Memoirs of a Dance Hall Romeo: A Novel [Hardcover]

Jack Higgins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1989

In 1949, 20-year-old Oliver Shaw was fresh out of the army, eager to make his mark on the world. He longed to sell his first novel, leave his teaching post at a dangerous slum school--and explore the mysteries of women. A lusty novel of a man in love with life's infinite possibilities. HC: Simon & Schuster.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Some writers can surprise their fans and win new admirers with a change of pace; this slender yet interminable coming-of-age tale by immensely popular suspense novelist Higgins suggests only that the author shouldn't abandon his career in genre fiction just yet. The abrasively sentimental (and apparently autobiographical) narrative concerns Oliver Shaw, an eager young soldier just out of the British army in 1949 and ready for action of a different kind. " . . . and so," begins the novel, "I decided to devote myself exclusively to the pursuit of women." In this case, it's a fairly trivial pursuit--although Shaw vividly recalls his first time (in fact, his first seven times), the women are an undistinguished, coldly depicted lot--mostly coarse, hard-bitten and insensitive, their unifying characteristic and saving grace seems to be willingness. Between liaisons, Higgins works in a subplot about Shaw's experiences as a schoolteacher and resuscitates a score of postwar cliches. Shaw is also an aspiring novelist, but this self-portrait of the artist as a young stud suggests a fairly mediocre future for him. Major ad/promo; author tour.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Higgins, author of many best-selling titles, the most recent being Night of the Fox (LJ 1/15/87), here reveals himself as the Julio Iglesias of thriller authors. This thinly disguised autobiographical novel is essentially a catalog of Higgins's remarkable number of sexual conquests in postwar England (were women then really this willing?). The author has been excused flimsy characterization in the past because his plots are so exciting, but here his weakness is glaringly obvious. However, this short memoir cum novel will be sought by the author's many fans to fulfill their curiosity. The casual browser will pass it over as yet another sophomoric reminiscence, barely above locker room conversation.
- Nora Rawlinson, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 186 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First edition (August 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671678434
• ISBN-13: 978-0671678432
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,453,114 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jack Higgins is among the world's most popular authors. Since the publication of The Eagle Has Landed--one of the biggest-selling thrillers of all time--every novel he has written has become an international bestseller, including The White House Connection and Day of Reckoning. He has had simultaneous number-one bestsellers in hardcover and paperback, and has been published in thirty-eight languages worldwide. Many of his books have been made into successful movies, among them The Eagle Has Landed, To Catch A King, and The Valhalla Exchange. He lives with his wife on Jersey in the Channel Islands.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finishing "Dance-Hall Romeo" Was Such Sweet Sorrow, November 10, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: MEMOIRS OF A DANCE-HALL ROMEO (Mass Market Paperback)

Higgins is famed for his spy novels and thrillers; since I don't read those kinds of books, I had never read Higgins. (I do read mysteries, but only the "cozy" kind.)

But "Dance-Hall Romeo" is a a change of pace for Higgins -- no spys, no thrills, just a sweet, charming, coming-of-age story. This is the first book I ever bought mainly because its cover art was absolutely GORGEOUS (but of course, the story also sounded appealing).

Higgins' words were as much a feast for the eyes as was the cover art. Trust me, you'll enjoy this well-written story, and this book will be a keeper.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars DIFFERENT, YET ENJOYABLE, June 16, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: MEMOIRS OF A DANCE-HALL ROMEO (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is very poetic and flowing. I enjoyed it very much.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Deserves better than sneering editorial reviews .............., February 12, 2010

By 

MovieMusic (Nautical Newport) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Memoirs of a Dance Hall Romeo (Paperback)

Who would be an author without a very thick skin?

The "Publishers Weekly" review said "slender yet interminable" and "abrasively sentimental". To whom is sentimentality abrasive, apart from this moronic reviewer?

The "Library Journal" review said "yet another sophomoric reminiscence". Has Nora Rawlinson suffered some kind of slight at the hands of the author at some stage? Or did she just want the dinner party cred of having given a famous author a backhander?

Perhaps the author would have been wiser not to use this pseudonym on this book, but his publisher probably demanded it.

Anyway, this is a gentle, reflective short novel about a young man learning about the infinite variability of women. It is well written and a pleasure to read.