80: A Novel [Paperback]

Whit Johnston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 10, 2004

Whit Johnston’s first novel is a witty tale told through the fictional diary entries of one Mary Louise Weeks (ML for short), a struggling photographer and, inadvertently, brilliant social chronicler. Tinged with a certain wistfulness for a Manhattan since lost, 80 is a subtle and nuanced reminder of how much the city and its culture have changed since those final months leading up to the onset of Reagan’s “Morning in America.” Careening from one lackluster photo session to the next, ML scours the city from the depths of the Bowery to uptown penthouses; from a midtown Diane Arbus exhibit to West Village s-and-m dens, in search of inspiration, authenticity, and a reason to go on. Written with the candor and intimacy encountered only in a diary, and played out against the backdrop of cameos by the likes of John Belushi, Wendy O. Williams, and Keith Haring, ML’s dead aim at the hypocrisies of art, commerce, and the self is taken with humor and compassion, in the midst of an uproarious moment in time. 80 is a wryly-incisive debut—an engrossing reminder of the end of an era in New York’s downtown scene.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A sly and often funny remembrance of things past, this slim novel takes the form of a diary kept by M.L., a 28-year-old photographer living in Soho in the year 1980, back when Tama Janowitz's slaves of New York were just beginning to appear in downtown Manhattan, and the city—and country—was in the midst of a tumultuous time that saw the entrance of a president (Ronald Reagan, elected in November) and the exit of a legend (John Lennon, assassinated in December). On this level the novel works well. M.L.'s bright voice—think of her as Edie Sedgwick by way of Holly Golightly—documents the year's novelties, ranging from a wild punk rock performance by the Plasmatics to the emergence of the Walkman. There's also a halfhearted attempt to show what romance in Manhattan was like two decades before Sex and the City—M.L. starts keeping her diary after she's abandoned by a lover—but the novel never delves deep into M.L.'s inner life. When she abruptly "disappears" at the too-convenient ending, readers will feel caught up short. However, this wry novel and its irrepressible narrator manage to rise above any missteps and deliver more than a few laughs and insights.
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Review

"Charming short debut about a girl photog in Manhattan in 1980.... Clear candid shots that suck you in." -- Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf (August 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786713984
• ISBN-13: 978-0786713981
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,180,579 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Astounding debut with astute insight and clarity, August 1, 2004

By 

Volodya - See all my reviews

This review is from: 80: A Novel (Paperback)

This novel by Whit Johnston goes beyond clever observations and commetary on the New York social and cultural scene as the city enters a new era, the 80's. This is just one thread in a brutally honest journal that is kept by a young photographer struggling with loneliness and the direction in which she wants to take her career. For one thing, her relationship has recently deteriorated with the man with whom she was living, and she feels uninspired by the jobs that come her way. Her efforts to find provocative subjects that challenge her artistically are some of the best parts of the book. Johnston cleverly writes in real events of the times, placing our heroine there, without the scenes becoming cloying name-dropping passages. For example, he mentions a subway graffiti artist whose simple chalk outline drawings of glowing babies and barking dogs people steal as soon as they are put up. Most people will know that was Keith Haring. I think if you were living in NY in 1980 and were at the very least aware of the cultural scene, you will find the thinly disguised references to real characters at the time most satisfying. This is not to say that the book will be lost on those who were not. Even if you were too young or weren't even born then or not living in NY, the poignancy of the hurt and uncertainty experienced by someone young in a big city translates to all.