This James Lee Burke novel was published before the author's Dave
Robicheaux mysteries and his Holland family series. 'The Lost Get-Back
Boogie' features a troubled, hard-drinking, Korean war veteran who's
trying to get on with his life.
*****
It's the 1960s and
Louisianan Iry Paret, who got a Bronze Star and a lot of bad memories
during the Korean war, is on parole after a two-year-stint in the
Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola) for manslaughter.
Paret,
a country musician who plays a Dobro and a Martin flattop - and sings
like Hank Williams - was drunk and high when he killed a man in a bar
fight started by the other guy.
Now
Iry is set to serve his parole in Missoula, Montana, on the family
ranch of his Angola buddy and fellow musician Buddy Riordan.
Iry and Buddy plan to work for Buddy's dad, Frank Riordan, and get music gigs on the side.
Buddy and Iry stay in a cabin on the Riordan ranch, where they do a lot of drinking, smoking marijuana, and fishing. 
For
men trying to straighten out their lives, Iry and Buddy aren't making a
good start. They break out the beer and whiskey early in the day, and
keep drinking later on, in bars and juke joints. Buddy purposely causes
trouble, running his mouth and inflaming the locals.
This
is doubly dangerous because residents of the Bitterroot Valley are
furious with Buddy's dad, Frank Riordan. Frank is filing injunctions to
close down the paper mill, which spews foul-smelling gases into the air.
Shutting the mill would put four hundred men out of work, and force
families to rely on welfare and food kitchens. The hardship would also
spread to stores, bars, and other local businesses, but Frank is adamant
- insisting the mill could operate if the owners would put in air
filters. 
Anger
with Frank spreads to Buddy and Iry, and they're attacked on the road
after an ugly bar scene exacerbated by Buddy. Iry's truck burns up, his
instruments are destroyed, and he and Buddy end up in the hospital.
Iry
can't let this humiliation go, and his subsequent actions put him on
the radar of the sheriff. The lawman has no use for 'southern boys' and
makes it his mission to send Iry back to prison. 
At
Frank's request, Iry also helps the rancher introduce pairs of
non-native nutrias into Montana rivers. Iry tells Frank nutrias are
TERRIBLE DESTRUCTIVE PESTS in Louisiana waterways, but Frank insists on
proceeding with the project, having some misguided notion of helping
beavers.
On many fronts, Frank is sowing the seeds of his own destruction, convinced he's doing the right thing.
In
the midst of all this, there's a birthday party for Buddy's son, and
Iry meets Buddy's ex-wife Beth, an attractive warm woman. Iry starts
seeing Beth behind Buddy's back, though he feels guilty about betraying
his best friend. 
Observing
all this are Buddy's sister Pearl and her husband Mel, a hard-drinking
university professor who's a political activist. Pearl dislikes Iry, and
her hostility exacerbates tensions on the ranch.
Unlike
Burke's later novels, this story doesn't have a devilish villain, but
pushing people too far has unfortunate repercussions.
I was
drawn into the story, but I'll admit to being put off by the constant
drinking and drunkenness. Even when they're driving, Iry and Buddy drink
and smoke pot, which seems terribly reckless and dangerous.
That said, this book was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and is well worth reading.
Highly recommended.
Rating: 4 stars
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