And what do you think, Mr. Robbins?

When I picked up Wild Ducks Flying Backwards, I had no clue what the title meant. I wasn’t an ardent fan of Tom Robbins, nor did I have much knowledge of his works outside of the occasional book cover that caught my eye. I knew his name, though, and that was enough to intrigue me, especially after hearing of his passing. I’d also heard rumors about the absurdity of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, which had been turned into a film starring Uma Thurman, and that alone made me wary. The thought of books centered on hippies, the failed counterculture, and the empty promises of psychedelics didn’t exactly call to me.

But then he passed, and something shifted.

Maybe it was the respect from others, the idea that his writing still mattered to the people I looked up to. So, when I found myself with a bit of time and a short book in hand, I gave it a go.

The American Scene: Still Relevant

I’m not going to waste your time with a detailed biography of Tom Robbins. If you're anything like me, you’ve probably heard his name and brushed past his work without a second thought. But I can tell you this: Wild Ducks Flying Backwards is a delightful surprise. The collection of short essays and musings showcases a writer who wasn’t just a relic of the counterculture. He understood America, its quirks, its contradictions, and its endless capacity for reinvention.

The book is divided into sections: “Travel Articles,” “Tributes,” “Stories,” “Poems & Lyrics,” “Musings & Critiques,” and “Responses.” I found it hard to pick a favorite, honestly. But here are a few lines that stayed with me:

“There were craters and slumps, stacks and slides, alkali lakes and sand dunes, gorges and passes, fossil beds, dust devils, and enormous ragged buttes that could have been cruise ships for honeymooning trolls.”

— Canyon of the Vaginas

“It must be really irritating to have come of age in the 1980s or 90s to find your decade—your very own historical moment—persistently overshadowed by The Decade That Will Not Die, the ten years that have stolen the show of the twentieth century and hogged the cultural limelight for as long as you can recall.”

— The Sixties

“Our great human adventure is the evolution of consciousness. We are in this life to enlarge the soul, liberate the spirit, and light up the brain. How many writers of fiction do you think are committed to that?”

— Is the Writer Obligated to Use His/Her Medium as an Instrument for Social Betterment?

A Last Laugh?

I couldn’t help but feel that Robbins had a bit of a sendoff vibe in this collection. Published in 2005, it’s close enough to his final years that I could imagine him taking stock of his life, his words, and his legacy. In the last section, Robbins seems to be cleaning up the mess of his thoughts while taking one last swing at the world that shaped him.

I won't pretend that I was a Tom Robbins superfan before reading this. To be honest, I had Another Roadside Attraction sitting on my shelf, untouched. But I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be an exciting ride through his signature absurdity, ridiculous poetry, and all the colorful characters that populate his world.

A Truth Not Universally Acknowledged

In fact, the book’s opening epigraph says it all:

"Your true guide drinks from an undammed stream." – Rumi

"Never enter a house that does not have furniture music." – Erik Satie

If you’re still here, I’ll leave you with this: Tom Robbins isn’t a writer you can easily classify. He’s a mad genius, a wordsmith who will surprise you in the best way possible.

Wanna take the ride with me?

Thanks for reading!

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You can find more of my work on my Vocal profile. I write about anything that sparks my thoughts—just like everybody else

By Kendall Defoe

Teacher, reader, writer, dreamer... I’m a college instructor who can’t stop putting my thoughts on the page. No AI, no fake work—just me.