Thoughts Without Cigarettes: A Memoir
by Oscar Hijuelos
Published June 2, 2011 by Gotham Books
Advance copy received for review from TLC Book Tours
384 pages
Have you ever wanted to sit down at the kitchen table and have a long chat with a Pulitzer-winner? While this may not be within reach for most of us, reading Thoughts Without Cigarettes provides the same sort of experience without having to worry about spilling your coffee all over Oscar Hijuelos.
Upon his first trip to Cuba at a young age, Hijuelos contracted a bacteria infection that attacked his kidneys and, upon returning to the US, was sent to a convalescent hospital in Connecticut. His time here, surrounded for the first time by people who only spoke English, affected his understanding of Spanish and left him unable to communicate with his mother who did not know English. This removal from his family’s ancestral language leads him to question his “Cubaness,” as he calls it, through out his life.
While Hijuelos examines his family roots with sensitivity and introspection, he does not apply the same sort of insight regarding folks he is uncomfortable with, mainly gay men. For instance, on meeting William Burroughs:
I don’t even know if he was gay–at least he did not check me over the way some men downtown in the Village did during my occasional excursions to see a show or check out music. Instead he seemed like he would have been perfectly at home in some midwestern high school counselor’s office. (p. 212)
Hijuelos also worries at one point that by going to a therapist he is becoming a “faggot.” Because, you know, that’s what talking about your feelings with a professional does to a person. Obviously. In a similar vein, women, at least those outside his family, are only given a cursorily acknowledgement, mostly in his haste to describe his sexual encounters with them. I found the treatment of women and gay men offputting (to say the least), even while trying to cut Hijuelos some slack like I do with my macho Italian-immigrant relatives.
For the book nerds Hijuelos name checks a few other authors beyond William Burroughs, including John Irving (who Hijuelos seems to have admired a little for attracting ladies) and Alan Ginsburg (who Hijuelos didn’t take to because he was a) “homosexual” and b) a phony).
Overall Thoughts Without Cigarettes is an intriguing and heart-felt, if uneven, examination of one award-winning author’s life and path to success. The memoir is at its best when examining the author’s frustration with the lack of acknowledgement Latino authors receive and when examining his relationship with his father.
To read more reviews of Thoughts Without Cigarettes, check out the list of participating bloggers on the TLC site!
Eecks. I want to read some of his books but I’m quite put off by his treatment of gays and women. How unfortunate. What is with authors these days anyway??
Hmm, I think you’d have a hard time enjoying his books because of his views, Amy. Maybe best to avoid.
Interesting that he was comfortable with Burroughs, who was famously anti-women, though uncomfortable with other gay men who were not only respectful but celebratory of women (i.e. Ginsberg). I applaud you for focusing on the good aspects. I, admittedly, have prejudices against authors who are prejudice (go figure) which is one of the reasons I shy away from Burroughs so much. Everyone thinks he’s so brilliant, but I tend to want to throw up all over his books because of his stances. I guess it all comes down to the question of should we judge the artists work by their personal lives? In theory I would say no, but in reality I apparently do (must remember to get over that).
Good review; I like how you were able to remove yourself from taking it too personally and gave the work an honest assessment.
I think he was okay with Burroughs because Burroughs didn’t “seem” gay, which made Hijuelos more comfortable with him. I thought that was annoying.Hijuelos himself is a bit of a misogynist, in the same way that my Italian immigrant family is–that kind of “old world” machismo bull crap. I was able to kind of roll my eyes and move on with the book by dealing with him in the same way I do those family members, haha. Regarding juding authors and their books by their “real life” opinions: I’m definitely all for that, especially because those views tend to permeate their books and I just don’t want to support folks like, say, Orson Scott Card, who is very active in the anti-gay community.
Pingback: Oscar Hijuelos, author of Thoughts Without Cigarettes, on tour June 2011 | TLC Book Tours
I appreciate your honest review of this one. I’m sorry it wasn’t a great read for you but it does sound worthwhile. Thanks for being on the tour Cass!
I abandoned Mambo Kings, etc. because I was so offended by how he portrayed women; it doesn’t surprise me his memoir was similarly obnoxious. I have similar complaints about Vargas Llosa. *cough* stupid machismo *cough*
Also, I hope you’re doing ok Cass! I just see that you haven’t been posting that regularly, which is fine as long as it’s not a sign that something’s wrong. Hope to see you around soon!
I remembered you did and I almost mentioned that in my review, lol.
I’ve been having a bit of a rough time lately (breakups and moving can be rather time-consuming) but I’m trying to get back in the blogging game. Thanks for the support
Thanks Heather!