The Holy Book of the BeardTwenty-two-year-old Jasper John has come to San Diego on his broken-down Harley to put a hell-raising and felonious adolescence behind him. He attends college part-time, but his involvement with the employees and regulars at the diner where he works forms his real education. Here the sublime meets the ridiculous (the chef sings opera while throwing steaks on the grill); the sacred collides with the profane (a persecuted professor turns Romeo and Juliet into a ribald porno-flick script); and Thanatos crowds libido (a formerly fast-living waitress longs for reunion with her dead husband). Jasper's tempter comes in the shape of the bearded, devilish Henry Hankformer pimp, sometime thief, full-time badass - who is always trying to inveigle Jasper into his shady, sometimes illegal schemes. Along the way there's death, a near castration, a good many brawls, and lots of sex - all as Jasper tries to figure out what it really takes, and what it really means, to be a man and find love in a broken world. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
ain't asks baby beard beer Celtic cross chest coffin comes door eyes face feet fingers fist Flamin legs Floyd Patterson freeze frame fuck fuckin girl give goddamn goes gonna grabs hair hand hang happen head hear heart hell Henry Hank Henry says Henry's I'm lyin inside Jasper feels Jasper John Jesus keep kids kisses laughs leans light lips Listen live looks Lummox Mary Quick Mikey mother mouth movie Mythwish Nancy never night nose okay pulls Punkin puts Reem Ruby runs says Didi says Fat Stanley says Godot says Helga says Henry says Jasper says Mary says Pirate shakes shit shoe polish silver stars sits smell smiles someone stares takes talk tells Jasper There's thing trimeters turns voice waiting walks watches What's whozit woman wonders words Yeah youz