Thomas S. Klise (1928–1978)

Written by Thomas S. Klise (1928-1978) and subtitled An Epic Novel Portraying The Terrible Truth About Western Civilization. With its deceptively simple, fast paced story development, interlocking themes and brilliant images and archetypes, The Last Western was called a breakthrough in contemporary fiction when it was first published in 1974.

This scarce novel has caused growing buzz on the Internet. The story relates the life of Willie, a multi-racial, multi-national athlete, born in an obscure corner of the American Southwest, who rises to prominence first as a baseball phenomenon, then as a religious leader and peacemaker. The main character’s story has been likened to that of Barack Obama’s quick assent from relative obscurity to become President of the United States. There has also been comparison of this book written by Klise, who was a relatively unknown writer and producer of educational films, to that of David Foster Wallace’s hugely popular 1996 novel Infinite Jest. In a 2004 handwritten letter, Wallace (who committed suicide in 2008) addresses one fan’s question regarding Klise’s book as the inspiration for Infinite Jest.

Willie, an Irish-Indian-Negro-Chinese boy born in an obscure corner of the American Southwest rises to prominence as an athlete, religious leader, and peacemaker.

Published in Hardcover and subsequently Paperbacfk by Argus Publishing (1974).… (altro)

I bought this book just after it was released in 1973. I was at University at the time, and studying for a philosophy degree, which ended up going in a different direction altogether. It was a turbulent time to be a Catholic, with everything that was happening as a result of Vatican II and the Holy Spirit blowing through the Church and making some things new, and creating some new friends for the Church, and creating some new enemies at the same time. My faith meant a lot to me, and this book struck me as almost prophetic. Willie was an incredibly attractive figure to me, a person whose faith was simple and whose trust was like a little child's, and as a result, someone most likely to become a mystic. The book is full of surprises, and nothing is telegraphed early. Things happen that one wouldn't expect to happen, but nothing is so unusual that it would be out of the ordinary. The violence, the ugly politics, both governmental and in the Church, all these things are so real. The lack of obvious piety creates a feeling of verisimilitude that makes it seem normal, natural, if in an unusual world. The unusual world is part of the interest of the book to me.

The world that Willie lives in is the future, a future, that is today part of the past. That makes this a work of 'science fiction' as well as fiction. That leads me to the one problem with the book - it has become somewhat dated in ways due to what the author considered what the future could be like. The future to the book's characters is the past for us now, and even though it is fiction it is somewhat jarring to the contemporary ear.

Thomas Klise was that special kind of author - he wrote one novel and one novel only, but one that most who have read it have proclaimed a marvellous work of fiction. I don't use the word 'masterpiece' easily, in fact I can't think of any other book off the top of my head that I would apply that to, but to me, reading it when I first did, that's what it appeared to me. I may has a slightly lesser view of it now as time has moved along, but I still consider it a terrific book well worth reading.

Alas, the book has been long out of print, and the daughters of the author have stated to one internet writer that there are no plans to reprint it. A sadness, that. All a person can do is try to find a used copy. I have a very fragile copy in paperback and a somewhat better condition one in hardcover that was a library discard. I don't know how well the book sold, but I hope that someday more people will get a chance to read this gem.… (altro)