Skinny Legs and All

Tom Robbins's "Skinny Legs and All" embarks on a gloriously unconventional odyssey, beginning with the seemingly impossible partnership of a Palestinian and a Jew opening a restaurant directly across from the United Nations. What unfolds is far from a joke, but a vibrant, sprawling narrative that challenges perceptions of reality. The story interweaves the lives of several eccentric characters: a young waitress, Ellen Cherry Charles, who finds herself entangled in the esoteric New York art world; her redneck welder husband, Boomer Petway, who stumbles upon a lost ancient deity; and the mystical journey of inanimate objects, specifically a bean can and a dessert spoon, that possess surprising sentience and philosophical depth. As humanity grapples with issues of race, religion, art, and the potential "end days," Robbins lyrically peels back illusions, much like Salome's veils, forcing characters and readers alike to confront profound spiritual and societal truths with defiant optimism and a unique brand of surrealist humor.