Polite Sex: A Novel [Paperback]

James Wilcox (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2, 1999

When Emily and Clara, two young women from Tula Springs, Louisiana, arrive in New York City, they carry with them all the youthful expectancy of a bright future filled with passion and accomplishment. As the years pass and Emily and Clara follow different paths, each discovers in her own way that growing older involves concessions -- and that concessions in love can be the costliest of all.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tula Springs, La., the locale of Wilcox's four, highly praised comic novels ( Modern Baptists ) is present here only as a reference point in the story of two young women, girlhood friends in Tula Springs, who come to New York City in the '70s. Just out of Smith and longing both for an acting career and a chance to lose her virginity with a husband who will worship her for having saved it, Emily Brix settles instead for a tedious job in a Times Square movie production company and a marriage of convenience. As her life slowly slides downhill, Emily remains adrift, out of place, unsure of who she is and what real love might encompass. Clara Edward, once third-runner-up in the Miss Louisiana beauty pageant, comes to the city in flight from an abusive fiance. Aspiring only to remain unbruised, Clara winds up as a TV star, married to a gentle man who dotes on her. Exploring the ironies of their vastly different situations, Wilcox is sometimes amusing, but more often tiresome; after a while, the contrast of Emily's hard luck with Clara's good fortune begins to pall. A jolting last-minute revelation comes too late; in its proper place in the narrative it might have given this tale the poignancy and credibility it never quite achieves.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

A witty and passionately penetrating story that follows 20 years in the lives of two young women from Louisiana searching for success in New York City's limelight. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Back Bay Books (June 2, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316941344
• ISBN-13: 978-0316941341
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,942,835 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Highly specialized love - of a particular sort, June 25, 2000

By 

"patandbob" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Polite Sex: A Novel (Paperback)

First off I have to say I'm not worthy to write a review of any James Wilcox novel - but I saw that it hadn't been reviewed and it's my favorite of his novels, so I'll try.

The fun of this book, and of all of Wilcox's books, is how each character speaks for himself and succeeds in giving himself and his secrets away while trying very hard to retain his dignity and his secrets.

Wilcox's books are FUN, and sly, and witty, and sometimes hard for mere mortals such as myself to understand at first.

The two main characters, Emily and Clara, will be competing for your affection along with those of the men in the novel, whether they admit it or not. I think perhaps Wilcox's motto towards his characters could be "to understand all is to forgive all." Wilcox has a wonderful understanding of the beauty of human nature - and he certainly taught me to appreciate people's imperfections as part of their beauty.

I have recently discovered Gail Godwin's excellent novels (The Good Husband and Violet Clay) and I think if you like her novels you will enjoy James Wilcox's Polite Sex.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars No end in sight..., December 22, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Polite Sex: A Novel (Paperback)

Felt this book was a good read until the end. There was also no distinct climax of the story. Also, the end just drapped off, leaving the reader without any feeling of completeness.