected some of my favourite quotes from the book, just to give you a little taste of his writings:

“A better world has gotta start somewhere. Why not with you and me?”

“If you’re honest, you sooner or later have to confront your values. Then you’re forced to separate what is right from what is merely legal. This puts you metaphysically on the run. America is full of metaphysical outlaws.”

“I’ll follow him to the ends of the earth,” she sobbed. Yes, darling. But the earth doesn’t have any ends. Columbus fixed that.”

“The first time that she spread her legs for him it had been like opening her jaws for the dentist.”

“Something has got to hold it together. I’m saying my prayers to Elmer, the Greek god of glue.”

“Any half-awake materialist well knows - that which you hold holds you.”

“Funny how we think of romance as always involving two, when the romance of solitude can be ever so much more delicious and intense.”

So, if you haven’t read it yet, do it! I recommend it to you.
And if you have already read it, please let me know your opinion about it

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