Customer Reviews

Night Life of the Gods

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was about 13 years old when I discovered this book. It had been left with others on the third floor of our home. They belonged to an Uncle who was overseas during WWII. Had my parents been aware of just what I was reading, I am sure they would have confiscated the book. I was well into my 20's when I 're-discovered' Night Life of the Gods, among other Thorn Smith books, and read them again without the little girl giggles. We still laugh aloud over the delicious romps of Smith's characters. The tales are timeless and still a lot of fun. Not the least bit significant of anything; a leap from so much seriousness in print today. Read, laugh and enjoy a fine humorist.

Thorne Smith should be hailed as one the greatest writers of the 20th Century. I never heard about him from any of my teachers in high school or college. It took a great friend of mine to give me her copy of Nightlife of the Gods to get me started. And I thank her all the time for it.

This book is absolutely incredible in the amount of hilarity it contains. I just can't write enough about this book, as of many of his other books that are out of print....Rain in the Doorway chief among them. But anyways, buy this book for your funny bone's sake and you will not got home angry. Rest, Relax, Read, Enjoy. This book is worth every cent you pay for it.

I first read this book back in 1977. The reason I did so beacuase of a mythological course I was taking in school. The characters touched me and made me laugh until I was in tears and people around me asked what was so funny. It's hard to explain that to some but now every time I need to laugh all I have to remember is that book, it's characters and the sheer hilarity it brought to my day. I've also read many other books by Thorne Smith and have found that the lessons they impart to us about everyday life and the spots we get ourselves in sometimes without our doing can turn out to be some of the best times of our lives. I'm looking forward to buying this book again in 2000 as my copy has been slowly destroyed over the years, and I am in need of another to get me through the next 30 years. I do belive that everyone who has a hidden sense of humor should read this book as it might make them smile more often and especially those in stressful careers and jobs. You'll love it!

In the 1930's, an eccentric inventor/scientist invents a pair of rays that will turn people and animals into stone and back again. He gets drunk to celebrate and runs into a leprechaun who doesn't particularly like the Irish, but loves strong drink. He introduces him to his daughter Meg, who promptly seduces him. Together, they go to New York and bring the Roman Gods back from their stoney imprisonment in the Museum of Art.

Gods can not be bothered with foolishness like prohibition or policemen trying to enforce silly laws. But the intervening years have diminished their god-like powers and so the collection of a rich eccentric, a sultry leprechauness, and half a dozen Gods gets into modern trouble. They give as good as they get and after a battle with state police in which arrows, fountain pens, lots of booze, and a wall are featured, the gods and their rescuer/accomplice retire once more into statues.

Thorne Smith wrote romantic fantasy. In this, The "Nightlife of the Gods", he demonstrated the best of his imagination and gift for humor. Although this is more obscure than "Topper", it is among his best work and the humor bridges the decades since it was first published effortlessly. The characters are delightful conversationalists and the situations worthy of a new film.

Smith mixes humor, whiskey (which was illegal) and sexual situations with his fantasies. He constructs characters and shows his contempt for the hypocacies of his (and our) day with delightful skill. This is a fun read and fully worth pursuing through rare book stores.

Maybe it isn't fair to compare this to Smith's most popular work, but if I'd read this one first, I don't think I'd have picked up another one. It lacks the charm and innocence of Topper. Hawk is more cynical and world-weary than Cosmo. Nightlife is more daring, yet less effective. It has a mean edge to it that isn't evident in Topper. This book strains for profundity and poignancy, not succeeding until the last page.

The much put-upon Hunter Hawk, Inventor, creates a ray that brings statues to life. It's amazing the trouble a high-spirited group of Greek Gods and Goddesses can get into! Fashioning arms for Venus allows her to grab men off the street; Neptune terrifies swimmers with his dead man float; and Perseus will insist on feeding Medusa's head fish tidbits at the restaurant, much to the waiter's horror. I laugh out loud every time I read this wonderful book.

This has always been my favourite of this author's works. Even as a child, when I didn't understand some of the action, I howled helplessly. I learned not to read this one in public. For me, it stays very, very funny.

NIGHT LIFE OF THE GODS is a novel of moments, but the moments are priceless. For example, when the armless statue of Venus comes to life, her drapery, frozen in stone before, now slides to her feet. And the scene in which Neptune visits the Fulton Fish Market is alone worth the price of the book. NIGHT LIFE OF THE GODS is one of the most original comic novels I have ever read, and I recommend it to those lucky people who are able to procure a copy!

Didn't discover Thorne Smith until I was an adult. In case you haven't recognized the name, Smith is responsible for the Topper series of books, among many others - although he didn't live long enough to see the success of his works in movies and TV. It is a goldie-oldie where we discover Hunter Hawk, a brilliant scientist who likes to experiment - he can turn people into statues! On his jaunts out of his estate, he meets the lovely Mageara, a 900 year old witch with who has (among other things) the power to turn statues into flesh and blood! They hook up and the main thrust of the plot is they go to the Metropolitan Museum and turn famous mythological statues to life. Things never would be the same in New York after that! Hawk and Magaera must be reponsible for the care, feeding (mostly drinking!), housing and behavior of these gods and goddess - mayhem abounds!

The supporting characters, mainly Mageara's father and Hawk's butler are also delights.

Smith's dialog is rapid-fire and laugh out loud great. It does have some terms that were current in the 20's/30's, but it is a great read. This book means a lot to me.

It is a once in a lifetime book that captured my imagination and it is worth getting - Worth getting used with Amazon, or in used book stores - maybe bookstores have the reissued paperbacks.

My suggestion: read "Gods" for the characters. They're well-drawn, with distinct personalities and foibles, and their eagerness to experience the modern world (and its pleasures of the flesh) is guaranteed to bring a smile. Unfortunately, the story is a bit weak, with too much jumping from vignette to vignette, and the bantering dialogue is at times overdone. Still, whenever "Gods" seemed to be bogging down and I was ready to give it up, Smith would hit his stride again and keep me reading. Worth the time.