The Verificationist - David Antrim

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Category: Strange Fiction Acquired: Borrowed from T&B Library Read: November 10, 2008 Alaska Flight #910, SEA->SNA Briefly: Just your typical story of a psychologist who has an out-of-body experience at a pancake restaurant.

Summary: Seriously, that's the plot line. OK, there's more, but what makes this story fun is that it's written from the point of view of a psychologist who's in the process of cracking up. He clearly has no clue what's going on, even as the truth gradually unfolds for the reader. Despite his downward spiral, his narrative remains dispassionate and professional - full of the kinds of vocabulary and clinical observations you'd expect from a psychologist (at least, a rather pompous and self-absorbed one). His journey into fantasyland is a bit over-the-top, but hey, what's normal anyway?