After Annie: A Novel [Hardcover]

Michael Tucker (Author)

Book Description

Release date: March 1, 2012

An irresistible tale about love and the theater, After Annie is an astonishing first novel. Herbie Aaron is one half of a celebrity marriage. He and Annie have been famous, nobodies, and mingled with the rich and crazy. Through it all, they've been passionate lovers and fast friends. But when Annie dies of cancer, Herbie is lost.

If you think this is going to be a tragic tale about grief, think again. Herbie is too cantankerous, sly, and charming to keel over. Enter Olive, a beautiful bartender who just might be a great actress; Candy, Herbie and Annie's neurotic daughter; and a woman named Billy, the tough-talking golf pro who teaches Herbie more about his psyche than about his lousy swing.

After Annie is a hilarious and beautifully rendered novel about a man off the rails, battling through the middle-aged wilderness days he hoped never to face alone. It is a book that examines the inevitable passing of time with clarity and wry brilliance, and a story of surprising power.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A lightweight novel that's paradoxically both earthy and frothy."

(--Kirkus Reviews )

"Michael Tucker draws from his professional experience for a credible fiction debut . . . The rich depiction of the inner workings of the acting profession adds an appealing dimension to the breezy narrative."

(--Publishers Weekly

)

"A Funny, bittersweet read."

(--New York Post

)

"A darkly comic first novel by a veteran LA Law actor, After Annie is a brilliant entre to the mind of a man who has always been surrounded by women but doesn't quite know how to exist without the one he's always counted on . . . With an acerbic, sarcastic bite and a depth of honesty rare in most first novels, After Annie is a refreshing, heartwarming, and introspective read."

(--Booklist )

"AFTER ANNIE is a hilarious and beautifully rendered novel about a man off the rails, battling through the middle-aged wilderness days he hoped never to face alone."

(--Bookreporter.com )

"An engaging first novel about an actor at the end of his career and another at the beginning of hers."

(--Shelf Awareness )

About the Author

MICHAEL TUCKER is an actor, perhaps best known for his work on LA Law (for which he was nominated for multiple Emmy Awards). This is his first novel.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Overlook Hardcover; First Edition edition (March 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590207351
• ISBN-13: 978-1590207352
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 1 x 8.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,205,972 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful romp of a book! March 24, 2012

By Cathie Borrie

Format:Hardcover

I started reading "After Annie" when I arrived at Newark airport and finished it before touching down in Vancouver. I was hooked on page one by the character, dialogue and quality of writing - and with this line in particular: "turtles his head into his coat . . . "

Contnued to be hooked throughout by: the facinating, raucous, endearing, vulnerable and oh so very human character of Herbie, the authenticity of dialogue, the treatment of universal "life" struggles, and by the bang-on writing - it is beautifully written. I think this is pretty much a recipe for success! A must read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars The main man lacks June 11, 2012

By bentmax

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Not a bad read on a bicoastal flight or a day at the beach. The characters are well drawn except for the main character - and therein lies a serious problem. How could Herbie Aaron be remotely attractive to females, let alone be a Casanova? All the reader sees is an old foul-mouthed drunk who doesn't quite register as a man in mourning. Sad, yes. Angst, no. Philosophical or insightful over Annie's death, no and no. Self-deprecating, yes. Perhaps a good acting mentor. Probably a loyal friend. A man who women are still falling all over themselves to get their hands on, most decidedly no.

Blake Edward's "10" jumped to my mind while reading this. Unfortunately, Herbie is no George Webber (Dudley Moore). There is nothing cuddly about Herbie unless a bottle of booze can be considered such. Herbie just doesn't ring true.

While "10" was a sex comedy, I am not quite sure what After Annie is supposed to be. It's not morose, thank goodness, but it's not quite absurd enough to be comedic and Herbie is much less than a satisfying main character.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great, but I preferred the "before" April 28, 2012

By Kaitlin Kelly

Format:Hardcover

This was a beautiful read. The relationships are really well-drawn, everything is believable, and it's touching without being overly depressing.

My favorite part of the book was the part before Annie died. After that, the book slowed down. I lost interest with the golf scenes. It picks up then, and there are movements in time so we see Annie again later, but the start of the book is by far the most compelling part.

I likely will read this again and will look forward to other books by Tucker.