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Title: In a word: disappointing
Review: I found "Duane's depressed" not nearly as good as I had expected. True, the character of Duane is fascinating, and there is a good deal of wonderful humor. However, Duane is never really depressed except in others' eyes, and I found that assignment almost insulting. The fact is that he shows no signs of depression, he is sort of goaded into visiting the psychiatrist, he falls in love with her almost instantly, has a flood of tears and a great understanding far too soon in the doctor-patient relationship, and in general the entire psychological development, from the "walking" start to the "pyramidal" finish, is written in an all-too sophomorish manner. Perhaps I would have enjoyed it more if I had reread "The last picture show" or read "Texasville". Surely one the story in "Duane's depressed" could (and should) have been told in far fewer words.
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