I've been getting into Brautigan. The store I went to didn't have any of his classic works like "Trout Fishing In America" or "In Watermelon Sugar" so I opted for this.
Man, I've never read someone who could be both hilarious and totally depressing at the same time. He's got a great ability at engaging the reader with just a few simple lines. I suppose he was tied in with the 60's counter culture (which he resented apparently) but I wouldn't group him with the beats or anything. Highly recommended to those into the silly and strange
other stuff I've read this year:
Ask The Dust by John Fante (brilliant)
My Life With Charles Manson by Paul Watkins (you're not gonna find this in stores or even on Ebay, I had to download a PDF of it and squint my way through. It was written by a member of the family and is pretty much the only book you need. Everything is here.. the orgies, killings etc in full detail by a guy who saw it)