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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fear and Loathing in the Hamptons, July 17, 2001
This review is from: Lit Life: A Novel (Hardcover)
"Lit Life" or Lit Lite? That's the question that pops to mind after finishing this pseudo roman a clef. Its formula is simple: take the last half-century of American lit, New York division only, and wrap it around the theme of an artist's struggle between the demands of art and the temptations of commerce. "Lit Life" would make a great party game, along the lines of the one played in the book, in which the first line of a novel is quoted and the players must come up with the book and author. Is Bret Easton Ellis or Jay McInery closer to Kyle Clayton, the brat pack hotshot who's eight years past the blazing success of his debut novel, now infested with writer's block and an adoration of alcohol, on the outs with his friends, his co-writers and his agent? Then there are his potential mentors: the elderly "writer's writer" -- meaning critical favorite but no sales -- Richard Whitehurst, whose last book, in the works for ten years, bombed (let's see, reclusive yet respected and depressive, that's William Gaddis, and the decade-long book that bombed could be "The Tunnel," by William Gass); and Arthur Trebelaine, the popular writer with the Hemingwayesque reputation (Herman Wouk? Mario Puzo? How about Irwin Shaw? Discuss.) When Kyle's latest escapade made him persona non grata in Manhatten, he accepts Richard's invitation to spend the summer with him at his house on Long Island. There, he finds himself rejuvinated enough to resume writing, but he's also plunged into Whitehurst's crippled family, consisting of his estranged and attractive younger wife, the drug-addicted wild daughter who blames daddy for everything bad that's happened to her (Elizabeth Wurzel! Just kidding.). Kyle also finds himself becoming the rope in a tug-of-war between Richard and Arthur, whose close friendship is unraveling rapidly under the stress of jealousy, envy, paranoia and fear. Don't expect to find sympathetic characters; the three writers are sometimes charming, but all monsters in different ways, and their self-absorption makes me want to hit them with a clue stick. But if you're interested in the tribulations and paranoias of the writing life, "Lit Life" offers a stress-free, sometimes amusing voyage, sort of like the "Pirates of the Carribbean" ride at Disneyland: see the old-fashioned agent dunking pickles into his coffee at a deli meeting with a writer; see the rapacioius publisher threatening to sue to get Kyle's advance back; see the combination of back-biting and brown-nosing that goes on at a PEN party. Some of the story lines don't make sense. Would "The Paris Review" really favor a profile of Trebelaine over Whitehurst? And what did Chevy Chase do to Wenzel that earned him an extended cameo as a buffoon during a charity softball game on the Hamptons that co-starred Martha Stuart, Billy Joel and coach John Grisham? Wenzel displays a wonderful skill at crafting satirical barbs and effortless prose, which writers know takes a lot of work to achieve. "Lit Life" is a slightly pre-chewed chunk of summer fiction that can be read and digested before the weekend's over.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spend a Summer with Writers in NY for $12, July 16, 2002
I'm no literary guru or genius, but I know what I like when I see it, and I like this book -- a lot. Without sounding as if I'm saying that the story is plain, this book is proof that sometimes the way a story is told is more important than the story itself. Sure, the tale of the two major writer-characters is interesting, but without Wenzel's extraordinary character development, it might not be satisfying enough; Wenzel's efforts in this regard left me feeling not only that I knew the characters very well, but also that I had summered with them in the Hamptons. And what colorful characters they are! You may not uncover the meaning of life, but you will have a good time -- and isn't that what it's all about? If you've ever even contemplated writing a novel, or if you have a love affair as many of us do with all things New York (City and Hamptons, that is), then this book will give you pleasure. Well done, Mr. Wenzel!
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Funny, sad first novel on lives of New York writers, February 18, 2004
Lit Life is Kurt Wenzel first novel, and is centered on three characters: Kyle Clayton, whose first novel was a huge success, but has written nothing else for years; Richard Whitehurst, who is called America's most underrated writer, having failed to achieve success despite a lifetime of hard work and respectable reviews; and Whitehurst's wife Meryl, who after decades of marriage to Whitehurst sees their relationship dying as a result of the writer's failure to achieve the success he has dreamed of. Clayton and Whitehurst could not seem more different -- Clayton has spent the years since his first novel getting drunk and chasing women, while Whitehurst has shown an almost monkish dedication to his work, to the point that he is alienated from his wife and daughter. However, the differences between the two result in a relationship. Clayton has long admired Whitehurst's work, and Whitehurst admires Clayton's work and envies his fame. By the time the two meet, that fame has gone sour -- Clayton finds himself listed in an article in New York magazine as one of the 100 most obnoxious New Yorkers. Whitehurst persuades Clayton to spend the summer with him in the Hamptons, and this intrusion into Whitehurst's settled life has consequences that no one could have expected. This description of the plot makes the book sound like grim reading. It is not. Clayton's escapades at throughout the book, as he gets drunk, behaves (at times) badly, and ponders the possibility of agreeing to product placement in his next book are all very funny. The last idea is not as fanciful as it sounds; a noted British novelist agreed to such a deal (I don't know if Wenzel anticipated it or not). While Wenzel has some interesting things to say about the life of a writer, he does so in a way that has broad appeal -- this is not a navel-gazing book. And Wenzel is quick to see the humor in his other charactes as well. The book is best described as a satire. Wenzel is a highly skilled writer. He moves the vantage point of the novel from Clayton, to Whitehurst, and to Meryl to show how the characters view themselves and each other. This is an effective way to flesh a character out. And Wenzel handles his three main characters well -- none of them are stereotypes. The book moves smoothly from comedy to tragedy, with an very effective ending. I look forward to Wenzel's next book.
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