Pandora's Bottle [Kindle Edition]

Joanne Sydney Lessner (Author)

Book Description

What happens when you pin all your hopes on a single event and it all goes terribly wrong? When that event is the uncorking of a fabled bottle of 1787 Chateau Lafite once owned by Thomas Jefferson, the repercussions are emotional, financial, theatrical and, in every way, unexpected. In this tale of hubris and redemption, aspiration and perseverance, Joanne Sydney Lessner provides a provocative glimpse into the world of fine wine, from the whirl of New York City haute cuisine to the historic vineyards of the Hudson Valley. When Sy Hampton purchases this legendary bottle which, through a quirk of preservation, may yet be drinkable he shocks the wine community by choosing to uncork it privately with a female companion, rather than at a special public event. Sy intends the evening to be a quiet reassertion of his virility in the throes of middle age, but for ambitious restaurateur Annette Lecocq, the event offers an irresistible opportunity for much-needed publicity. Their competing agendas are not the only things to collide on the fateful night. Caught in the crossfire are Tripp Macgregor, a waiter on the verge of his long-awaited Broadway debut, and Valentina D Ambrosio, the beautiful but unworldly working girl from Brooklyn Sy hopes to impress.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Pandora's Bottle is as delicious as a vintage Chateau Lafite and almost as rare--a novel that is as entertaining as it is smart. Joanne Sydney Lessner serves it with just the right dish of human folly. --Marc Acito, author of How I Paid for College and Attack of the Theater People

Lessner has served up a bubbly, big-haired and big-hearted opus magnum, redolent of the vanities of New York, with a whiff of Wodehouse and a dash of Dickens, full of raucous overtones but with a gentle finish. Drinkable immediately! --Jonathan Levi, Author of A Guide for the Perplexed and Co-Founder of Granta

Joanne Sydney Lessner has carefully crafted a well-wrought, fun, and fast-paced book detailing the highs and lows of the wine world. A great read. --Carlo De Vito, author of East Coast Wineries and 10 Secrets My Dog Taught Me

About the Author

In addition to Pandora's Bottle, which was named one of the top five books of 2010 by Paperback Dolls, Joanne Sydney Lessner is the author of BloodWrites Award-Winner and Awesome Indies Mystery Pick The Temporary Detective, which introduces Isobel Spice, aspiring actress and resourceful office temp turned amateur sleuth. Isobel's adventures continue in Bad Publicity. No stranger to the theatrical world, Joanne enjoys an active performing career, and with her husband, composer/conductor Joshua Rosenblum, has co-authored several musicals, including the cult hit Fermat's Last Tango and Einstein's Dreams, based on the celebrated novel by Alan Lightman. Her play, Critical Mass, received its Off Broadway premiere in October 2010 as the winner of the 2009 Heiress Productions Playwriting Competition. For more information, please visit joannelessner.com

Product Details

• File Size: 509 KB
• Print Length: 322 pages
• Publisher: Flint Mine Press; 1 edition (June 12, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B006EB495G
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #278,184 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful & skillfully executed July 11, 2012

By Tahlia Newland

Format:Kindle Edition

Pandora's Bottle is a delightful and skilfully executed work of contemporary fiction by a talented Awesome Indie author. The story revolves around the purchase and drinking of a very special bottle of wine, and is told from the points of view of various people connected to the events. The owner of the bottle, the owner of the restaurant, the waiter and the girl invited to share the bottle.

Each of these complex characters has their own engaging story that brings them into the sphere of this bottle of wine, worth half a million dollars. The book shows us how their individual stories contribute to the events that occur at the uncorking, but even more interesting is what happens to these characters after the event. A bottle of wine is, in the end, simply a bottle of wine, but when it is that unique & expensive, people's reverence and expectations endow it with the power to change people's lives, and this is what it does, in a very dramatic fashion.

The events of the uncorking lead to deep soul searching in all the characters and each of them goes through their own version of psychological death and resurrection. It is this that makes this book so powerful. This isn't just a pretty story. It's gutsy, meaningful and moving, and provides a clear mirror for us to evaluate our own lives in. This is what the best of fiction does. It is also is highly informative about wine.

Anyone who enjoys contemporary literature (I don't use that term lightly) should read this, especially if you're interested in wine, running a restaurant or dancing.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Pandorable! February 16, 2012

By Joel Kopischke

Format:Paperback

Just as my lack of knowledge of literary criticism will not stop me from writing this review, don't let any lack of knowledge of wine get in your way of enjoying this splashy tale. From the first whiff, I wanted to know what happened next to the delectable collection of oddball-yet-relatable characters. And just when I thought I knew where the plot might be headed, I was delighted to be taken on a more clever and amusing journey. This story is truly ambrosial!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Light, entertaining read February 28, 2013

By Caren

Format:Paperback

This was such great fun to read. I enjoyed it start to finish. The author's writing style pulled me into the book immediately. The scenes were wonderfully detailed without becoming tedious. I could easily picture what was happening without much effort.

The wonderfully quirky cast of characters was what really made the book entertaining. They were so well developed and just delightful to read about. They often made me laugh out loud. They each have their own story that makes a unique contribution to the story as a whole. I love how they all came together for the culminating event, and how the aftermath affected all of them in different ways.

If you are looking for a light, entertaining read then this is the book for you. It is easy to read and the conclusion is quite satisfying.

More About the Author

Joanne Sydney Lessner is the author of BloodWrites Award-Winner and Awesome Indies Mystery Pick THE TEMPORARY DETECTIVE, which introduces Isobel Spice, aspiring actress and resourceful office temp turned amateur sleuth. Isobel's adventures continue in the newly released BAD PUBLICITY. Inspired by the true story of the world's most expensive bottle of wine, Joanne's debut novel PANDORA'S BOTTLE (Flint Mine Press) was named one of the top five books of 2010 by Paperback Dolls. No stranger to the theatrical world, Joanne enjoys an active performing career, and with her husband, composer/conductor Joshua Rosenblum, has co-authored several musicals, including the cult hit FERMAT'S LAST TANGO and EINSTEIN'S DREAMS, based on the celebrated novel by Alan Lightman. Her play, CRITICAL MASS, received its Off Broadway premiere in October 2010 as the winner of the 2009 Heiress Productions Playwriting Competition. For more information, please visit http://joannelessner.com