Saturday, April 29, 2006

Wake Up, Sir!

by Jonathan Ames
2004

Alan Blair, a neurotic, alcoholic Jewish writer, goes to a writing colony in Saratoga Springs. He brings along his valet, Jeeves, who may or may not be Alan’s own ego personified, the result of Alan’s depression and “an overdose” of P.G. Wodehouse’s books as a remedy.

Either way, this is a stunningly insightful book. Since it’s about a man writing a novel, it’s full of mostly unrelated ruminations — bits of scenes and ideas for novels, for examples — but they are always interesting, if not hilarious. The dialogue is an homage, respectfully lifted straight from Wodehouse, but with a modern, Woody Allen-esque bent. Alan tries to tackle the Homosexual Question, the Jewish Question, Buddhism, thanatos, eros, suicide, and the rest of the usual Deep Thought suspects, always with interesting and amusing insight. I’ve never before read Ames; he’s a terrific writer. 

five stars

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