Chronic City: Difference between revisions
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It all starts when Chase Insteadman, an actor whose career seems to be over (he became popular thanks to a [[sitcom]] when he was a boy) accidentally meets Perkus Tooth, once a promising critic, now barely surviving by writing liner notes for CDs and DVDs. Perkus has unconventional opinions on almost everything, especially [[Marlon Brando]], and is glad to express them; Chase contents himself with listening to his new friend. Much of the first part of the novel is pivoted upon Perkus' speeches and Chase's thoughts about them. In this part of the novel readers also meet Perkus' friends: Oona Laszlo, a [[ghostwriter]]; Richard Abneg, former squatter, now working for the powerful [[NYC]] mayor (who seems to be a fictional portrait of [[Michael Bloomberg]]); Biller, a black hobo who unexpectedly turns into Internet wizard; Georgina Hawkmanaji, a Turkish heiress. |
It all starts when Chase Insteadman, an actor whose career seems to be over (he became popular thanks to a [[sitcom]] when he was a boy) accidentally meets Perkus Tooth, once a promising critic, now barely surviving by writing liner notes for CDs and DVDs. Perkus has unconventional opinions on almost everything, especially [[Marlon Brando]], and is glad to express them; Chase contents himself with listening to his new friend. Much of the first part of the novel is pivoted upon Perkus' speeches and Chase's thoughts about them. In this part of the novel readers also meet Perkus' friends: Oona Laszlo, a [[ghostwriter]]; Richard Abneg, former squatter, now working for the powerful [[NYC]] mayor (who seems to be a fictional portrait of [[Michael Bloomberg]]); Biller, a black hobo who unexpectedly turns into Internet wizard; Georgina Hawkmanaji, a Turkish heiress. |
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Strange things happen in the NYC depicted in the novel; a mysterious tiger randomly destroys buildings and underground stations; a grey fog envelopes [[Manhattan]]'s [[Downtown]]; people are fascinated by mysterious chaldrons, gorgeous vases that are only seen in pictures, because nobody seems to have ever seen the originals; people keep asking Chase about his |
Strange things happen in the NYC depicted in the novel; a mysterious tiger randomly destroys buildings and underground stations; a grey fog envelopes [[Manhattan]]'s [[Downtown]]; people are fascinated by mysterious chaldrons, gorgeous vases that are only seen in pictures, because nobody seems to have ever seen the originals; people keep asking Chase about his fiancée, Janice Trumbull, stranded on the orbital space station, even though he cannot remember anything of the woman but her letters. On the other hand, nothing really important seems to happen in the plot, with the characters living their ordinary lives, unconventional as they may be. But then the tiger strikes Perkus' favorite hamburger joint, and damages the building he lives in; this suddenly turns him into a hobo, and sets in motion a chain of events which will bring the novel to its conclusion--and to several final revelations. |
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Chronic City was named to the [[New York Times]] 10 best books of the year list for 2009. <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/gift-guide/holiday-2009/10-best-gift-guide-sub/list.html?em</ref> |
Chronic City was named to the [[New York Times]] 10 best books of the year list for 2009. <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/gift-guide/holiday-2009/10-best-gift-guide-sub/list.html?em</ref> |
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Revision as of 10:07, 17 July 2010
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| Author | Jonathan Lethem |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
Publication date | October 13, 2009 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 528 pp |
| ISBN | 0385518633 |
| OCLC | 429934462 |
| Preceded by | You Don't Love Me Yet |
Chronic City is a novel by American author Jonathan Lethem that was published on October 13, 2009.[1] Lethem began work on Chronic City in early 2007,[2] and has said that the novel is "set on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, it’s strongly influenced by Saul Bellow, Philip K. Dick, Charles Finney and Hitchcock’s Vertigo and it concerns a circle of friends including a faded child-star actor, a cultural critic, a hack ghost-writer of autobiographies, and a city official. And it’s long and strange."[3]
Plot Outline
It all starts when Chase Insteadman, an actor whose career seems to be over (he became popular thanks to a sitcom when he was a boy) accidentally meets Perkus Tooth, once a promising critic, now barely surviving by writing liner notes for CDs and DVDs. Perkus has unconventional opinions on almost everything, especially Marlon Brando, and is glad to express them; Chase contents himself with listening to his new friend. Much of the first part of the novel is pivoted upon Perkus' speeches and Chase's thoughts about them. In this part of the novel readers also meet Perkus' friends: Oona Laszlo, a ghostwriter; Richard Abneg, former squatter, now working for the powerful NYC mayor (who seems to be a fictional portrait of Michael Bloomberg); Biller, a black hobo who unexpectedly turns into Internet wizard; Georgina Hawkmanaji, a Turkish heiress.
Strange things happen in the NYC depicted in the novel; a mysterious tiger randomly destroys buildings and underground stations; a grey fog envelopes Manhattan's Downtown; people are fascinated by mysterious chaldrons, gorgeous vases that are only seen in pictures, because nobody seems to have ever seen the originals; people keep asking Chase about his fiancée, Janice Trumbull, stranded on the orbital space station, even though he cannot remember anything of the woman but her letters. On the other hand, nothing really important seems to happen in the plot, with the characters living their ordinary lives, unconventional as they may be. But then the tiger strikes Perkus' favorite hamburger joint, and damages the building he lives in; this suddenly turns him into a hobo, and sets in motion a chain of events which will bring the novel to its conclusion--and to several final revelations.
Chronic City was named to the New York Times 10 best books of the year list for 2009. [4]
References
- ^ Chronic City listing, Amazon.com. Retrieved on 2009-08-31.
- ^ Kleffel, Rick. Jonathan Lethem (mp3 audio), The Agony Column Audio Interview Archive, 2007-04-16. Retrieved on 2007-09-07.
- ^ Renaud, Jeffrey. "Lethem Exits the Unknown with Omega", Comic Book Resources, 2008-07-18. Retrieved on 2008-08-03.
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/gift-guide/holiday-2009/10-best-gift-guide-sub/list.html?em