Vincent - the artist in question - is the new man for the 21st century: abrasive, funny, irreverent, profound, abusive, philosophical, opinionated, tender... this is the Millenium Man. Me and fellow readers have got a bit fed up with the Hornby-inspired males who stutter around and never really graple with life: and thank Goebel we have Vincent. A man who truly suffers for his art and wraps the reader into his life, his alcoholism, his romances in a way no American writer has yet done and in a way few British writers can do. Vincent and Goebel are artists for the 21st century.. and my money is on them being the same person! The text may be littered with American slang and a hat load of Britneys and Veronicas, but I think most British readers will get over that. It fizzes along like a fresh DBC Pierre.