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GoingNative
byStephenWright

3.57

AboutStephenWright
ratingdetails487ratings57reviews

GoingNativeisStephenWrightsdarklycomictakeontheroadnovel,inwhichonemansheadlong
escapefromtheAmericanDreambecomeseverybodysworstnightmare.WylieJonesisset:lovely
wife,beautifulkids,barbecuesinthebackyardofhistastefullydecoratedsuburbanChicagohousewith
goodfriends.Set,butnotsatisfied.Soonenighthejustwalksout,getsbeh...more
Paperback,320pages
PublishedApril12th2005byVintage(firstpublished1994)
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StephenWright(born1946)isanovelist
basedinNewYorkCityknownforhisuse
ofsurrealisticimageryanddarkcomedy.
Hisworkhasvariedfromhallucinatory
accountsofwar(MeditationsinGreen),afamily
dramaamongUFOcultists(M31:AFamily
Romance),carnivalesquenovelonaserial
killer(GoingNative),toapicaresquetakingplace
duringtheCivilWar("TheAmalgamation
Polka").Hehas...more

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(showing130of1,949)

KrokZeroratedit
reviewofanotheredition
Recommendsitfor:pomophiles

Feb17,2011

RecommendedtoKrokZeroby:MikeReynoldsfirst,thenahighplacementonLarryMcCaffery'stop
100
Shelves:winter10to11

Firstthing's,asusual,first:despitewhathisGoodreadsauthorpageindicates,Stephen
WrightthenovelistisnotthesameindividualasStevenWrightthedeadpanstandup
comedian.Itwouldbealmostinconceivablyawesomeifthiswerethecase,butitisnot.I
haveGoodreadslibrarianshipsoIguesstechnicallyIcouldfixthiserror,butIamabusy
man*,anddonothavetimeforsuchmenialtasks.(*Iamnotabusyman.)
So.Bywayofforestallingmyreviewofthisgreatbook,andtoavoid...more
28likesLikeseereview
Drewratedit

QuotesfromGoingNative

Aug12,2013

Americaisdeaditjustdoesn'tknowityet.

Thesubterraneanlairofthewilyhuman
relationship:adarkmazeofpopupdemons,fun
housemirrors,spookydeadends,multiplefalse
bottoms.3likes
Anengagingdiscussionuponthenatureofthe
soul,itsdefiningqualities,thepossibilityit
manifestsaspecificshape,thelikelihoodofits
integritybeyondformaldehydeandflowers,
speculationonitsabsencefromanunfortunate
sumofmortalbeingssinceGod,atthemomentof
creation,releasedintotheuniverseafixed
numberofsoulstoberecycledamonga
diminishingpercentageofanexponentially
expandingpopulation,hencebodieswithout
souls.2likes
Morequotes

Oratleastthat'swhatStephen"N.R."Wrightwouldhaveyoubelieve.Andhemostly
makesaconvincingandeloquentcase.Thebigstrengthofthisbook,atleastaccordingto
me,isthefrenetic,chaoticyetprecisequalityofthewritingtheproseperfectlymatches
theideasthatWrightistryingtogetacross.Andit'sagoodthingtoo,becauseIthinkthe
ideasthemselvesarealittletired.We'vereplacedmeaningwithentertainment?
Learnedthat...more
8likesLikeseereview
VitBabencoratedit

Apr17,2015

Newsofhisinfamousscreenplayshehadbeenlisteningtoforthelastfiveyearsatleast
anditschancesofsoonseeingthelightofday,letalonethelightofacinemascreen,were
aboutasgoodasherroaringoffintheaccordwiththepackedsuitcasethathadbeen
lyinginwaitinthetrunkformostofadecade.
Ifaestheticsofpopculturecinemawereappliedtotheeverydaylifetherealitywould've
turnedintoanightmare.Whatinthemovielookscaptivatinginlifewouldbehorror.
But...more
7likesLikeseereview
Alanratedit

Jul27,2009

RecommendedtoAlanby:MikeReynoldsandothers
Shelves:novels,readin2009

stillhummingwiththisone,three/fourdaysafterfinishingit.IsaidtoaGRfriendeach
sectionwasliketakingadifferentunknowndrug,andwaitingtoseewhatthebuzzwas
andmostlyyouweren'tdisappointed.It'stakenmeawhiletoorganisemythoughtsonit,
andthenextbookEllroy'sMyDarkPlacessufferedfrombeingsodifferentitwaslike
readinganotherlanguage(althoughI'mfinewithitnow).ThisistheoppositeofEllroy's
minimal,staccatosentences:thisislush,hyperr...more
4likesLikeseereview
Pinkyratedit

Jul06,2009

It'sbeenabout8yearssinceIlastrereadthis,soIcan't/won'tsaymuchhereexcept:
readit.(SinceDanChaon'sexcellentAwaitYourReplygoosedmymemoryofthis
Wright,I'mplanningtorereaditagain,too.)Ipickeduptheoriginalhardbackcoldin

thebookstore,knowingnothingofitsauthor,andtookaquicklookatitsblurbs.Don
DeLillo,ToniMorrison,RobertCoover.Whaaaa?Thebookmanagedtomeet
confidently,swaggeringlyexceededmyexpectationsgiventhatunlikelytrio.
2likesLikeseereview
Katherineratedit

Nov23,2013

Youhavenoideahowdifficultitisformetodo,butImquittingthisbookmidway.Itgoes
againsteveryfiberofmybeing.ButImtryingtoembracetheadviceofacoworker
stickingwithabookthatisnotforyouwastestimeinwhichyoucouldbereadingthenext
bookyoulllove.
StephenWrightisawordsmithtobesure.Somethinginhispreciseandthoughtful
imagerymakesmethinkofDenisJohnsonsJesusSon.Andthatsahighcomplimentin
mymind.Still,whileIpushedmyselfthrough...more
1likeLikeseereview
Tungratedit

Jan09,2008

StephenWrights(authorofMeditationsinGreen)thirdnovel,ifyoucancallitthat.
Thebookstartswithanuppermiddleclasssuburbancoupleenjoyingabarbecuewith
anotheruppermiddleclasssuburbancouple.Thedescriptionofthissceneisafantastic
portraitofthebanalitiesofsuchalife.Oneofthemendisappearsandcantbefoundand
thesceneends.Thenextsceneisadescriptionofaboyfriendandgirlfriendwhoare
addictedtocrack.Theendofthatsceneinvolvestheboyfr...more
1likeLikeseereview
Kylieratedit

Mar12,2013

AtfirstIabsolutelydespisedthisbook.IwasforcedtoreaditformyInterpretationof
Literatureclass.Originally,Ifoundthewritingtobeincrediblypretentious.After
readingfurtherintothebookandbecomingmoreaccustomedtoWright'swritingI
startedtolikethebook.
IreallyenjoyedWright'sideasaboutpopculturebeingareflectionofprimaldesires.
ThroughoutthebookthereismanyHollywoodreferences,andthereadercanseejust
howinfluentialpopcultureisonthecharact...more
1likeLikeseereview
Davidratedit
Shelves:21stcentury,crime,crimenoirfiction,fiction,literature,thriller,usa

Feb10,2015

CouldneverquiteengagewithGoingNative.
ThewritingwasgoodtheproductplacementalittletediousasitwaswithAmerican
PsychoandFightClubthecharacterizationsnotquitecookiecutterbutclosetothis.The
story,thoughengaging,couldnotquiteovercometheseotherdefects.
Therearethosewhowill,andhave,enjoyedthisbookverymuchandMr.Wright'sGoing
Nativeisabookwhichdeservesawideaudience,eventoday,butthisreadercouldnever
quitefindawayintothecharac...more
Likeseereview
AlexanderWeberratedit

Oct23,2014

Shelves:mccafferys20thcenturysgreatest

Atfirst,Ididn'tcaremuchforthedifferentcharactersandstoriesthatwerebeing
introducedwitheverychapter.Thefirstchapter,whichintroducesustoourmain
protagonist,wasreallygreat.Fromthere,Ifeltthechapterswerejustshort
vignettes/storiesIwasreadingthrough,notpeopleoreventsIwasconnectingwith.
Then,maybehalfway,youstarttogetintohowthisbookisbeingpresented,andbythe
secondlastchapter(whichis80pages(morethan1/4ofthebook))whichon...more
Likeseereview
BrianWaderatedit
reviewofanotheredition
Shelves:2011,blownawayinagoodway,locallibrary,manfiction,esquires75

Jul19,2011

GoingNativeisviolent,dangerous.AttimesitreadslikeEllis'sAmericanPsychosetin
the90s.ThisisanotherbookthatismuchmoreenjoyablethelesstheReaderknows

abouttheplot,structure,etc.InretrospectIwishIhadn'tevenreadtheinsidedust
jacket.Althoughrelativelysuperficial,eventhejacketgivesawaytoomuch.I'mpretty
sureIwouldhavegivenGoingNative5starsifIhadknownabsolutelynothingaboutthe
storypriortostartingit.
Iwouldreallyenjoyreviewinga...more
Likeseereview
Jratedit
Shelves:fiction,mccaffery

Sep10,2012

Dense,haunting,cynical,impressive.Somebooks,whenyoureachtheend,tauntyouto
juststartrightoveragain,andthisbookwasoneofthemwhatexactlywasthejourneyof
WylieJones,andwhydidhispathintersectwiththelivesofthesepeople?Thestoryis
structurednotsothatwearerunningamarathon,butthatwearestandingbythesideof
theroadwatchingamarathon,andeachtimeweseetherunnerswearegettingbackinto
ourcarsanddrivingtothenextlocationtocatchthe...more
Likeseereview
Schuylerratedit

reviewofanotheredition

Sep09,2010

ClickonStephenWrightandGoodreadshasanicebioonthedrycomic,StephenWright.
ThisisnotthesameStephenWright.Atfirst,Iwaslike,"Wait,thedryironiccomic
StephenWrightwroteseveralworksofpostmodernishfiction?"Well,no,hedidn't,and
hespellshisname"Steven"not"Stephen".Nowthatwegotthatoutoftheway.
Mostreviewsreferencethisasa"horror"typenovel,andevenDeLillocallsita"slasher
classic".Iguess.Itdidn'tstrikemeaparticularlyviolentnovel....more
Likeseereview
Mattratedit

Aug26,2009

Youknowthatideayouhave,aboutthenovelthat'snotreallyanovelexactly,butnota
collectionofstorieseither,inwhichyoufollowsomeobject(likeacar)asittransfersfrom
ownertoowner?Yeah,well,aboutthat...StephenWrightalreadydidit.
Butdon'tworry,there'sstillroomintheworldforyourmasterpiece.Or,roomina
differentworldtheoneWrightlivesinisprobablynotethesameasyourshisismore
unnervingandchaoticandviolentandawful.Sowriteaway!(Therei...more
Likeseereview
Tocotinratedit

reviewofanotheredition

Jan07,2011

Shelves:myownbooks,icanhasslash,usedbooks,contemporaryliterature

AtfirstIlikedthebookimmensely,itstartedwithabackyardpartyoftwomarried
couples,peoplewhoclearlyweren'tfeelingcomfortableintheirlives.Thenoneofthe
guysdisappearedandIthoughtthiswouldbethestartingpointofastory.Itwas,ina
way,butwhereIhadexpectedanovel,Igotastringofvignettesaboutlivesofabunchof
people,livesconnectedonlybythechameleonlikeappearancesoftheguywhohad
disappearedinthefirstchapter.
Someofthestoriesweremild...more
Likeseereview
GusSanchezratedit

May25,2011

Notsomuchanovelas8shortstorieswithacentralthemeoflosingone'sidentity,Going
Nativeisagritty,hardedged,brilliantworkofpostmoderndread,expertlywordedby
StephenWright.ThenovelrevolvesaroundthecharacterofWylieJones,amanwho
seeminglyhasitall:abeautifulhome,awellpayingjob,awife,2children.Duringa
seeminglyinaneparty,Wyliesuddenlystealshisneighborsbattered'65FordGalaxie
500andjustdisappears.ThesubsequentstoriestellofWylie'sd...more
Likeseereview
Unbridledratedit

reviewofanotheredition

Oct06,2011

Thebook'scoverfeaturesaquotefromMichikoKakutanioftheNewYorkTimes:"An
uncompromising1990'sversionofOntheRoad...chillingandoftenbrilliant."Withthis
blurb,howeveroutofcontextthisblurbmightbe,Ms.Kakutani,whohasneverbeena

favoriteofmine,hasearnedmyeternalcontempt.Oftenbrilliant?OntheRoad?Hasshe
readOntheRoad?GoingNativeistoOntheRoadasKakutaniistoLionelTrilling
(whichisnotfairtoTrilling)i.e.,notatall.
Liketheamateur,thi...more
Likeseereview
Jimmieratedit

Aug16,2014

Ididn'tthinkthisstoryreadwell.ithadinterestingtidbitslikeallthepopculture
referencesandmanyofthecharactersbeingnamedaftercartooncharacters,butthe
storydidn'tfeellikeastorybutrathermanyscenesplacedtogether.Ididnotcareforit,
butthoughtitwasinterestingseparately.
Likeseereview
Absurdfarceratedit

Apr29,2012

Shelves:literature

GoingNativeisoftendescribedasadarkversionoftheAmerican"roadnovel",
America'scultureofviolencerenderedthroughaseriesofpainfulscenesloosely
connectedbyanarrativethread.Thebookwouldbecompellingforthesereasonsalone
buttheauthor'sastonishingprosemakesitsomuchmore.Wright'sstyleisbest
describedasarapidfiresequenceofimagesandthoughts,anampedupstreamof
consciousness.Theeffectistocompletelyimmersethereaderintothesceneonedoesn't
...more
Likeseereview
Justinratedit

Nov19,2011

Storyofaguywhobailsonhissuburbanfamily,stealsacarandsetsoffonan
increasinglyviolentandcriminalexpeditionacrossAmerica.Soundsawesome,right?
Butsomehow,itkindofwasn't.Thewritingisvirtuosicwhenhedescribes,forinstance,
aguysmokingcrack,itactuallymakesyouwanttotryitbutinsomeplacesIfeltthe
prosewasalittletoolayeredandcomplex,inthatPynchonesquewaywherethere'sso
muchgoingonthatyoucan'ttellwhat'sactuallygoingon.Butthere...more
Likeseereview
JudeJosephLovellratedit

Oct31,2014

Oneofmytop5novelsofalltime.Itisbrilliant.ThisauthorisCRIMINALLYundersung
andunknown.AterrifyingandveryhonestbookabouttheAmericannightmare.
Likeseereview
Lostinanovelratedit

Jan23,2013

Thisreadsmuchmorelikeaseriesofshortstoriesthananovelbutabitfrustrating
becausethestoriesfeelunfinished.Ididn'tliketheshadowynatureofthemaincharacter
thatweaklylinkedthestoriestogether.Ialsowasabitconfusedregardingthethemeof
Americansbeinganationofvoyeurs.LotsofreferencestoHollywoodandthereader
oftenfeelslikeavoyeur,butthecharactersthemselveshavefacinatinglivesthemselves
andarenottvzombiesintheleast.
Despitemycriticism,...more
Likeseereview
Haleyratedit

reviewofanotheredition

May17,2015

Callingit.Gotabouthalfwaythroughandlifeisjusttooshorttospendonbadbooks.
EvenifI'vehadthemonmyTBRfor6years.Nope.
Likeseereview
Mikeratedit

reviewofanotheredition

Apr30,2011

Areallygoodread,evenifattimesitfeelsalittledisjointedoroverlonginitsepisodes.
WylieJonesisthemaincharacter,thoughheismostlyspectralthanactualinthesense
thatweneverreallyseehim,exceptinthefirstchapterandthefinalchapter.
TheironyofWylie'sfinalappearanceisthatheseemstoberightbackwherehestarted
inadeadend.ThenovelendshereandthereaderischallengedtoimaginewhereWylie

willgonext...anythingispossible.
Mr.Wrightweavesinter...more
Likeseereview
Steveratedit

Sep17,2014

Amasterworkwritteninbrilliant,hallucinatoryprose.
Inaseriesofshortstories,Wrighttakesajourneyacrossdark,innersouloftheUnited
States.Thestoriesarelinkedjustenoughtothemaincharacter'sownjourneythatyou
cancallitanovel.But'smoreaweird,almostdruggyexplorationoftheAmerican
mindsetattheendofthe20thCentury.
Wright'sstyleiswonderfullycrafted,fullofimageryandinvention.It'snotaneasybook,
butit'sreallyinterestingtoexplore.It's"Heart...more
Likeseereview
Benratedit

Jul11,2014

Adazzlingnovelbyoneofourbestwriters.Discussed(alongwithWright'sMeditations
inGreen)onmyblog:
http://friedfetusdream.wordpress.com/...
Likeseereview
MarckBaileyratedit

reviewofanotheredition

Oct01,2008

WhatIdon'tunderstandaboutthisbookiswhyitisconsideredanovel.Itfeelsmuch
morelikeeightseparatestories,withlittleifanycarryoverfromonechaptertothenext.
Noneofwhichshouldtakeawaythesheer,thick,gloriousprosethatWrightcanturnout.
IfinishedthisbookfourweeksagoasIwritethis,andI'mwellontootherbooks,butitis
clearthatmyownwritingis*still*heavilyinfluencedbytherhythmsandcomplex
sentencestructuresthatIentrainedtowhilereadin...more
Likeseereview
Zachratedit

Apr12,2011

2.5Stars.
Greatsentencesstrungtogetherwithinlooselyconnectedvignettesdoesnot=anovel.
Plotmatters,charactersmatter.Notbeingboringmatters.Thisbookisbeautifully
written,andextrakudostoWrightforcomingoffpurposefullymeretriciousandnotdark
andcorny,butIfoundthis"genrebending,slasherclassicblahblahblahthrillride..."to
betedious,and,exceptforthesentencesandparagraphs,notparticularlyclever.
Likeseereview
JamieGreferatedit
Shelves:literaryfiction

Sep05,2012

Secondread:AnAmericainlovewithtelevisionandfilm,particularly"bad"film,howthe
imagehasseepedthroughthescreenandsmeareditselfacrossthemindofWylie,our
maincharacter,amanwetrackfromominousdinnerpartytothefoldsofthis
cinematizedAmerica.WrightwriteswithaloveofEnglish.Thestoryunfolds,allows
immersion,anditsabrightprose,atechnicolorexperiencelikealiteraryBmovie.How
greatitis.
Likeseereview
TodWodickaratedit

Apr01,2013

Exhausting,numbing,occasionallyjawdroppinglybrilliant.Somepassagessing.Others
rant,ramble,flail.Thisbookiscold.RemindedmealittleofRobertStone'sdarkerworks
butstrippedofwhatmakesStonesopleasurable:plot,mostly,Isuppose!Or...DeLillo
withouttherestraintorprecision?Wright'sgotwaytoomuchofagoodthingmaybe.I'm
verycurious/excitedtoreadhisothernovels.
Likeseereview
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