Hippies in '60s commune learn the power of Alaska
by John Freeman
Special to The Plain Dealer, 03/02/03

Given that "Drop City" is a novel by T.C. Boyle, it should come as little surprise that the eponymous village of the book's title is not some hamlet perched above a gorge, but a commune in Sonoma, Calif., where hippies congregate for free love, rock 'n' roll and, of course, more than a few pot-laced brownies.

With this setup, it seems likely that "Drop City" should evolve into a satire of '60s excess and the burnouts who tried to keep the toot going.

Ten years ago, Boyle might have written exactly that story and had us laughing all the way.

But entering his third decade of publishing fiction, Boyle does something a little different in "Drop City." Sure, he has his fun with some of the flakier denizens of this commune.

But by focusing on three who are somewhat sincere about their journey through this world, Boyle delivers an affecting drama that says a lot about the American dream.

As in Boyle's previous fiction, landscape is at the center of that dream as his characters pick up and move their commune to Alaska. They've been racked with infighting and want to begin again.

The commune's leaders also think relocating north might make a stronger "back to the woods" statement.

The only problem is that once the merry pranksters arrive in Alaska, they find - much as the territory's original explorers did - that the state already has a few residents, some of whom are none too happy to have a 24-hour bongo drum party going on close by.

As Boyle toggles between a fur trapper and the hippies who covet his authenticity, "Drop City" never loses track of its protagonists: Star; her ex-boyfriend Pan; and her new companion Marco, who's a rebel with a brain.

Star is by far the most winning in the group, as she displays a remarkable bit of backbone in a culture that, despite its radicalism, was patronizing at best in its attitudes toward women.

Against the backdrop of Alaska's stunning wilderness, which Boyle paints with cheeky aplomb, these characters' fumbled attempts to make the world anew seem touchingly sincere, albeit comically wrongheaded. Brutal weather cuts them down to size and makes them respect the land and its power to destroy. It also brings about a newfound appreciation for the sturdiness of the Alaskans they meet. As in Boyle's 1984 book, "Budding Prospects," there's a comeuppance here, but one gentler than Boyle scripted nearly two decades ago.

All in all, "Drop City" is a surprisingly sanguine novel, free of the cynicism or cliches that mar so much writing about the '60s and '70s. Unlike the characters of, say, Tim O'Brien's recent fiction, Boyle's cast is not disillusioned or completely whacked out. They are merely seeking the beautiful, even if that means chasing the vapor trail of a dying revolution.

In "Drop City," they stumble into just about every pitfall such a quest can present, and thanks to Boyle's winning humor, we read of their antics with patient understanding, rather than tired scorn.