Small-time finance journalist Matthew Prior gave up his day-job and gambled everything on setting up a website offering financial advice ...in witty blank verse. Then he woke up one day in the middle of the worst crisis since the 30s with no business, a shedload of debt, a lot of guilt and a great deal of suspicion about his wife who spends her time flirting online with her childhood sweetheart - a real guy with a real, man's job. So when Matt's offered some high-grade dope, and finds he can sell a little bit of it on, he thinks that maybe this is where the future lies...As Matt battles to save his marriage, his children's future and his sanity too, "The Financial Lives of the Poets" becomes a hugely funny but heartfelt novel about how we can reach the edge of ruin - and pull back.
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Another 7/11
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. National Book Award–finalist Walter does for the nation's bleak financial landscape what he did for 9/11 in The Zero: whip-smart satire with heart. Matt Prior quits his job as a business reporter to start Poetfolio.com, a Web site featuring poetry about finance, or money-lit. Unsurprisingly, it tanks, and Matt returns to the newspaper, only to be laid off with a meager severance package. Now not only are the Priors in danger of losing their house, but Matt is convinced that his wife, Lisa, is having an affair with an old boyfriend she rediscovered during her lengthy nightly Facebook sessions. With two sons in overpriced Catholic school and his increasingly senile father to support, Matt's bank accounts dwindle amid his financial planner's dire predictions (diagnosis: fiscal Ebola). When an appealing but illegal moneymaking opportunity presents itself, Matt jumps at the chance. The decision to include snippets of Matt's poetry in the novel was a risky one, but Walter pulls it off, never resorting to pretension or overused metaphors for life's meltdowns. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Bookmarks Magazine
Walter's wildly funny, heartrending novel is a clever meditation on the American Dream gone horribly wrong. Readers will be rooting for Matt, "a likable everyman" (Christian Science Monitor), even as he commits one painful error after another. Walter's writing crackles with energy, and though he seems to come close to treating some serious topics (drug use, infidelity, mental illness, and bankruptcy) superficially, his affection for his characters and his shrewd assessment of the Priors' financial and familial collapse circumvent that danger. His free-verse poetry, however, interspersed within the narrative, received mixed reviews. Praised as one of today's best new voices, Walter has penned a scathing indictment of contemporary America.
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More About the Author
Jess Walter is the author of six novels, most recently the New York Times bestseller Beautiful Ruins (2012). He was a finalist for the 2006 National Book Award for The Zero and winner of the 2005 Edgar Allan Poe Award for best novel for Citizen Vince. His short fiction and essays have appeared in Harper's, McSweeney's, Playboy and other publications. He lives in his hometown of Spokane, Washington.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
48 of 51 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Jess Walter writes here in the tradition of James Thurber, E. B. White, and Peter DeVries. This is one of the very best books of 2009, at once a mid-life crisis novel, a work of social and political criticism, and a comic romp.
The prose is constantly engaging, witty throughout, sparkling here and there with gems of insight, fresh and delightful turns of phrase, irony within irony. The story is built around the economic downturn and the ensuing consequences that rain down on individual families, a parable for our time. There are several surprising twists in the plot. Don't read reviews that will give them away, but wait to discover them in the book.
The picture on the face of the dustjacket is of a man in free-fall toward the dark land below against the sunset-orange of the October sky. Fittingly the narrative takes place in October, traditionally the month of market crashes and Halloween. It is much more attractive than the Amazon picture suggests, a treat to behold, easy to open and easy to read.
When the awards are passed out for best novels of the year, this one should be on the short list.
The prose is constantly engaging, witty throughout, sparkling here and there with gems of insight, fresh and delightful turns of phrase, irony within irony. The story is built around the economic downturn and the ensuing consequences that rain down on individual families, a parable for our time. There are several surprising twists in the plot. Don't read reviews that will give them away, but wait to discover them in the book.
The picture on the face of the dustjacket is of a man in free-fall toward the dark land below against the sunset-orange of the October sky. Fittingly the narrative takes place in October, traditionally the month of market crashes and Halloween. It is much more attractive than the Amazon picture suggests, a treat to behold, easy to open and easy to read.
When the awards are passed out for best novels of the year, this one should be on the short list.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By LA Critic
Format:Hardcover
I couldn't put down Jess Walter's latest novel. What a voice! And the way he describes exactly what is going on in the world economy and how we average men have to deal with it is not only scathing, but simple and real. He should be writing Obama's speeches! I just loved reading about Matt's adventures as he tries to save his family from ruin, but just kept driving himself deeper into the well. I honestly didn't know how it would end, and when it did, I was floored. I was wondering what happens now? But Mr. Walters completed the journey just the way it should end--with humor poignancy and again, realism. We may fall flat on our faces, but we get up and start all over again. Isn't that how it should be??
25 of 30 people found the following review helpful
By Greg Olear
Format:Hardcover
Funny, lyrical, inspiring, it reads
Like the best literary fiction should.
The plot is sort of like "Weeds,"
But good.
Like the best literary fiction should.
The plot is sort of like "Weeds,"
But good.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Matt Prior's life has broken down. He's been living the American dream, but like many people who never thought it could happen to him, he's been caught up in the financial meltdown. He's unemployed, deeply in debt, on the verge of foreclosure, caring for his dementia-ridden father, and cluelessly struggling to save his troubled marriage.
I've read all of Jess Walter's books, and I think they are all terrific in their own way. Financial Lives of the Poets is his warmest, funniest, and most poignant novel. It's a scathing (but all too true) satire of life in modern day America. Despite the incredible wit and humor, Walter never goes over the top, but remains rooted in a reality with which we can all identify. Shockingly, in channeling Matt's poetic voice, Walter reveals himself to be a talented poet in his own right.
This is the best novel I've read in 2009, and plan to read it again.
I've read all of Jess Walter's books, and I think they are all terrific in their own way. Financial Lives of the Poets is his warmest, funniest, and most poignant novel. It's a scathing (but all too true) satire of life in modern day America. Despite the incredible wit and humor, Walter never goes over the top, but remains rooted in a reality with which we can all identify. Shockingly, in channeling Matt's poetic voice, Walter reveals himself to be a talented poet in his own right.
This is the best novel I've read in 2009, and plan to read it again.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
In all honesty, the title of this book, the cover too... this would have been a book that I more than likely would have passed on if I had seen it in the book store. I am here now writing this review telling you not to do that! When Matt Prior loses his job he finds himself wallowing in reruns of The Rockford Files and becoming more paranoid about his wife's on line flirtations.... when Matt winds up with an opportunity to sell drugs to help out his financial woes, at this point only days away from losing his home and pulling his kids out of a private school... he jumps into a humorous look at what people will do at the breaking point.
I would say in today's world of economic uncertainties this book is surely a timely fictitious story of riches to rags... to living with the knowledge that it is possible to take a deep breath and live within our means... even if our means isn't what we had hoped and dreamed. There are more important things than money, big homes, and two cars.... and Matt Prior takes the long way around to finding this out.
I would say in today's world of economic uncertainties this book is surely a timely fictitious story of riches to rags... to living with the knowledge that it is possible to take a deep breath and live within our means... even if our means isn't what we had hoped and dreamed. There are more important things than money, big homes, and two cars.... and Matt Prior takes the long way around to finding this out.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A few years before the novel opens, Matthew Prior quit his day job as a financial reporter in order to set up a web site offering financial advice in verse. Alas, poetfolio.com was not a success and returning to the newspaper business wasn't an option either. The economy has tanked, and here's middle-aged Matt with no job, no real job prospects and about to lose the family home.
Yes, the American dream has turned into a nightmare for Matt, and he doesn't just have financial problems. He shares his home with his senile father, his wife Lisa who has a failed entrepreneurial venture of her own, and might be having an affair, and their two sons.
This novel is the story of Matt's quest to save his marriage, his dreams and possibly his sanity. A trip to the local 7-eleven to buy milk gives Matt a brainstorm which rapidly turns into a headache. Fiscal panic can lead to some poor life choices.
On one level, as a satire of middle-class aspirational living, this novel is funny. On another level, it was irritating: I found that I didn't care for Matt Prior for most of the novel and found it hard to accept that he could compound poor decision-making with even worse decision-making. However, I think that the story works because so many of us can relate to at least part of the world Matt Prior inhabits.
`The edge is so close to where we live.'
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Yes, the American dream has turned into a nightmare for Matt, and he doesn't just have financial problems. He shares his home with his senile father, his wife Lisa who has a failed entrepreneurial venture of her own, and might be having an affair, and their two sons.
This novel is the story of Matt's quest to save his marriage, his dreams and possibly his sanity. A trip to the local 7-eleven to buy milk gives Matt a brainstorm which rapidly turns into a headache. Fiscal panic can lead to some poor life choices.
On one level, as a satire of middle-class aspirational living, this novel is funny. On another level, it was irritating: I found that I didn't care for Matt Prior for most of the novel and found it hard to accept that he could compound poor decision-making with even worse decision-making. However, I think that the story works because so many of us can relate to at least part of the world Matt Prior inhabits.
`The edge is so close to where we live.'
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Worth persisting
Had trouble getting engaged and motivated in the beginning. A fairly complex structure. But once engaged, I could not put it down. Highly recommended.
Published 11 days ago by Susan K. Badger
3.0 out of 5 stars
Clever writing and plot, interesting characters
Really not much more than a good beach read. Walter's efforts to say something penetrating about the plight of newspapers and the middle class in the wake of the economic slump... Read more
Published 24 days ago by Richard Saltus
3.0 out of 5 stars
Funny and intriguing
Quick read with an interesting angle… wish the wife character was developed as she was very surface. I didn't get the whole poetry thing. It didn't really work.
Published 26 days ago by Megan McCarthy
4.0 out of 5 stars
Witty & I Couldn't Help But Root for Matt Prior
This was an enjoyable read & once I picked it up, I zipped through it much more quickly than I expected. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Anissa Annalise
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fun ride.
So much fun to watch the hapless protagonist make mistake after mistake, only to come out a winner in the end...well, kind of. I laughed so much reading this book. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Carl Darnell
3.0 out of 5 stars
it's OK
humorous, rough-edged but not that consequential. Our book club members didn't have much to say about it. the title is misleading.
Published 1 month ago by S. Scholle
4.0 out of 5 stars
Funny and worth the money
There is a lot of wisdom here. But more than that the story is laugh-out-loud or smile-to-yourself funny. And the writing sparkles. Worth the investment.
Published 1 month ago by Wendy
4.0 out of 5 stars
Funny!
I found myself relating to this story from start to finish and laughing the entire way. I could completely picture myself in their lives and for me, it did not seem far-fetched.
Published 1 month ago by AZGyrl
2.0 out of 5 stars
I was hoping for more
After finishing Beautiful Ruins, I was excited to read more from Jess. His voice and writing style is witty, creative and hilarious but the premiss was a little too far fetched and... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Sarah Kay
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not his best, in my opinion...
It took me quite a while to get through this book - I found the language very tedious, as I'm not a fan of obscenity. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mikki Clark
