B Is for Beer

I had high expectations going into Tom Robbins's new book, B is for Beer. How high? Something to the effect of Terence McKenna hanging out with Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin on a humid Haight-Ashbury Saturday, with Jack Kerouac stopping by for the after party. That high. The author of eight novels and a collection of shorter works, Robbins is well known for his fluid, complex metaphors that invoke many a psychedelic image in a reader's mind. I thought that with a drug, albeit a tame one, right in the title, this book would be right in the writer's sweet spot.
Upon purchasing the book, I noticed the cover notes, which promised, "A Children's Book for Gown-ups; A Grown-up Book for Children." That disclaimer altered my expectations a bit--I then expected the more light-hearted antics of Boomer Petway--but not enough to prepare me for what I got.
Make no mistake: This is a children's book. The book is all about the adventures of six-year old Gracie Perkel, who after a disappointing birthday party, reaches into the fridge and helps herself to a beer (Prior to her imbibing the golden-hoppy beverage, Gracie had become close to her hippie-ish, beer-connoisseur uncle, Moe--who seems reminiscent of several anti-authoritarian male characters from Robbins's other books--only to learn of his falling in love and eloping to Costa Rica the day before her birthday). Gracie drinks, pukes, and passes out, only to be wakened by the Beer Fairy. The Beer Fairy takes Gracie to a faraway land (a brewery, and a Biergarten for good measure) and instructs the child--and the reader--all about the process of making beer.
This is by far the most straight-forward of Robbins's novels, which is to be expected considering that children are for once in his target audience. He still weaves at least three storylines into the plot, though rather than jumping back-and-forth between his many characters like in his other novels, he allows two subplots to fall out, both book ending Gracie's adventure. Instead of providing the political and social allegory and satire so effective in his other books, Robbins wisely leaves these elements out for the most part. Occasionally, there will be the off comment made about the inanity of war or bigotry, but whether the line delivered by Uncle Moe or the Beer Fairy, it is always mentioned to Gracie--and any young, impressionable reader--that it is a topic for a much later discussion. There are times when Robbins slips into the 2nd person, but instead of making wide use of it--as he did in Even Cowgirls Get the Blues--he seems to use the device here to remind the "boys and girls" reading that this is a kid's book, and that "that grandpa of yours ... may well be skipping over [a] part of the story" or two.
With all that in mind, it is a well-written book. However, all of the sections regarding the production of beer become unnecessarily tedious, and even begin to sound like a grand marketing campaign for the beer industry. So many American breweries are mentioned, that not only is it a surprise that Belgian and German producers are largely left out--except for beer styles, like lambics, for instance--that it was a surprise not to see a full-page ad for Budweiser in the middle of the book. B is for Beer is an entertaining read, yes, but it fails as a children's book largely because it may be too advanced for the average elementary schooler; and it fails to live up to the lofty standards Robbins set with his previous work.

Six years old Gracie Perkel looks forward to spending time with her Uncle Moe as her parents are never there for her while he tries to give her time; especially after he has had a six pack. Moe is the king of beer drinkers. However, this time Moe fails Gracie, leaving her depressed with a need to drink away her loneliness just like adults do.

When she goes for a drink, the Beer Fairy visits her and offers to teach about life especially the importance of beer. So begins Gracie swim in the suds realm.

Written like a childrens fairy tale, B IS FOR BEER is an odd, often humorous look at beer through the eyes of an elementary school kid. The irreverent story is set from the beginning when Gracie asks her mom what is that stuff that looks like pee-pee that her dad drinks especially while watching sports. This book is for you readers, who enjoy an ultra lighthearted fantasy filled with amusing factoids, will toast Tom Robbins with a six pack.

Harriet Klausner

this charming little tome is a departure from the ususal wonderfully convoluted novels by one of my favorite authors,
whose books i await with great anticipation. fun, clever, and just convoluted enough for a romping read by youngsters who
'get it'...

B is for Beer is basically Tom Robbins Lite. While there are hints and traces of the writing that makes Robbins such a wonderful writer, the high-minded philosophical thoughts are toned down.

Nevertheless, what's left is still a highly amusing and entertaining story that does encourage the reader to look at the world with a skeptical eye. In fact, Robbins seems to have packed in an extra dose of political messages criticizing the ever-scary conservatives found in the United States.

The topic of the book and the intended audience - beer and kids - seems to be an obvious attempt at shocking people. Robbins admits as much at the end credits, noting that others thought he wouldn't "bloody dare". Robbins makes the book work - neither being outlandishly scandalous, nor pandering to more conservative readers.

B is for Beer is a nice change of pace for Robbins, but his fully adult fiction is so wonderful, it would be a shame for him to become too enamored of writing young adult fiction. This book is certainly a good read, but it doesn't take the place of a normal Robbins novel.

I understand that Tom Robbins was going for an understated and cute book when he decided to use the children's book conceit. However, this book pales in comparison to anything else I've ever read by him. He does a fine job of describing beer making, but the larger meanings he tries to extract are weak and non committal. The general plot and characters are generally uninteresting (though they are not a main focus of the book). Most of the wisdom featured here is just a retrod of past work. Read Still Live with Woodpecker instead.

I have devoured every book Robbins has written and looked forward to the latest with great anticipation. Save your money unless you are interested in how to make beer. Seriously, there is none of the Tom Robbins cosmic magic here. Either he has temporarily or completely lost it. I hope its the former.

As usual, Tom Robbins is up to brilliant mischief and, as usual, Tom Robbins delights the senses while tingling the imagination. And, I learned a hell of a lot about beer! Maybe I'll try out a few intriguing ones. R is for RULES! That is what Tom Robbins does! Bonny Barbara Ann

Tom Robbins is one of my top five favorite authors. Kurt Vonnegut (deceased) , Edward Abbey (deceased) , Carl Sagan (deceased), and Tim Callahan are the other four.
I anxiously awaited this new work by Robbins, and the store delivered it to me right after publication, but what a waste of time and paper.
Let me start by saying the novel (more of a novella) is only 125 pages long. If you throw in the 12 point font, double spaces on every line, and quad spacing after every paragraph, this is a very short book and could have been a piece of non-fiction in a magazine.
Forty pages into this inane work, we have learned that the protagonist (a 5 year old girl) is curious about beer, and her curmudgeon uncle will take her to visit a brewery. That's it. One-third of the way through this book, that's all we get.
On the other hand, I am glad it was short and only cost $12.
Come on Tom! I have read Another Roadside Attraction three times! The same with Only Cowgirls Get the Blues, and Still Life with Woodpecker twice. I have read (and have mostly first editions of) all your novels. But this? This is just as bad as Jimmy Buffet's latest piece of work, which was another major disappointment.