The Honest Broker

The Honest Broker

The Vault

The Weirdest 1960s Novel of Them All

Ted Gioia's avatar
Ted Gioia
Jan 01, 2000
∙ Paid

What exactly is Giles Goat-Boy?

The book's author, John Barth, later called it "the first American postmodern novel." Others have read it as allegory or science fiction or magical realism or Cold War satire. Life magazine, labelled Giles Goat-Boy "a black comedy to offend everyone." On the other hand, a tech savvy reader of the present day, noting the pr…

User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Ted Gioia.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
© 2025 Ted Gioia · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture