Imagine Philip K. Dick writing a long episode of Seinfeld and that’s a close approximation of Chronic City. The setting is an alternative universe (or are we the alternate universe?) where former child star Chase Insteadman meets gnomic critic Perkus Tooth. There’s plenty of conspiracy theory talk, plenty of pot smoking. Chase hooks up with ghost-writer Oona Laszlo while Chase’s fiancee, astronaut Janice Trumbull, is trapped aboard the International Space Station surrounded by Chinese space mines. My minor quibble is Lethem’s use of both first-person and third person narration. It might not bother you, but it always bugs me. While Chronic City was my favorite novel published in 2009, Anthony Trollope’s The Eustace Diamonds (published in 1871) was the novel that gave me the most pleasure in 2009. Runner up was Michael Gruber’s Valley of Bones (published in 2006).
It’s been my goal for many years to read all of Anthony Trollope’s books. Each year I get a little closer to that goal. As I commented on Patti’s blog the other day, it’s hard to beat The Way We Live Now–completely relevant over 100 years later.
Have you read Don Chaon’s Await Your Reply? I just finished it yesterday and thought it was fantastic.
You’re right about Trollope, Deb! Wonderful books! I’m in the middle of the “Palliser” series now. I haven’t read Don Chaon’s AWAIT YOUR REPLY, but your enthusiasm caused me to move it higher in the Real Real Soon stack.
I’ve been interested in Lethem for years since he went to the school Jackie taught at for 25 years and his mentor was Carmen Farina, who Jackie knew well and who ended up as Deputy Chancellor. I’ll have to check this one out.
This may be the year I finally get to the Palliser series.
OK, I just ordered the 6 Palliser books. I have to read them now, right?
😉
Well done, Jeff! You’re going to enjoy the “Palliser” series. Trollope understood how the political process works and by reading these books, you’ll get an honorary degree in Political Science! Of course, you could watch the 26 hour BBC production of the Pallisers, too. Interesting factoid on Lethem. He started out writing science fiction, GUN WITH OCCASIONAL MUSIC, and all of his subsequent novels have SF elements. CHRONIC CITY is straight from the Philip K. Dick playbook.
I did watch THE PALLISERS when it first ran. Susan Hampshire was Lady Glencora, right?
You’re right about Susan Hampshire playing Lady Glencora, Jeff. AMAZON has the complete Palliser series (12 DVDs) for only $117.
looking through the list, the only books I read in 2009 that were published in 2009 were SPADE AND ARCHER by Joe Gores (I know that though many liked it, you did not, George) and HEAVEN’S GATE by William Kent Krueger. I liked them both, the latter the best, but then I’m a real fan of WKK.
Everything else I read during the year was published previously.My favorites among those books: KILLER IN THE RAIN by Raymond Chandler, THE TROUBLE WITH ALIENS by Christopher Anvil and THE LAST COLONY by John Scalzi.
I read KILLER IN THE RAIN decades ago, but have fond memories of it, Rick. I’ve read all of John Scalzi’s novels. They remind me of Heinlein’s juveniles. I read Christopher Anvil when I was a teenager. It seemed he had a story in just about every issue of ASTOUNDING.
Loving this book but completely agree about the shift from first to third person. Wonder if it feels more sensible in printed versions of the book than it does in the Kindle version. This minor quibble aside, it is a terrific novel.
Aaron
Aaron, I always find shifts from first to third person (or the reverse) annoying.