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Make-Believe Ballrooms
 
 
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Make-Believe Ballrooms (Paperback)

~ (Author) "After Kitty fell out of the window I fell into the abyss..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Mary-Ann Beavers, Lisa Lyman (more...)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
Price: $9.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Hal Andrews, the pseudo-bohemian narrator of this trendy novel about growing up absurd, is a "construction artist" trying to make it in New York while waiting to come into a trust fund. PW called the story "uncompelling."
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Dark days for Hal Andrews, New York artist and scion of an eccentric New England family. His cat has just died in a plunge from his apartment window. His brother Beck, manic-depressive and hopelessly nostalgic, is about to marry Lisa Lyman, heiress to the Family Wipes fortune and certifiably the world’s most abominable girl. Their sister Fishie, an Olympic swimming champion who uses her television appearances to berate Hal, has recently shaved her head bald. And their father is withholding Hal’s inheritance until he becomes more responsible, or at least until he’s sixty-five. Hal’s artwork clutters the floors of his girlfriend’s apartment and does about as much for his putative gallery. Hoping for a genius grant and settling for a decrepit dog and a derisive girlfriend, Hal’s optimism begins to wane as he descends “into a moody twilit world of obscure urban horror.”

Product Details

  • Paperback: 292 pages
  • Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press (January 31, 1994)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0871133679
  • ISBN-13: 978-0871133670
  • Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,817,762 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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More About the Author

Peter J. Smith
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Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
After Kitty fell out of the window I fell into the abyss. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Mary-Ann Beavers, Lisa Lyman, Mister Softee, Bob Moore, Circle Line, Eldridge Street, Marlene Bauke, Great William, Miss Lucie, Dick Dickerson, Elvis Presley, Family Wipes, Maxfield Parrish, Senator Willem, State Farm Insurance, Amy Stardust, Mary of Munich, Montgomery Brewer, Rolling Stones, Wheat Thins, Camp Wawami, Fishie Andrews, Khe Phang, Mount Rushmore
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Customer Reviews

5 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Risk your life finding a copy of this book, October 5, 1997
By A Customer
We have here what we may term the Seinfield of fiction. A story about so much, yet when trying to put it into words one comes up with "it's sort of a story about...nothing." However, among the barrage of "meaningful" fiction loitering pretentiously on bookstore fiction shelves, this novel says infinitely more about life, with its simple and effecting prose and utterly laugh at loud situations and characters, than any torturous "story with a moral" that you'll find on the best seller list. You will laugh out loud...I am not being figurative. You will laugh out loud often and with the unembarassed intensity that usually only a witty best friend can inspire. You will also feel strangely touched by this book. I say "strangely" because, perhaps like me, you won't be able to quite put your finger on why. Perhaps it is because life consists of a series of "nothing" events and coincidences, challenges and changes, silly as they may be. You will see the absurdity of life in this book and, upon closing it, realize how beautiful that absurdity is. Risk your life to find a copy of this amazing book...it is difficult to find, but then again, so are most worthwhile things. Find it, read it, and then write Mr. Smith a thank you letter for writing it. It is a rare gem in a slough of mediocrity.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Flawless, October 15, 1999
By A Customer
I love this book. Even after several readings, it still causes me to laugh aloud. "Make Believe Ballrooms" has seriously affected the way I look at Maxfield Parrish paintings, and that is probably a good thing. If only there were more . . . .
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars the funniest book!, March 28, 2000
By A Customer
This book is conceivably the funniest book that I have ever read! A must-read for anyone with a quirky and creative sense of humor!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny
Clever, witty and one of my favorite charming duos. Long live Hal and Mary-Ann!



Published 16 months ago by Book Lover

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy it today!
A funny book that actually will make you laugh out loud. Beautifully written with engaging and unexpected characters. Peter J Smith is a wonderful writer. Read more
Published on April 15, 2000 by LadyRead

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