Conversations with Mr. Prain [Paperback]

Joan Taylor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2006

A suspenseful tale of art, love, and sex—the ultimate mysteries.

As this erotic mystery unfolds, the conversation whips and snaps between Stella, a vivacious bohemian writer and eco-activist, and Edward Prain, a refined connoisseur of the rare books on hand in Stella’s fusty London bookstall. While Prain is mysteriously aloof about his background, Stella finds his insights into art more and more stimulating, until one rainy afternoon she makes a surprising discovery: Prain is the head of England’ s most prestigious publishing house and a leading collector of art. And now, he would like her to come to tea at his country estate... to discuss her writing. Stella is too intrigued to say no. Yet their cat-and-mouse game only intensifies at his sumptuous estate, where she finds herself engaged in an increasingly devilish conversation on the making of art, the selling of art, and the protection of self until Prain reveals that he knows more about her past than he has ever let on...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Taylor's intriguing but uneven debut novel, the power of the imagination is pitted against reality in the relationship between an unpublished novelist and a powerful book publisher. Polar opposites-in the literary world and otherwise-struggling young writer and artists' model Stella first meets publishing mogul Edward Prain in the bookstall she runs. Prain becomes a regular, and though they know they make an unsuitable match, the two engage in some intellectual flirting that turns serious when Prain asks to read her work-and then reveals that he bought a nude photo of her a year before. When Stella moves into Prain's mansion to work on her manuscript, her imagination begins to run away with her, and a cat-and-mouse game of sexual attraction and psychological manipulation ensues. Amid much discussion of the art and publishing worlds, Taylor tells a compelling story. Her characters, especially Stella, have a tendency to act on strange motives and reach nonsensical conclusions, apparently to accommodate the ideas Taylor wishes to explore-the role of fantasy in life, art and commerce, and the potential for destruction that lies therein. Though it can puzzle and ultimately frustrate-especially in the silly, rushed dénouement-this novel takes smart chances and almost pulls them off.
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Review

PRAISE FROM BOOKSELLERS FOR CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. PRAIN

“A novel of manners and of intellect, of passion and calculation, of negoti- ation and compromise, of winning and losing, of love and sex. Smart and sensual.”
—Robert Gray, The Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, Vermont


“There are flashes of brilliance throughout this book, and enough suspense that it really is irresistible to keep reading.”
—Jessica Stockton Bagnulo, Greenlight Bookstore, Brooklyn, NY

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 236 pages
• Publisher: Melville House; First Edition edition (May 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933633026
• ISBN-13: 978-1933633022
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 7.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,951,523 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

JOAN TAYLOR is the author of several books on ancient religion, history and archeology, including the prize-winning Christians and the Holy Places. A New Zealander and former lecturer in religion and history at Waikato University, she currently lives in England, where she teaches at King's College London. She also writes fiction and poetry.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strange and wonderful love story, July 5, 2011

By 

Von Cormier - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conversations With Mr. Prain (Paperback)

Intricately plotted, this lurid love story between a bookseller and a publisher has something of the mystery in Fowles' The Magus about it, without ever reaching any overwrought whimsy. Strange, wonderful book. So glad Melville House has brought it back to print.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and suspenseful read, July 1, 2011

By 

Book Babe (St. Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conversations With Mr. Prain (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this brain-teaser about art vs. reality. It's very vividly written, so you enter into the mind of the protagonist as she tries to piece together what is going on. And the ending is a surprise -- I find myself still thinking about it.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Cerebral tale about creativity and writing, October 20, 2006

By 

Esther Schindler (Scottsdale, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Conversations with Mr. Prain (Paperback)

Two friends passed this book along to me, both remarking, "The ending really surprised me," which was enough to make interested. The ending surprised me, too, and I did want to know what happened -- but I'm not sure I'd have finished this book without Deb's and Mary Jo's recommendations.

One reason is that this book is "talking heads." That is, almost the whole story is set in the English countryside, in a converation between Mr Prain, a book publisher, and Stella, a would-be author who has a day job working in a bookstall. That's not necessarily bad; but if you're looking for a lot of action, move on to another book. On the other hand, if you think "My Dinner with Andre" was a brilliant film, you will absolutely love this story.

The essentials: Mr Prain invites Stella to his home after reading her novel and poems. She's anxious to hear what he has to say, but Mr Prain seems to have another purpose in mind. Like Stella, you have to get through most of the book to learn what it is.

Much of the conversation is about creativity, the book publishing business, and the things that motivate a writer to write. For a lot of people, this will be fascinating stuff; I'm sure to pass this book along to my Mom, whom I know will think it's great. But I'm a professional writer with plenty of friends who have written (and sold) both fiction and non-fiction, and friends who work for book publishers. From my jaded viewpoint, Stella is remarkably naive about the writing business. I could prescribe plenty of books here on Amazon that would help her understand what makes a book marketable, the craft of editing, and so on. In other words: I wanted to shake her.

The author does a good job drawing pictures in your head, so that you see the gardens, you taste the cream cakes; her descriptive powers are very strong. Good writing can almost give you a "memory" of a place you've never been, which never existed... and Taylor has that gift. I just wish she'd applied them to a story that engaged me more than this one did.