Customer Reviews

Handsome Is: Adventures With Saul Bellow: A Memoir

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As an up-and- coming literary agent fresh out of university young Harriet Wasserman met the already distinguished and famous writer, Saul Bellow. He flirted with her, courted her, and made of her his devotee. She for many years thereafter was his loyal literary - agent until he dropped her for another.
Out of pain and disappointment she tells the tale of their relationship.
It is an interesting inside look at the world of the agent, the world of publishing. And it confirms a certain picture of Bellow given in James Atlas' monumental biography i.e. Bellow knew how to be very good to Bellow. And there were not a few women disappointed by his giving them his attention, and then moving on.
What would be sad , and I do not know if this is the case, is if this story is the main narrative of the author's life.
Wisdom, I would suggest , is never in building one's life and hope around such ' star characters'. They invariably disappoint.

Saul Bellow may be famous, may be genius, may be alot of other things, but in the end, he is just another stunningly selfish jerk who used a talented lady the way he used Kleenex. Never mind that without her he would just be another has-been hack writer. Wasserman's revenge is in letting the man reveal himself for who he truly is. You'll want to give her a standing ovation. You'll also have fun reading about how ordinary selfish jerks can win all sorts of prizes for writing and you'll end up hoping the Jackal who now represents Saul Bellow gets the kind of revenge HE deserves as well. Wasserman's writing style is a bonus.......spare, subtle, witty. Her silent sword hits the spot!