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Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less See less

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David Goodwillie

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American Subversive: A Novel Hardcover – Deckle Edge, April 20, 2010

by David Goodwillie (Author)

4.1 63 ratings

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As the twenty-first century enters its second decade, foreign wars, the lingering recession and a caustic political environment are taking their toll on Americans. But the party hasn't ended for Aidan Cole and his friends, a band of savvy -- if cynical -- New York journalists and bloggers who thrive at the intersection of media and celebrity. At wine-sodden dinner parties or in dimly lit downtown bars, their frenetic talk -- of scoops and page views, sexual adventures and trendy restaurants -- continues unabated. Then, without warning, the specter of terrorism reenters their lives. A bomb rips through the deserted floor of a midtown office tower. Middle Eastern terrorists are immediately suspected. But four days later, with no arrests and a city on edge, an anonymous email arrives in Aidan's in-box. Attached is the photograph of an attractive young white woman, along with a chilling message: "This is Paige Roderick. She's the one responsible."

So begins an extraordinary journey into the dark soul of modern America -- from a back-to-the-land community in the Smoky Mountains to a Weather Underground-like bomb factory in Vermont; from Fishers Island, isolated getaway of the wealthy elite, to the hip lofts of Manhattan's Meatpacking District. American Subversive is David Goodwillie's sharp and penetrating take on the paranoia of our times -- and its real, untold dangers. In examining the connection between our collective apathy and the roots of insurrection, Goodwillie has crafted an intoxicating story of two young Americans grasping for a foothold in a culture -- and a country -- that's crumbling around them.

Hailed as a "clever, compelling, page-turner" in the Washington Post, Goodwillie's memoir Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time was a "breakout first book" (Elle) and a "searing sketch of a decade in decline" (Louisville Courier-Journal). Now, with his debut novel, David Goodwillie announces himself as a major new voice in American fiction. Expertly written, relentlessly suspenseful, and bitingly funny, American Subversive is both an unnervingly realistic tale of domestic terrorism and a perfectly observed portrait of Manhattan in the digital age.

Print length

320 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Scribner
Publication date

April 20, 2010
Dimensions

6.5 x 1 x 9.5 inches
ISBN-10

1439157057
ISBN-13

978-1439157053
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Goodwillie's debut novel (after his memoir, Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time), an incisive depiction of radicalism's seductive roots, the central characters are a good girl gone bad and a would-be journalist turned blogger who wants to do good. Paige Roderick, laid off from her think tank job and devastated by the Iraq War death of her beloved brother, is an easy mark for a shadowy cabal of home-grown terrorists who recruit her from the ranks of weekend environmental warriors. Separately, Aidan Cole, a failed journalism student turned Manhattan gossip blogger, is drawn into her radical orbit (and into a romance) by a phantom from America's radical past: a former member of the Weather Underground. Part political thriller and part on-the-run love story, Goodwillie's glimpse of the lapsed idealism that might be fueling America's subversive underground falls somewhere between Bret Easton Ellis's Glamorama and John Updike's Terrorist. The mix of mocking the jaded hip—the Gawker-like blogging empire that Aidan works for serves as a frequent punching bag—and exploring cultural and social unrest results in a comic and unsettling two-pronged dissection of a subset of contemporary America. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

A bomb, a New York City blogger, and a beautiful homegrown terrorist form the unholy trinity that powers this fresh, knowing look at the American cultural and political landscape. In the year 2010, a bomb detonates in Barneys—it was set off on the wrong floor and was supposed to destroy the headquarters of a secretive company that makes billions parlaying the influence of its board members to obtain lucrative oil deals. Then blogger Aidan Cole receives a photo of a glamorous young woman who is identified as the person who planted the bomb. Aidan, a jaded hipster, has finally found a hard news story worth pursuing, but when he tracks the radical to her hiding place, he finds they have more in common than he ever imagined. The well of their mutual disillusionment runs deep, for she has lost a brother to a senseless war and he has lost faith in the rewards of a career-driven life. In this thriller-cum-political-manifesto, Goodwillie provides an unnerving, completely credible portrait of the roots of domestic terrorism and the frequently soulless quality of modern American life. --Joanne Wilkinson

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scribner; 1st edition (April 20, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1439157057
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1439157053
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1 x 9.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,272,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #9,241 in Political Fiction (Books)
- #18,232 in Political Thrillers (Books)
- #152,724 in Literary Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.1 63 ratings

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David Goodwillie

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David Goodwillie is the author of the acclaimed novels KINGS COUNTY, a finalist for the 2020 Gotham Book Prize, and AMERICAN SUBVERSIVE, a New York Times Notable Book of 2010, and a Vanity Fair and Publisher's Weekly top ten Spring debut. He is also the author of the memoir SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME, for which he was named one of the "Best New Writers of 2006″ by members of the PEN American Center. Goodwillie writes about books for The New York Times, and his fiction and nonfiction have appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers, including New York, The Daily Beast, Popular Science, and Newsweek. He has been drafted to play professional baseball, worked as a private investigator, and been an expert at Sotheby's auction house. A graduate of Kenyon College, he lives in Brooklyn and the Catskills.

Customer reviews

63 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story engaging and exciting, with an interesting premise. They enjoy reading it and find it fun and current. However, some readers feel the story starts boringly and ends disappointingly.

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Storytelling skill Readability Story quality

6 customers mention "Storytelling skill"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storytelling skill. They find the premise interesting and the dual narrative technique effective. The book is described as gripping, fun, and exciting. It provides an unexpected perspective on this young woman's journey to become a U.S. citizen.

"...I was taken with the skill in which the story was presented, and quality of the writing...." Read more

"...The book is a real eye-opener. It gave me a completely unexpected perspective into this young woman's journey to becoming involved in bombings to..." Read more

"A very interesting premise, going inside the minds of American terrorists who justify their actions by claiming it's the way to a better world,..." Read more

"...A page-turning, thoughtful, careful study on what patriotism means in post-9/11 America, this is the book I've been waiting for for a long time." Read more

5 customers mention "Readability"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it engaging, well-paced, and current. While some parts may be a bit uneven, overall they find the novel good and humorous at times.

"...Really enjoyed reading this book...." Read more

"...The love story is sort of iffy but the novel overall is good and at times quite humorous. It's definitely telling of 21st century America." Read more

"Well paced, engaging and current." Read more

"Great Read..." Read more

4 customers mention "Story quality"0 positive4 negative

Customers find the story boring, predictable, and superficial. They feel the backstories are weak and the love story is iffy. The story is full of coincidences, implausible actions, and flat characters.

"...The love story is sort of iffy but the novel overall is good and at times quite humorous. It's definitely telling of 21st century America." Read more

"...Really? I mean really? The ending is so conventional and predictable that I almost smashed my Kindle against the wall...." Read more

"...The story starts boringly & ends as a suspense thriller with an implausible ending." Read more

"Nice try, but weak execution: I was bored to tears with the back stories, political lectures and a pretty lame 'mystery'. Didn't work for me" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

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wakraft

Great Read

Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2010

Verified Purchase

I picked this up on the strength of the author's memoir of young adulthood in New York City. Like a painting can do more justice to a place than a photo, his use of a novel format brings the city and its people more to life than the previous book. I was taken with the skill in which the story was presented, and quality of the writing. Some reader tags suggested on Amazon were "thriller" or "crime fiction". These are true in a certain sense, but do not to me do justice to the fullness of the work. I was a little skeptical of the premise initially, but was quickly taken in. Overall, a very good story told with great skill.

5 people found this helpful

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Carole A.

American Subversive will change your thinking about "terrorists".

Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2020

Verified Purchase

Terrorism is a very complex, difficult subject. American Subversive offers great insights into the interior life and motivations of a young woman who becomes a "terrorist". The book is a real eye-opener. It gave me a completely unexpected perspective into this young woman's journey to becoming involved in bombings to draw attention to what is going on with large corporations in America. The perspective of Aidan who unwittingly becomes involved with this young woman further complicates the picture. Nothing is as it seems. The role of Simon Krauss--Aidan's mother's boyfriend and successful sculptor is intriguing and maybe a bit too coincidental--but, nonetheless, still another part of the complex web. Really enjoyed reading this book. I had read Goodwillie's new book and absolutely loved it, so I ordered his earlier book--didn't like it quite as much as the new book,

One person found this helpful

Helpful

G. Messersmith

A Journalist and a Bomber

Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2010

Verified Purchase

The novel is told from the two perspectives of Aidan Cole and Paige Roderick. Aidan is a journalist school drop-out who is working as a blogger and Paige is a beautiful girl from North Carolina who lost her brother to the war in Iraq. They come together in a most unusual way. At the opening of the story Aidan is dating a "relationship columnist" for the New York Times who uses their relationship as material for her column. Also at the beginning of the story is a bombing at Barney's and everyone is trying to figure out who is responsible when Aidan receives an e-mail with a picture of girl and the e-mail states that the girl is Paige Roderick and she is the one responsible. Aidan does not know what to do with the information. Aidan becomes obsessed with Paige and soon tracks her down even though she is on the run and in hiding. Meanwhile Paige has become disenchanted with the radical group she is part of so she runs off with Aidan.

Aidan basically gives up his life for Paige to keep her safe. They are each writing their versions of what happened from safe houses they are currently living in. It details their love story which happens while they are on the run from the law and the radical group Paige left. The love story is sort of iffy but the novel overall is good and at times quite humorous. It's definitely telling of 21st century America.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

mk_uber

Seemed like a nice twisted read but didn't hit the mark

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2014

Blogging and Bombing and Politics. Seemed like a nice twisted read but didn't hit the mark. The author didn't quite do justice to the various threads he was weaving. It felt like a story that could have been just a little bit more. We must admit that the ending was satisfying. If you can get it for nothing and need a nice quick read. Pick it up.

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John Brown

Not how it works

Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2010

Verified Purchase

I've only read three chapters. I do like the book. That said, I can tell you this one doesn't just suddenly become a militant
" underground type" out of the blue...with no ideology, no political history, and next to nothing in the way of political thought, at least not on the left, merely on the basis of personal trauma. Maybe this will be explained better later in the read. We'll see.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Betancourt

Ultimately disappointing

Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2011

Verified Purchase

A very interesting premise, going inside the minds of American terrorists who justify their actions by claiming it's the way to a better world, made me read this book. Sadly, a novel doesn't only depend on a premise to be good. The story is full of coincidences, implausible actions and completely flat characters. The story of the blogger, the "hero" of the novel, if you will, Aidan Cole, is boring, predictable and superficial. But where the novel really went wrong was the moment the woman terrorist, Paige Roderick, a beautiful, irresistible goddess, mind you, is tracked down by Mr. Cole who discovers where she's hiding. The lead terrorist, a sinister, take no prisoners type, decides, against all logic, to send Paige ALONE to find out what Cole has in mind. Really? I mean really? The ending is so conventional and predictable that I almost smashed my Kindle against the wall. Two stars, because the first few chapters aren't that bad.

2 people found this helpful

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Alexandra Henshel

The ultimate post 9/11 novel

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2010

Verified Purchase

Best book I've read this year.
After a terrorist bombing at Barneys, Aidan Cole, a NYC based blogger, who works for a thinly-veiled Nick Denton of Gawker media fame, receives an anonymous email with a photo of a beatiful girl, claiming that the girl, Paige Roderick, is responsible for the attack.
A page-turning, thoughtful, careful study on what patriotism means in post-9/11 America, this is the book I've been waiting for for a long time.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Christine Shookus

Love how Simon Krause came into the plot & quickly legitimized the historical need (as far as the reader is concerned) to reality.

Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2020

Verified Purchase

Loved the actual movement of the novel’s players....I.e. Waitsfield, Vt.....Ohio,SLC, etc. Knowing that Paige is still out there, safe, but now seeing a different side of the problem.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

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derek hennig

Four Stars

Reviewed in Canada on April 6, 2015

Verified Purchase

Good read would recommend.

J

Bien mais trop long

Reviewed in France on December 10, 2012

Verified Purchase

Le livre part sur une idée intéressante mais est définitivement trop long, ce qui finit par rendre sa lecture pénible.

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