The English American: A Novel (Hardcover)

by Alison Larkin (Author)
Key Phrases: art buddies, The English American, Alison Larkin, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Based on her semi-autobiographical one-woman show of the same title, Larkin's debut novel takes a comedic but heartfelt look at issues of identity, heredity and self-acceptance. Pippa Dunn—British, 28 and living with her sister in West London—loves her adoptive parents dearly, but has rarely felt at home with the primness and very British emotional restraint with which she was raised, as her funny, anxious narration demonstrates. When Pippa discovers that her birth mother, Billie, is an American (from Georgia, no less) she feels compelled to travel to the U.S. to meet the the sweet, understanding, empathetic ethereal mother she's always imagined. Not surprisingly, both Billie and Pippa's birth father, Walt, fail to live up to her imagined ideals. Although Larkin's premise leads to worthy reflections in Pippa's winning voice, awkward attempts to marry the birth-mother search to a conventional romantic comedy plot are less successful. Through a midbook e-mail exchange, we learn that Pippa met her soul mate, Nick (now a banker in Singapore), in a London park seven years before, but wasn't ready to feel love. Nick the banker-cum-painter is far too tortured and emotive to be believable, and the ensuing romantic revelations are predictable. Pippa, however, is a complex, compelling character—truly an amalgam of her heredity and her environment—and readers will root for her as she uncovers her roots and finds herself. (Mar.)
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From Booklist
Despite loving her English mum and dad dearly, Pippa Dunn—adopted as an infant from America—never feels she fits into her family. Her fear of abandonment has her looking for the wrong men, in order to leave them before they leave her. At the age of 28, Pippa goes to America seeking her birth parents: beautiful, artistic Billie and her married lover, Walt, who gave up their daughter for the sake of their relationship. The first blush of parental love is intoxicating, with Pippa seeing her traits in others and feeling truly free to express herself. Then reality (Billie’s possessiveness, Walt’s evasiveness) sets in, and Pippa faces the issue of nature versus nurture. Pippa’s long-distance correspondent through all this is fellow adoptee Nick Devang, but her true source of support is right in front of her. A predictable romantic outcome is easily forgiven, given comedienne-actress-playwright Larkin’s vivid description of the obstacles facing adoptees who find their birth parents. Drawn from Larkin’s own life, this debut novel—like Pippa herself—is smart, funny, and utterly charming. --Michele Leber

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1st Simon & Schuster Hardcover Ed edition (March 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141655159X
• ISBN-13: 978-1416551591
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #205,169 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best of Both Worlds, March 5, 2008

By	Carole "Carole" (USA) - See all my reviews

The Best of Both Worlds

'The English American" is both an immensely readable and enjoyable novel, and a story with deep meaning on multiple levels. Likewise, its heroine, Pippa Dunn, embodies the best of both worlds: genteel British upbringing on the one hand, and irrepressible independent American spirit on the other. But there is more; the more you read and reflect, the more is revealed, not only about Pippa, but also about oneself. I felt connected to Pippa and enjoyed traveling with her on her journey "across the Pond" and back again, and also within. It doesn't matter whether you have experienced any of the situations presented by "The English American," whether you are a man or a woman, young or old. It speaks to the human heart, with both humor and spirit.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alison Larkin is brilliant, March 8, 2008

By	A Reader "A Reader" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

Having been unable to put down THE ENGLISH AMERICAN since opening the covers, really only two questions remain: (1) When is the movie coming out? and (2) What happens to Pippa next? -- i.e., how long will Alison Larkin keep us waiting for THE ENGLISH AMERICAN VOL. II?

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I had to keep reading, even by flashlight!, June 5, 2008

By	Jennifer Damme (Herndon, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

How fortunate that I am on vacation this week, because once I opened The English American yesterday afternoon I couldn't put it down. When we lost power during a storm, I read by flashlight for about six of the happy hours I spent completely transported by this book.

I was so sorry to reach the last page that I immediately went back and reread all my favorite parts, of which there are a great many. Ms. Larkin does not trivialize the profound challenges Pippa faces, nor does she prescribe the reader's response. Set aside an uninterrupted space of time to savor this gift.