Customer Reviews

The Arrangement

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This very powerful book had themes reminiscent of many others. In a way it reminded me of The Catcher in the Rye, On the Road, and Narcissus and Goldmund, in that is was a man's search for his place in the world. In this book, however, the main character, Evangelos Arness, is looking for liberation and being true to himself. At the beginning of the book, he is a a financially successful ad man who has a 'respectable' and 'comfortable' life, but he realizes, somewhere between women and unconcious suicide attempts, that he is nothing that he set out to be. So, he sets out on a journey to burn down what he had become and rebuild what he wanted to be. His trip to liberation is dark, often humorous, and sometimes sad, taking him through his past, his family, and insanity. This is the kind of book, much like the ones I named above, that becomes a part of you.

The main character in this book is in the middle of a " middle-life crisis ", he struggles between what he has, and what he has dreamed of. The characters are so real and you identify yourself easely with the main character. I am reading this book now, ... I have read it before with the same passion and books like this one make you think and you can't stop reading it. Sometimes the whole night ! read it send your comments to gabs_goldberg@hotmail.com

The main character in this book is in the middle of a " middle-life crisis ", he struggles between what he has, and what he has dreamed of. The characters are so real and you identify yourself easely with the main character. I am reading this book now, ... I have read it before with the same passion and books like this one make you think and you can't stop reading it. Sometimes the whole night ! read it send your comments to gabs_goldberg@hotmail.com

kazan's personal experience is related to the reader in a very funny novel form. Many insights into the absurd arrangements we humans make with our mates. highly recommended because of content and funny dialogue!

Elia Kazan's "The Arrangement" came to me for a couple bucks @ the Friends of the Library sale. I was curious what the film director's novel would be. As a film director, Kazan adapted this into the 1969 film with Kirk Douglas as Eddie, Faye Dunaway as Gwen & Deborah Kerr as Florence. I may seek that out.

However, the book seemed tediously long to me. The main problem is that Eddie, the protagonist, is extremely unlikable. He is the quintessential self-centered man. The careless disregard for his wife's feelings, his lover's and his family's is incredible to read. (I kept hearing Daniel Day Lewis' voice from "There Will Be Blood" as I read Eddie.) Only briefly touched upon within the novel is spirituality, the need of man to identify with something bigger than himself to bring him happiness. So the seeds of destruction are everywhere in this novel. It is so completely abundant for 500 pages, but is it interesting? Not particularly. Tragic yes, but in the same way that people like to read about someone who does a horrific deed. We like to read about for several minutes, but who do we study in history? We tend to revere the examples of those who fought for a better world. Although Gwen was a fascinating character as were some of the supporting characters like Charles & Chet, I found myself repeatedly dragging myself to read another chapter with the assurance that if I kept on going, it would end. So I recommend "The Arrangement" like a literary root canal operation. It feels better when you're over it. Taxi!

The Arrangement is an excellent read. Mild by today's mores and expectations. Nonetheless, it is good entertainment and very well written.