The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon: A Novel Paperback – January 6, 2000

Wow, what an incredibly trippy ride through the Wild West! Set primarily in the gold mining town of Excellent, Idaho during the early 1900's, this novel is filled with adventure and history, magic and adventure, love and debauchery, philosophy and religion. "The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon" is one of the more creatively imagined novels that I've come across recently. At its core is the coming of age story of the main character and narrator Shed, whose quest for a fuller understanding of self leads him on an odyssey that ends, as many do, exactly where it started. In the telling of this story, Spanbauer reinforces the idea that it's rarely the destination but the journey that transforms. Populated with characters both loveable and detestable the novel intertwines each character's story in a way that allows for an exploration of Native American beliefs, frontier values and the human debris that results when the two collide.It's also a story about the importance of stories; "You can't stop people from talking" - explains Ida, the novel's heroine - "They talk and pretty soon you got a story, and what's a human being without a story?" "The Man Who Fell in Love with the Moon" is not for the faint of heart. It can be seen as modern day ribald in the tradition of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales or an insightful philosophical debate on the nature of the human soul, or both. Vices and virtues intersect in this novel in ways that are at once shocking and enlightening. So get ready for a wild ride on this airship in route to a visit with the man in the moon. These are stories that are comforting and unsettling, familiar and eye opening. But, "you got to consider the source", cautions Ida, "a story about a crazy man, told by crazy people should only make you wonder." Kudos to Spanbauer for superb execution and many thanks to Dave M. for this recommendation. Enjoy!

First I belong to a bookgroup that has met every month for the last 15 years. This is one of only two books we have read twice. And we are a picky bunch of smart people. :-)When I read the reviews here, again, tears are in my eyes, again. There was once an audio version of this book that I almost got killed while listening to because my tears made it impossible to see the road at one point. On the other hand there are so many parts of the book that make a man laugh out loud.It is a tale of sexuality, race, America, religion, passion, cruelty, gender, meaning, and life like no other novel I have ever read. As a voracious and consistent reader of way too much education this novel stands like the first wonder of the literary landscape in my soul.For the new reader: one reviewer "gave up" at a bit into the book. It MUST be appreciated as an oral novel. If you don't read it aloud to yourself you need to let Shed speak into your head as a talking person rather than as words on a page or any other type of narrator. This IS an aural novel.The sex is graphic and wonderful, the passions unequalled, the pain intense, the joy is palpable, and the influence on a person is permanent after reading this novel.I loved Brokeback Mountain and love its author all the time, "The Shipping News" is amazing. But the reviewer who said this surpassed Brokeback mountain wasn't saying enough since this is a novel of grand visions of life.Normally I am somewhat articulate. "The Man Who Fell In Love With The Moon" trancends articulation and leaves me with only the ability to provide pictures of the shadow of what Spanbauer accomplishes in this grand American novel.

I randomly found this book at an airbnb, read it, and loved it. It's amazing that it was written over 30 years ago, yet seems like it was written in today's world. I love it when a book finds you and you discover a new author. I absolutely LOVED this book. It’s a story that will stick with you always.Bravo, Mr. Spanbauer! I plan on reading his other books. I'm a new fan for sure.

When I first read this book as a young teenager I never believed it would have affected my life so much. What do prostitutes, bi-sexual teenagers and sex with older men have to do with me? Well, a lot but that's not the point. During a time when there were few examples of LGBTQ culture in media, finding this nugget of queer gold gave me hope that I could later be understood and better fit into my skin. As an adult I have read this book several times. The scenes of Shed (the protagonist) discovering his sexuality bring me back to the naivety I once felt when entering "the scene". Despite being in a completely different time and place, this novel is a testament to the fact that coming out can be a shared experience.Maybe this book was not written for the eyes and minds of the underaged. It's full of graphic, real, and heartfelt sex. But to me it became an intimacy and love I aspired to have. Perhaps this pining won't resonate much for a generation used to seeing their faces and bodies on screens. But to me it meant the world.

fave book, but it for everyone

"The Man Who Fell In Love With The Moon" is like no other book I've ever read. Spanbauer is a fabulous storyteller! He does something magical on the pages as he brings his characters and scenes to life. The book's unique perspective of the Old West is fascinating. Yes, his characters are flawed and sometimes behave in ways that made me uncomfortable, but that's part of what makes the book so interesting. I read a review where the reader gave the book a low rating in part because she thought the mother was such a terrible person. I love when fiction offers "terrible people" and presents their stories so thoroughly that we might understand why they did what they did. I love a true exploration of human nature, not a safe, ideal presentation. Spanbauer doesn't hold back with his characters. He shows the ugly, the beautiful, the unspoken and the outrageous, creating a story so raw and honest, it's hard not to get caught up in his bizarre world. I opened my mind, stepped outside of myself, and just took in the experience. Every day I looked forward to picking up the book as I had no idea what to expect next! This is a most memorable and thought-provoking read.

El libro es una maravilla, mucho mejor en su versión original, y eso que la traducción en español ea muy buena, pero nada como el uso del lenguaje de Spanbauer. Lástima que la edición sea tan barata e incluso la tipografía se vea algo borrosa, y ya el primer día, horas después de recibirlo, la portada ya se estaba despuntando por la esquina inferior...

I'm half way through this book and this is actually my very first book in English. Though the writing is in a weird way (but due to the narrator) it's really easy to read and once you're in it, you just can't stop reading it!

Item received in a timely manner and as described.

Perhaps the simplest way to describe this book is: Western meets Tantra. It is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. The names and language used, the symmetry and poetry will linger long after you have closed the last page.

Its a very intelligent and fascinating book about the spiritual journey of what we call life. Philosophically deep and in the same moment fundamentally absurd, funny or just plain sad. Between the lines of this great story lies so much wisdom, understanding and compassion for all the different journeys we're on, making us what we are. Sometimes we choose, sometimes we don't have a choice and if we are really lucky, we get chosen, to take a look beyond ourselves, into an other travelers life. What else could we do but take the chance and love.