To call 'The Dead Father' a novel is a bit of stretch. It's more of a musing, a strange dream. What there is of a story here lacks focus. It's interesting for a bit, but grows tiresome. Perhaps the book's best part is a book within the book called 'The Manual for Sons', in which a number if differing father types are presented for satirical scrutiny: it's not a pretty picture; but it is entertaining.The praise this novel receives is most likely attributed to its 'differentness', and given the time it was published, in the mid '70s, when there were plenty of calls for the death of the novel and such, and the continued march of post-modern games masquerading as novels, it's not surprising that the 'lit-heads' of the time were fascinated by this one. So if you like that sort of thing, this is for you. Otherwise try out Barthelme's short fiction first; it's far more rewarding - his true metier.