Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins (1990-04-01)

This was my first Tom Robbins experience, having been gifted with the audio book which has 18 sides on cassette tape. It was quite a ride! Parts were so interesting and intriguingly written while other writing just seemed redundant and self indulgent. And where was the plot? Took more than a couple sides to find it. Then when I was getting caught up with the characters, it all went wrong for me. Here's where I would have definitely preferred a printed book, so I could skip ahead more easily. I found scenes that were distasteful to me (okay, I admit I'm a prude about some things), and thank goodness only my dogs had to listen with me. After side 7 I put it away and swore not to go back to it. But, Robbins has me in his grasp now, and I want to READ some of his other works. I might also, after reading the various reviews, like to skip to the end of this one to see what happens. Then I'll happily give it away to anyone who will take it - but for the life of me, I can't think of anyone I dislike that much.

What were the publishers thinking? God, this is an awful thing.
Mr/Dr Robbins has done to this work the same as his "chink" did to Sissy, the only problem being that the novel was not allowed the privilege of bathing in sunlight to relieve the abrasions.
As Mr/Dr Robbins explains.....
"...there is an explanation dying to catch the next bus downtown. The word cowgirls starts to form in your mouth, but it dissolves. Never mind. This is no time for explanations. Somebody had better call an ambulance."
Jeez, those sick publishers should have called an UNDERTAKER and buried this novel AND they should have interviewed EVERYONE on that bus for signs of trauma.

My introduction to Robbins. Even Cowgirls Get The Blues invigorated me with life with Robbins' stunningly beautiful, though flowery, prose. Yes, Robbins' verbosity and playfulness, dare I say fondness for whimsy, tends to turn some off coupled with his love of sensuality and mind-expanding plots. But for those who he speaks to, he speaks loudly, baby!

This is more of Robbins' whacky silliness, with a woman touring all over the place to find someone compatible and display her jeans to best advantage.

She ends up encountering other odd characters in her quest to find out where she fits in, and what this shagging thing is all about.

I read "Even cowgirls get the blues" for the first time almost 20 years ago, and I'm still involved with it! Beware innocent readers, the wit, the charm, the freshness of Sissy and friends are likely to crack your shell and expand your consciousness... Thumbs up! Xtatic digits!

Having just reread Even Cowgirls Get the Blues after about 25 years, I agree with some of its fans and detractors that the narrative does get mired in some pedantic and pondersome navel gazing. Even so, this is still the classic countercultural novel of the 1970s with a rich fabric of comical characters and zany plot twists. The opening dedication to the amoeba lured me in again. Two giant thumbs way up! To quote the story's hermit sage: "Ha ha ho ho and hee hee!"

While this book may not reach the high water mark set by Skinny Legs and All, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues is certainly it's equal in terms of length of title.
The characters are compelling, moreso the female than male, which is the way it so rarely is, especially when written by a male writer. A word about the sex: if I was reading any other author, and this much sex was bantered about, I would honestly wonder how frustrated a person he or she is. But with Tom Robbins, it just all seems to fit, and I found myself laughing where no decent person would be laughing, and enthralled the whole way through. Kudos to you Tommy R!

Anyone wishing to smile or think should definitely pick up this book! It's insanely creative, and even if there are small flaws, the writing style makes up for it all. This is the only book I have read by Tom Robbins, so I don't know if it's his best, but his style is amazing. You can tell that he actually has FUN while writing as there is never a dull moment. However, this book is only for those with open minds, as it talks about feminism, drugs, American beliefs, plus the author completely disregards all rules for writing a novel.

I read this in the late seventies or early eighties.

What I remember most is the quote to the effect:

I don't care if it is real good, real bad, or real in~between, just as long as it is real.

......not for the narrow minded. Tom Robbins has such a creative, warped sense of humor. I love this book, because the underlying message is having self-esteem and maintaining it. It's amazing to me how Mr. Robbins, wrote this from a woman's perspective--the insecurities, naivete, challenges, and victories of women...and he is obviously a male. Great!

I really loved this book. I think that Tom Robbins is quite a weirdo himself to have written something about the odd and not-so-normal people we normally push away from our day-to-day horizons. here we writes of them with compassion and a riveting originality that is just...mind-blowing. do read this book! i think it's not as good as jitterbug perfume but one of the best of tom robbins' novels nonetheless!

Sissy Hankshaw is something else in this book. The movie does not give this book any justice. Although it is worth checking out also. How can you go wrong with a girl that has the biggest thumbs in the universe and has hitchhiked around the whole galaxy? Definately another one of Tom's mind benders and worth the read!

This book is one of those rare experiences that can transport you to a world of emotional and intellectual bliss. Even thinking about this book can get you there. I remember carrying a supply of cloves and butterscotch Life Savers after I first read it. Reading ECGtB made me realize what language is capable of, and how thoroughly it can express our desires and observations. Delicious!!!

I got this book because it was highly recommended by a college professor. I thought that it was entirely too wordy. I would skip through paragraphs because it was just too much. I thought the story plot was interesting and could have been fun to read, but Tom Robbins came off sounding pretentious because of his overuse of words. It could have been much better.

I read this book on the recommendation of a friend whose taste in books is usually very similar to mine. When I gave her this book back, I was tempted to punch her in the face.

You can literally skip chapters and when you pick back up you will have missed nothing. There are at least 30 pages dedicated to explaining how an ancient indian tribe kept track of time. WHY? That has absolutely nothing to do with the book. Tim Robbins would start on a long, overly detailed, often nonsensical description of something, and I'd start skipping pages, only to find that 5, 6, or even 20 pages later when I tried to pick back up, he was still describing the same thing.

I tried to get through it, but this is the only book I have ever been unable to finish.

Tom Robbins creates characters that are unforgettable. He is a feminist and, while you'll find that evidence throughout his work, this particular book reveals in it. This is a book about love and strong, independent women. And it's one hell of a funny and poignant story as well.

I bought this book not knowing what I was getting myself into. I wanted to throw this book away. Maybe it just wasn't my type of book, but it just was NOT enjoyable to me.

Some of the descriptions went on FOREVER when the author was describing something that could've been done in one or two words in my opinion.

Don't get me wrong, there were some enjoyable moments in the book, but overall, I was thoroughly UNimpressed.

I think what drew me to the book was the title.

I also was going to get one of his other books, but decided to try one, then see how it goes from there. Now I'm skeptical about trying another one. It took me forever to get through this book, and I was not satisfied at all.

Tom Robbins is my favorite writer of fiction and this is my favorite of his books. maybe it's cause it's the first one I read but I love the idea of the world's greatest hichhiker having huge thumbs. LMAOs throughout.

This was probably one of the better tom robbins' books I've read. The use of love as one of the main driving forces of all of the characters was spectacular, and the metaphorics that were found were all splendid. I really enjoyed this one, and think that all out there should read it, too.

Robbins' poetic command of our fine language is never been so clear. While remaining wildly entertaining, you find yourself more intrigued by Robbins's prose than the actual storyline. I would highly recommend this novel to any reader that is interested in more than a mere "beach book."

For those willing to stretch their minds and open their senses, _Even Cowgirls Get the Blues_ is esctasy in the highest form. It contains all the requirements of a modern classic: intellagence, wit, and a perfect combination of silliness and stark reality.

This book should be douched out of existence. I'm amazed that anyone could enjoy this pointless, digressive orgy of self-indulgence. Tom Robbins may have a flair for creative, zany analogies, but strung together endlessly, they amount to nothing and make the book simply one big banal mixed metaphor. Flush it; don't read it.

Robbins' poetic command of our fine language is never been so clear. While remaining wildly entertaining, you find yourself more intrigued by Robbins's prose than the actual storyline. I would highly recommend this novel to any reader that is interested in more than a mere "beach book."

For those willing to stretch their minds and open their senses, _Even Cowgirls Get the Blues_ is esctasy in the highest form. It contains all the requirements of a modern classic: intellagence, wit, and a perfect combination of silliness and stark reality.

This book should be douched out of existence. I'm amazed that anyone could enjoy this pointless, digressive orgy of self-indulgence. Tom Robbins may have a flair for creative, zany analogies, but strung together endlessly, they amount to nothing and make the book simply one big banal mixed metaphor. Flush it; don't read it.

I was attracted to the title, but really after the reading the first page, I knew in my heart of hearts that this book should only be read if you are stoned from sun up to sun down. Maybe in my wild 20's I could have tolerated this book, but the constant dribble that is spilled out over more than 300 pages, what a waste of a tree. If it weren't for the book club that I just joined I would have quit reading it, turns out I was the only that made it through what can only be called, The Ramblings of a Schizophrenic. Luckily I purchased the book from a used book store and since I just purchased an outdoor fireplace, I now have some kindling.

The absolute worst book I've ever read. The depictions of females and female relationships stinks. It seems as though it's like porn - women are represented as how men would like them to be. I almost wish I had put the book down when I read the part about how riding horses is hard on underwear, alluding to the old hack that riding horses is sexually stimulating for women.

When the book started off talking about a girl born with a huge thumb deformity and hitchiking I knew I should have stopped there but I was reading it for a book club. This is the worst book I have ever read. The author is arrogant and schizo at the same time in this book. Very immoral and he does not capture women's thoughts or feelings very well at all.