Nine Wives [Paperback]

Dan Elish (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 14, 2005

Henry Mann is a 32-year-old bachelor who has spent the last few years watching everyone he knows get married. After the most recent wedding, where an intoxicated Henry proposes to no less than three women (including the rabbi), it dawns on him that being single isn't that much fun after all.

"Nine Wives is an inventive, original, funny, and big-hearted novel, a book I will recommend to anyone interested in good fiction."--Tim O'Brien, National Book Award-winning author of July, July

"Dan Elish has written an extremely funny book."—Jay Parini, author of The Apprentice Lover
"Dan Elish has created a Portnoy for the 21st century."—David Eddie, author of Chump Change

"Henry Mann wages battle between the real world and the imagined one with equal parts goofiness and suaveness. A very charming novel."—Antonya Nelson, author of Female Trouble

"Enough to put Bridget Jones to shame."—Helen Schulman, author of P.S.

“In a world where Sex and the City and Bergdorff Blondes tell us what we think we need to know about relationships, Elish has created a world far more real without stinting on the wit, insight, or hilarity.”—Jonathan Rabb, author of The Book of Q

“Dan Elish at last shows women what lurks within the minds of men.”—Helen Ellis, author of Eating the Cheshire Cat

“I read Nine Wives while Dan and I were dating. I didn't speak to him for a week, but I married him anyway.”—Andrea Elish

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Endearingly neurotic, 32-year-old Jewish composer Henry Mann fantasizes about marriage with virtually every attractive, single woman he meets after being dumped by his girlfriend, Sheila. In the midst of his ongoing slump, Henry may have hit the jackpot with sexy Tamar Brookman when the two reconnect after a hot blind date, especially when Brookman later supports Henry in his ongoing effort to write a musical based on The Great Gatsby. Henry's other potential prospect is Christine, a pretty school teacher who first fails to set off sparks, but who starts to look like a catch after Tamar's trail of ex-boyfriends leads to jealousy and a schism. Elish's debut is noticeably short on plot, but he displays a nice feel for the ups and downs of New York single life and produces a solid, albeit stereotyped, roster of support players. Other small flaws abound: most of Henry's romantic moves are predictable, and some of the scenes in which he fantasizes about his would-be wives are painfully silly and mawkish. Elish shows potential in this likable first novel, but if this book were a blind date, Henry would barely get to first base, and he'll need a stronger follow-up effort to win over his potential audience. (Aug.)
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From Booklist

After attending eight weddings in a single year, bachelor Henry Mann decides it's time to find a bride. While the thirtysomething New Yorker is neither drop-dead handsome nor deliriously rich, he's still a catch: charming, cute, and clever to boot (he's penning a musical called The Green Light, based on The Great Gatsby). So why all the potholes on the road to nuptial bliss? The women he pursues seem promising enough: Christine is smart and pretty (though Henry's a bit put off by the unibrow and crooked nose), and lissome Tamar forgoes her lesbian liaisons for frolics between the sheets. The problem, it seems, is that Henry's real life pales in comparison to the fantasies he concocts. The novel's best moments revolve around his hyperactive imagination, which has him cavorting with a porn star one moment, poolside with Jennifer Aniston the next. This is the first foray into adult fiction for children's book author Elish, and he's produced an often hilarious account of a lad in search of love. Allison Block
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; First Edition edition (July 14, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312339437
• ISBN-13: 978-0312339432
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,571,671 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Unique Literary Approach Through Fantasy, August 12, 2005

By 

Sally Hall - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nine Wives (Paperback)

Dan Elish has managed to carve out an intriguing and humorous character, Henry Mann, who gives us a glimpse into the romantic dreams and fantasies of a young at heart 30 + year old.

What I liked so much about this book was that the plot was developed through fantasy, there was at least a chuckle on every page, and the story was mainly told from a male perspecetive.

For a fresh slant and alot of fun..........don't miss this one!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A charming hero reveals the secret thoughts of single guys, July 28, 2005

By 

Lisa Browdy (Oak Park, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nine Wives (Paperback)

Before I read "Nine Wives," I thought it was only single women who fantasized about matrimony on the first date. But Henry Mann, who has reached the age of 32 and has decided to settle down, begins his story by proposing to three women at a single wedding (he was a bit drunk) and goes on to imagine weddings, children and of course lots of sex with most of the women he works with, talks with, or even sees across a crowded room. Henry is a sweet, creative, "nice guy" trying to make headway in the New York dating scene in spite of some considerable insecurities and serious jealousy issues. But his flaws are what make Henry so endearing -- you wouldn't care about him so much if he were perfect. His romantic misadventures showed me that a guy who is typically obsessed with sex and a little too hung up on how a woman looks can feel as scared, awkward and unsure of himself as any female. Male and female readers who crave a big dose of Happily Ever After will all be able to relate. The story is touching, funny and unpredictable, and the book is very hard to put down.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charming and Endearing, September 11, 2005

By 

omalley2 (New York, New York USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nine Wives (Paperback)

This is a charming and endearing novel which is wonderfully evocative about the world of 30-something singles, New York City struggling artists and the humorously devastating (and devastatingly humorous) pitfalls on the road to love. The characters are beautifully etched and the book is often laugh-out loud funny. A most enjoyable read.