From Publishers Weekly
The grand poobah of American comedy has authored the memoir
My Anecdotal Life, several children's books and the autobiographical novels
Enter Laughing (1958) and
Continue Laughing (1996); here he checks in with a midlife crisis–fueled tale of a schlep's search for his origins. Nat Noland, a successful romance novelist, is hard at work on his latest book (of the same title as Reiner's), a spin on the Cain and Abel tale. When Nat's inner dialogue becomes a heated debate—between himself and, well, himself—his chipper wife, Glennie, signs him up with Dr. Frucht, a Viennese psychiatrist. Thus begins Nat's journey of self-discovery. Over the course of his cross-country travels, Nat, who was adopted, learns the incredible, lurid story of his birth parents—his dancer mother, Lena Lomax, and his father, Dr. Grimshade ("Calling that
dung ball a dirty bastard is a compliment!... And so, shmucko, is calling that
scumbag a dung ball!" Nat exclaims to himself). In New Orleans, Nat also finds his maternal grandfather, John Lomax. Slapstick cases of mistaken identity begin piling up, and tearful reunions ensue. Sloppy and speedy in a have-to-smile kind of way, this novel hits below-the-borscht belt.
(Feb.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
*Starred Review* Venerable comedic genius Reiner continues to amuse in a diverse variety of formats. For this novel within a novel, he tackles the age-old subjects of personal identity and sibling rivalry. As novelist Nat Noland struggles to eke out every page of his fictional retelling of Cain and Abel, he begins having a series of long conversations with himself. Overhearing her husband arguing with himself in different voices, Nat's wife, Glennie, subtly convinces him to see a therapist. During consultations with Dr. Frucht--
frucht in German means
fruit--Nat recalls a series of dreams about his childhood and adoption. Determined to resolve his questions about his murky past, he embarks upon a remarkable odyssey to discover the long-lost brother he may or may not actually have. This humorous romp through the psyche of an endearingly kooky author will find a ready-made audience in Reiner's legion of fans.
Margaret FlanaganCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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