Do you love the show Intervention, but find it too glossy and upbeat? Do you feel the problem with Charles Bukowski is that he was just a bit too cheerful? Then this might just be the book for you.
Ablutions is narrated by an unnamed Barman (I’d say he’s our protagonist but I’m not entirely sure that is the case) working in a deeply depressing, lowest-of-lowbrow Hollywood bar. Imagine all the magnificent wealth, glamour, and luxury of Hollywood. Cool, now imagine the polar opposite of that- desperation, bitterness, intense poverty and addiction. You’ve got the idea. The characters in this book traffic in hopelessness and violent inebriation with a sizable helping of self delusion.
The Barman observes and interacts with the increasingly distressing patrons, and gently follows their example as he gradually plummets toward becoming just as miserably toxic as any one of them. His observations are fascinating and voyeuristic, but also mostly free of judgement and with an underlying quality of human empathy, at least until he starts to accelerate rapidly toward rock bottom. He loses his wife, his car, his mind, and almost definitely his liver. No spoilers here, but I read a review that described the ending as “upbeat”… I don’t know that I would agree with that.
The writing style is unique and interesting. This is the first I’ve read of Patrick DeWitt, although The Sisters Brothers has been on my to-read list for a while. In this one he writes in short bursts, with just enough vivid details to make this story almost entirely too life like. Bukowski and his ilk are obvious influences, though it’s worth noting that DeWitt’s writing is free from the surly, biting misogyny that makes Bukowski unreadable for me.
This book is bleak, vicious, and unrelenting. But the writing is compelling, with just enough glimpses of compassion and humor that I pushed through the painfully graphic descriptions of alcoholism, drug abuse, and repulsively dismal sex. At 164 pages, this is a mercifully quick read, but it will stick with you, and might keep you away from that next shot of Jameson.
