Bowl of Cherries: A Novel [Paperback]

Millard Kaufman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2008

The brilliant creation of ninety-year-old debut novelist Millard Kaufman, co-creator of Mr. Magoo and twice-nominated for Academy Awards for screenwriting,Bowl of Cherriesrivals the liveliest comic epics for giddy wordplay and gleeful invention. Kicked out of Yale at the age of fourteen, Judd Breslau falls in with Phillips Chatterton, a bathrobe-wearing Egyptologist working out of a dilapidated home laboratory. Entranced by Chatterton's daughter, Valerie, Breslau abandons his studies and decides to move in with the eccentric scientist and assist with research. But the work is not what Judd had thought and, mesmerized by Valerie, Breslau follows her to a number of strange locales—a secret attic in her father's home, a Colorado equestrian ranch, and a porn studio beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. Judd ultimately makes his way to the forlorn Iraqi province of Assama, ending up in a jail cell from which he narrates the novel, awaiting his execution while war rages on around him.Kaufman's debut is a book of astounding breadth and sharp consequences, containing all the joy, madness, terror, and doubt of adolescence and everything after.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Nonagenarian Kaufman-twice nominated for screenwriting Oscars in the 1950s and a cocreator of Mr. Magoo-makes his fiction debut with this irresistible comic novel, a bawdy, original coming-of-age tale. Kaufman brings bright, resourceful Judd Breslau to vivid life, giving him a striving nature that always leads to trouble. After dropping out of Yale at 14, Judd moves into the crumbling mansion of nut-job Egyptologist Phillips Chatterton, where he joins a phalanx of oddball thinkers working on a quixotic project to redesign human society. A fringe benefit is Chatterton's daughter, Valerie, over whom Judd goes ga-ga. Both Judd and Valerie end up in New York, where Judd interviews with a shady corporation seeking a revolting economic opportunity in war-torn Iraq. So it's off to the hilariously backwards Coproliabad, where Judd runs afoul of the new sheikh, who wants Valerie for his queen. In fact, Judd, awaiting execution, narrates the whole book from a fetid jail cell. Kaufman's screwball sensibility, relish for language, gleeful vulgarism and deep sympathy for his characters make this novel an unprecedented joyride. Whether it's due to his being alive for 90 years or not, Kaufman's book is shot through with worldly wit and a keen sense of the humor in human foibles. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From AudioFile

Millard Kaufman began writing this sharp debut novel at age 86, and he packs a lifetime of experience and wisdom into this story. The story is a modern-day globe-trotting adventure, as it takes main character Judd from Yale to a world-saving commune, to war-torn Iraq--all told in hindsight from a filthy prison cell, where Judd awaits execution. Kaufman's delight in thrusting Judd from one antic scenario to another is contagious. The audio production is excellent, and Bronson Pinchot carries the story's many twists and turns with aplomb; his voice is deep, and listening is a pleasure. The story's globe-trotting transitions well to listening, and listeners will appreciate the narration's clear use of just-different-enough voices for different characters. M.T. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press; Reprint edition (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802143962
• ISBN-13: 978-0802143969
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #200,951 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A slight disappointment., September 13, 2007

By 

T. rick (MKE) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bowl of Cherries (Mcsweeneys) (Hardcover)

I had high hopes for this book, as I loved the book McSweeneys pushed hard this time last year, "The Children's Hospital" (Chris Adrian). They gave "Bowl of Cherries" the same sort of push at Book Expo America that "The Children's Hospital" received, even giving out thirty-odd page excerpts, which is how I first learned of the book. And if the McSeeneys folks are excited, I'm excited.

While "Bowl of Cherries" starts out strong and enjoyable, almost gleeful, at the half-way point it changes direction and really loses something. The likeable and interesting characters (our narrator, Judd, and his increasingly less believable love interest, Valerie) at the beginning of the story don't seem to grow, and the ending seems kind of false and needlessly drawn out.
That's not to say, though, that it's not a worthwhile read. Though not as prevalent through the second half, there are plenty of excellent turns of phrase and little insights and incidents throughout that'll make you smile.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars in the tradition of Voltaire, September 16, 2007

By 

Mary Carde - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bowl of Cherries (Mcsweeneys) (Hardcover)

Social satire in the grand tradition of Voltaire. Written with a vocabulary that has the precision of a surgeon's knife. A book for the cerebrating person.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you like Vonnegut you will enjoy Bowl of Cherries, September 25, 2007

By 

Sean M. Mcveigh (Germantown, MD) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bowl of Cherries (Mcsweeneys) (Hardcover)

I don't think it's any coincedence that a 90-year old reminds me of Vonnegut, but this is a terrific book that a lot of my friends are getting from me for the holidays.

Very funny, very satiric, very good.