The Hurdy Gurdy Man
The Hurdy Gurdy Man by Frederick Krider, published by iUniverse in February 2006, is a literary fiction novel that explores the life of Vietnam veteran Tommy Starbuck, who teaches high school English in a small town in southern Ohio. Starbuck’s stable existence is disrupted when his wife leaves him for an old boyfriend, leading him to grapple with the chaos that ensues. As he attempts to reclaim a sense of normalcy, he encounters a series of bizarre events that challenge his perception of reality.
Readers will find a narrative that delves into themes of obsession, friendship, and the quest for meaning amid turmoil. The arrival of Myron Laszlo, a radical figure who influences Starbuck’s journey, adds complexity to his struggle as he navigates his descent into a surreal “Season of Madness.” Ultimately, Starbuck’s experiences lead him to reassess his priorities and confront the unpredictable nature of life. This edition spans 292 pages and is presented in English.
Official synopsis Publisher
Vietnam veteran Tommy Starbuck teaches high school English in a small town in southern Ohio. But his comfortable middle-class reality comes to a screeching halt when his wife abruptly leaves him for an old boyfriend.
Starbuck becomes obsessed with reclaiming some semblance of a normal life, but fate-or some mischievous god-has other plans for him. A series of bizarre events causes him to question his sanity, the world’s sanity. As he descends further into a surreal Season of Madness, he blasts an air-raid siren with a rifle on the date of his wedding anniversary. Myron Laszlo, an unkempt, long-haired giant, thrusts himself into Starbuck’s life, viewing a bullet-riddled siren as radical and antiestablishment: “Your act of seeming violence was in reality an act of love,” he tells Starbuck who becomes his Hurdy Gurdy Man.
Almost as suddenly as he came into Starbuck’s life, Laszlo departs, leaving a display of destruction in his wake. Saddened at the loss of his friend, Starbuck reprioritizes his life and begins working on a novel. After realizing that normalcy can have many interpretations, he decides to meet the seeming madness of Life head-on.
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