Again a story about Irving's obsession with men who have been raped or molested by women ;) Patrick Wallingford is a television journalist, married, but unable to withstand the sexual advances of countless co-workers, scripters or makeup girls. Not that he wantonly would seek adventures, it' always the woman who takes the first step to seduce good looking Pat. He soon has the reputation to have fucked with everybody, his life is played by women.

One day, on a report in an Indian circus, Patrick loses his left hand to hungry lions; they caught his wrist through the cage whilst he held a microphone too close. The whole incident took place in front of the running camera, was broadcasted all over the United States and replayed worldwide by many tv stations. Patrick became famous as „lion guy“ or „disaster man“, and the video footage of his accident soon was a bestseller. He didn't know how fundamentally the lost hand eventually would change his life ...

A moving, funny tale with splendid characters like the zealous hand surgeon Dr. Zajac or the country girlish Mrs Clausen, young widow of the hand donor. The dominating background-sport is for once not boxing but football, and the Green Bay Packers have a prominent cameo. It's nevertheless one of Irving's better novels.

So I finally got around to reading this one!

Quite a weird, meandering story that doesn't seem to have much of a point but is still a fun, quick read.

Picked it up at the Mainz-Convention!