"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
You should call it The Feast of Love. I'm the expert on that. I should write that book. Actually, I should be in that book. You should put me into your novel. I'm an expert on love. I've just broken up with my second wife, after all. I'm in an emotional tangle. Maybe I'd shoot myself before the final chapter. Your readers would wonder about the outcome.But why stop there? Bradley goes on to suggest that he send people to Baxter, "actual people, for a change, like for instance human beings who genuinely exist, and you listen to them for a while. Everybody's got a story, and we'll just start telling you the stories we have"--a sly tip-off to the reader of this elegant, quirky, and wholly engrossing novel that the writer may be no more reliable than his narrators.
What follows is a chronicle of love--the mad kind, the bad kind, and the kind that sustains us when everything else is gone. In addition to Smith, we meet Chloé, a young waitress at Bradley's espresso bar, and her ex-junkie boyfriend, Oscar; Bradley's next door neighbors, Harry Ginsburg, an elderly professor of philosophy, and his wife, Esther; and Kathryn and Diana, Bradley's two ex-wives. The characters take turns narrating, often commenting on and correcting versions of events mentioned by other characters in previous chapters, and occasionally advising Baxter on the progress of his novel: "Don't threaten people, especially lawyers" legal eagle Diana warns "Charlie" shortly before she launches into her own story. "Don't threaten your own characters. It's for your own good. You'll wind up in a mess of litigation and... subplots." But in The Feast of Love, God is in the subplots--Oscar and Chloé's involvement in the porn industry; Esther and Harry's agonized relationship with their mentally ill son; Bradley's travails in love, art, and dog ownership. As the novel progresses, these separate strands gradually merge, and not even an unexpected tragedy can dim the luster of this moonstruck romance. For by the time Baxter brings his tale of love and loss and redemption to a close, his characters have all found their way to the feast--bittersweet though some of the dishes may be. --Alix Wilber
"I had scarcely read twenty pages of Charles Baxter's superb new novel--a near perfect book, as deep as it is broad in its humaneness, comedy and wisdom--when I began to worry I couldn't do it justice in a review. . . . If there is any justice, this new novel will win him the wider fame and readership he deserves."
-- Washington Post Book World
"The best book I've read this year. . . A beautiful, sly, bawdly and wondrous conversation on love, on mistaken pairings and the happiness when they are set aright."
-- Detroit Free Press
"Never have I read a novel and wanted, immediately, to reread it, as I did with The Feast of Love. Emotionally, intellectually, in all the ways that the very best literature attends us, Charles Baxter's brilliant symphony of love, loss, memory, astonishing metaphysical boldness, is a complete sustenance, a perfect invention. The great Japanese writer Akutagawa asked what good is intelligence if you can't discover a 'useful melancholy'? Baxter has discovered that, has elevated the very nature of insomnia to a philosophical disquisition, enriches and dignifies the soul of a reader in many other surprising ways as well. This novel is an irreplaceable gift outright; each character we meet in its pages is a turbulent and remarkable presence. Baxter's passionate writing raises the level of regard for life itself, let alone the art of writing. The Feast of Love deserves all lasting attentions and great praise."
-- Howard Norman, author of The Bird Artist and The Museum Guard
"The Feast of Love is hilarious and at the same time desperately sad, full of wit and poetry and exquisitely observed perceptions of the human condition, erudite and streetwise at once. It conveys the delicacy, the violence, the salvation and the destruction of love. What a brilliant, powerful novel!"
-- Alan Lightman
"Rich, strange, alive with the miracles of daily life, this novel is a banquet for the soul. So many wonderful characters, all of whom I came to cherish: Bradley-the-person and Bradley-the-dog, Oscar and delectable Chloe, Esther and Harry and the great sadness of Aaron, not to mention disturbing Diana and the creepy Bat. Oh, everyone. The pleasures of the sets of characters intersecting; of the initial configurations of love reconfiguring themselves by the end. Truly, this is a novel in which the unexpected is always upon us."
-- Andrea Barrett, author of Ship Fever and The Voyage of the Narwhal
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
US$ 6.12
From United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Shipping:
US$ 12.74
From United Kingdom to U.S.A.
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR001431551
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The Feast of Love This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 7719-9781841156385
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Good. Ex-Library Book. Has usual library markings and stamps inside. All orders are dispatched the following working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we have over 500,000 books in stock. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied. Seller Inventory # mon0006370524
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. All orders are dispatched the following working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we have over 500,000 books in stock. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied. Seller Inventory # mon0006750402
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 6545-9781841156385
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Used; Good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books. Seller Inventory # mon0001699022
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Used; 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 is 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. Seller Inventory # BB00011219B
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. 320 pages. In Stock. Seller Inventory # __1841156388
Book Description Condition: Very Good. Book is in Used-VeryGood condition. Pages and cover are clean and intact. Used items may not include supplementary materials such as CDs or access codes. May show signs of minor shelf wear and contain very limited notes and highlighting. 0.53. Seller Inventory # 1841156388-2-3
Book Description Condition: New. In. Seller Inventory # ria9781841156385_new