Boswell: A Modern Comedy (American Literature (Dalkey Archive)) [Paperback]

Stanley Elkin (Author), Elkin Stanley (Author), Chirs Lehmann (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: American Literature (Dalkey Archive) | Publication Date: April 1999

Fiction. BOSWELL is Stanley Elkin's first and funniest novel: the comic odyssey of a twentieth-century groupie who collects celebrities as his insurance policy against death. James Boswell--strong man, professional wrestler (his most heroic match is with the Angel of Death)-- is a con man, a gate crasher, and a moocher of epic talent. He is also the "hero of one of the most original novel in years" (Oakland Tribune)--a man on the make for all the great men of his time--his logic being that if you can't be a lion, know a pride of them. Can he cheat his way out of mortality? "No serious funny writer in this country can match him" (New York Times Book Review).

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Elkin's debut novel (1964) is a comic romp through the life of title character James Boswell, a con man and champion moocher. Although his works are serious underneath, Elkin is always good for a laugh.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“Elkin’s . . . improvisations . . . make him our foremost literary jazz band.” —Time

“No serious funny writer in this country can match him.”—The New York Times Book Review

“A wide, shimmering Tivoli of invention.” —Vogue

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 372 pages
• Publisher: Dalkey Archive Press; 1st Dalkey Archive Ed edition (April 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564781747
• ISBN-13: 978-1564781741
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,194,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Stanley Elkin (1930-1995) was an award-winning author of novels, short stories, and essays. Born in the Bronx, Elkin received his BA and PhD from the University of Illinois and in 1960 became a professor of English at Washington University in St. Louis where he taught until his death. His critically acclaimed works include the National Book Critics Circle Award-winners George Mills (1982) and Mrs. Ted Bliss (1995), as well as the National Book Award finalists The Dick Gibson Show (1972), Searches & Seizures (1974), and The MacGuffin (1991). His book of novellas, Van Gogh's Room at Arles, was a finalist for the PEN Faulkner Award.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I have seen the light!, January 16, 2001

By 

Tiffany Redding (Chicago,IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boswell: A Modern Comedy (American Literature (Dalkey Archive)) (Paperback)

When I first began to read Boswell, I can honestly say that I thought it was dull and boring. What's the point of this book? is what I thought to myself. But as I read on, I began to see the light, the light of comedy in literature. Never before had an author used comedy so cleverly and and easily as Stanley Elkin does. His comedy is not only funny, but brilliant. he can take a three word sentence and turn it into a humorous event that has comedy and meaning. Not only was the comedy very good, but the stucture of the book was clever as well. Elkin would use different stratagies to keep the reader interested, such as interrupting the plot of the story with small stories that didn't really have anything to do with the story , but added humor and sometimes moral lessons. If you as well want ot see the light of comedy, I strongly recommend Boswell to you.

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Humorous but..., January 1, 2001

By 

"cyn817" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boswell: A Modern Comedy (American Literature (Dalkey Archive)) (Paperback)

also a little annoying. Elkin's original writing style, as well as the content, is what makes this novel funny, but it is also what makes this book annoying. Reading the book for my AP Composition class and paying attention more to style than actual content, I noticed that Elkin used several different literary techniques (as most writers do), but it's how he used and combined then that sets him apart form other writers. Elkin makes several plays on words and commmon phrases (such as having a character say, "the plot thickens" while working with clay) and at times uses very descriptive imagery, along with various allusions, hyperboles, and metaphors. While this all made the book interesting at the beginning, it gradually also became overwhelming as the book went on, and certain parts seemed unnecessary and dull.