Keeping Hippies Alive

Every so often, I make a pilgrimage to Half Priced Books and "splurge". I did this one Saturday afternoon a couple of weeks ago. For a mere $27, I was able to purchase 2 T.C. Boyle's (Drop City and Talk Talk), a Dostoevsky (Devils) 3 Vonnegtus and a book of shorts. Quite the steal in my opinion.

Having read Vonnegut over and over, as well as being in a rut with just reading short stories, I decided to start with "Drop City" by T.C. Boyle. I have read "Budding Prospects" by T.C. Boyle so I already knew I liked his writing style and in the midst of school, I just wasn't ready to commit to anything by Dostoevsky.


Drop City tells the story of a commune in California in 1970 that due several mishaps and government run-ins, moves to Alaska to start fresh. To really get back to nature. The book moves quickly transitioning easily from several differnt point of view characters. We see life through the eyes of Star, a girl in her early 20's embracing the ideals of the hippie movement. Pan, a friend of Star's from back home who wrestles with issues of jealousy and actually embracing the idea of brother and sisterhood. And it all couldn't happen without the "leader" of Drop City, Norm. A portly fellow who inherited a fortune and started Drop City.

The novel chronicles their lives as well the lives of several members of Drop City as they struggle with the ideals of going back to nature, full heartedly embracing brother and sisterhood all the while just trying to stay alive in the unforgiving country of Alaska.