The Adventures of Augie March - Saul Bellow

I have tried Bellow before and I probably will again, thanks to my respect for his self-professed successors Martin Amis and Philip Roth, but this one lost me a little bit.

There are fine memorable passages here but the lack of over-arching story becomes increasingly frustratinging over its considerable length. There are so many characters that drift in and out to no great effect, and more are being introduced 10 pages from the end. I'll never forget Augie leaving his "idiot" brother in a home, or the section in which he decamps to Mexico to train eagles, or indeed the marvellous opening line (I am an American, Chicago born) - but there's plenty more I've already forgottten amid the narrative miasma.