Men and Cartoons

"Super Goat Man" is an anchor story for Men and Cartoons that first appeared in The New Yorker. The narrator of "Super Goat Man," Everett, relates his uncomfortable relationship with the superhero of the story's title. Super Goat Man is a minor superhero, retired quickly as a result of public disinterest, and while intriguing to the narrator, is ultimately a disappointment. We watch Everett grow into manhood with the concurrant introspection we've come to expect from "Vivian Relf," "The Vision" and "Planet Big Zero." "Super Goat Man" allows Lethem to play with the interaction of the super-powered amongst ordinary men, but the story more poignantly explores a boy's relationship with the heroes of his father over the course of a lifetime.

If you happen to listen to Men and Cartoons as an audiobook (available from Random House Audio or as an Audible.com download) , as I did, you'll benefit from the excellent choice of readers employed in the stories. Even in "The Glasses," Lethem's use of language is allowed to shine through a relatively mundane sequence of events, and this is largely due to Danny Hoch's ability, not so much in reading, but in voice-acting the story. I found, in fact, that the only story that doesn't thrive in its audible translation is "Access Fantasy," read by Sandra Bernhardt. Fortunately, as one of the strongest stories in Men and Cartoons, it holds up well under the strain of Bernhardt's seeming ill-prepared reading.

Each of Jonathan Lethem's tales highlights his imagination as a story crafter, and his ability to infuse every story with his unique humor and wit is what makes Men and Cartoons an immensely pleasurable collection. It should be noted that the title refers specifically to Men, and that the works largely focus on and are narrated by male characters.

So, do women read Jonathan Lethem? I don't know. Ask a woman. I, however, hope to be reading his books for some time to come.