Patrick O'Neil is a travel agent who never goes anywhere. His closest confidante, Sharon, is chain-smoking her way to singles hell, passing up man ('He used the word "lifestyle" four times since we met') after man ('He said I have nice feet'). His parents, proprietors of a suburban men's store, can't help fighting about how best to interfere in their three sons' lives. And his lover, Arthur, whom Patrick can't quite commit to, wants to cement their relationship by buying a house. Then a call comes in the middle of another ...
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Patrick O'Neil is a travel agent who never goes anywhere. His closest confidante, Sharon, is chain-smoking her way to singles hell, passing up man ('He used the word "lifestyle" four times since we met') after man ('He said I have nice feet'). His parents, proprietors of a suburban men's store, can't help fighting about how best to interfere in their three sons' lives. And his lover, Arthur, whom Patrick can't quite commit to, wants to cement their relationship by buying a house. Then a call comes in the middle of another sleepless night. Tony, Patrick's straight-as-an-arrow younger brother, has fallen in love with a beautiful lawyer ... unfortunately, she's not the woman he's already pledged to marry. Tony's life is a mess. Finally, the brothers have something in common. That's when things get complicated. The Easy Way Out is about family and friendship, about being in love and out of love, about the perils of modern life. It's a story of doing what you want to do, not what you should do.
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Seller's Description:
Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Damaged cover. The cover of is slightly damaged for instance a torn or bent corner. Aged book. Tanned pages and age spots, however, this will not interfere with reading. Grubby book may have mild dirt or some staining, mostly on the edges of pages.
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Very good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
Second novels are problematic, and this one proves it. Stephen McCauley does write wonderfully, and if you like the kind of stuff that is produced in so-called creative writing classes, this book is definitely for you. Here's the problem. The situation of the characters at the beginning of the book is an engaging ploy. Then nothing happens for most of the book. If you're still reading it, you get to find out what happens to the characters close to the end of the book. This could be a new art form. A three-act opera, with no action in Act 2. I'm not saying that plot-heavy writing is better that plot-weak writing, don't get me wrong. The problem is that the reader doesn't really connect with any of the characters, funny and idiosyncratic though they are. So the reader may not care what ultimately happens to the characters (who in fact, seem hyped for comedic value, which further distances the reader from identifying with the characters). The lead character is someone I would have no interest in meeting. I don't think a believable movie could be made out of this novel.
James
Jul 5, 2007
A joy to read by Stephen McCauley. Keep up coming!