Wayne Fencer is a recent film school graduate who has a problem. He can’t seem to focus on anything. His life is turned upside down when he gets the news that his ex-girlfriend has committed suicide. He feels that he should go to the funeral to pay his respects.
An uncomfortable situation to begin with, things are further complicated when he learns from her girlfriends that right after he broke up with her, she aborted their unborn child of which he knew nothing about. This begins a modern coming-of-age story with a main character that has very little focus. And the fact that there is very little focus is the point.
After this life-changing news regarding his girlfriend, Wayne leaves on a journey that takes him up and down the East Coast, Cuba and out West including a trip to the Burning Man Festival. Full of random thoughts like quotes, word definitions and strange facts, the book seems to move around and never actually resolve. He meets new people and moves on with his life. We all know people like Wayne – someone who doesn’t seem to have a care in the world, can disappear for months at a time and seems to lack that focus which signals maturity.
Like a symphony without the resolving measure, Listi seems perfectly happy writing a modern day story of today’s generation and their own specific way of dealing with the world.
I found myself comparing his writing to modern art or modern music – it’s going to have a specific audience who loves it and another which can’t or don’t care to understand it. Regardless, Listi has found a niche that is all his own. I tore through the book quickly and enjoyed the randomness which strangely seemed to pull together before the last page was turned. You can learn more about the author on his MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/attentiondeficitdisorderb. I chatted with him briefly and I’m sure he’d love to hear from you too.
Attention. Deficit. Disorder. can be found online, at the local library and at local bookstores. It was a Los Angeles Times bestseller and the author’s first book.
Attention. Deficit. Disorder.
By Brad Listi
Simon Spotlight Entertainment, 368 pp, $12.95
