I was a student of Luke's in a creative writing class at East Carolina many moons ago. Although I got the feeling he didn't like me too much -- I was an a&&hole, I admit -- he was, hands down, the best teacher I ever had, in any subject. Other than maybe the one time he justifiably lost his cool, he was always kind, considerate, and above all professional. Maybe he was such a great teacher because he actually took his teaching seriously. He put in a lot of hard work when it came to critiquing our stories, was always on time returning our work. He went the extra mile, I guess is what I'm saying, when he didn't have to. From what I hear, he's finished or is about to finish his second novel (something to do with growing up and Tina Turner, if I remember correctly). Anyway, just because a man's book went out of print, and just because he spent his time trying to make a living while writing, doesn't mean he's "stopped writing," as one reviewer put it.

I discovered this book serendipitously about five years ago. It's fantastic. Funny, wise and poignant in ways that most modern novels of the past two decades have completely missed. I kept waiting for another book...but I guess this one wasn't such a hit. Too bad. Luke Whisnant seemed to have real insight to the outsiders among us and a compassion that is all too rare in young novelists.

Mr. Whisnant takes us to a level of self awareness that we may not care to see in ourselves. Who are we as Americans? Can any of us pinpoint what makes us an American? Whisnant uses the first person, third party perspective to try and answer such questions. The structure of the story is clever, Mr. Whisnant uses the "filming" of the Chinese men to tie in various segments of his book. A great way to visualize the characters. And I especially enjoyed the eroticism between the main character Dexter and his 'love' Suzanne. Too bad the "bathtub" scene couldn't have been more detailed. But perhaps that can be enhanced in another 'possible world'.