- Hardcover
- Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
- ISBN-10: 0965599663
- ISBN-13: 978-0965599665
- Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 15 x 2.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 386 g
- Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
David Leavitt's Arkansas was the surprise of his career: funny, sexy, and thematically adventurous, it was a complete break from his more traditional narratives. Now, in The Page Turner, Leavitt returns to the style and type of story that made him famous. Noted pianist Richard Kennington is a former child prodigy now entering middle age. While in Rome he meets and begins an affair with Paul Porterfield, a young man who is poised to follow in his professional footsteps. The affair is complicated by the fact that Pamela, Paul's mother, is also interested in Richard. The affair is short-lived, but the story--which might remind you of an updated version of a sophisticated 1940s Hollywood romance such as The Seventh Vail or Intermezzo--takes several startling turns when Richard, Paul, and Pamela discover the power of love and eroticism; it is more complicated then any of them imagined. Leavitt's tone, slyly serious and ironically romantic, makes The Page Turner a compelling and surprising read.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
This flat novel of music, ambition and love is unfortunately not the enticing work-in-progress by the fictional "David Leavitt" in the far more accomplished and entertaining novella "The Term Paper Artist" (from the collection Arkansas). Eighteen-year-old Paul Porterfield hopes for a career as a classical pianist and is thrilled to achieve his "debut" turning pages for his idol, the vaguely van Cliburn-esque Richard Kennington. This would be the only intersection of their careers were it not for a coincidental encounter later that summer in Rome, where Paul and his philistine mother, Pamela, are on vacation. Mutually infatuated, Paul and Kennington carry on an affair unbeknownst to Pamela (who develops her own crush on Kennington). Kennington abruptly leaves because of an emotional crisis at home in New York (the beloved dachshund of his longtime manager and lover dies), but the summer fling spoils in Manhattan, as Paul (now at Julliard) faces his lack of talent and Kennington cracks under the middle-aged pressures of being a former child prodigy. Neither character's sketchy story, however, has much emotional weight. Only Pamela, one of Leavitt's characteristically strong maternal figures, transcends her stereotype. Her farcically frustrated ambitions barely keep up the tempo in this dubiously titled orchestration of tired themes. Author tour. (Apr.) FYI: Arkansas will be reissued simultaneously in Mariner paperback.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Page Turner Indeed,
By gonn1000 (Portugal) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Page Turner (Paperback)
This funny and entertaining David Leavitt`s short novel may not be his best, still it makes for an absorbing, amusing and fast read. The story focuses Paul Porterfeld, an 18 year-old boy who wants to become a famous and noteworthy musician. In a musical event he attends, Paul gets to know Richard Kennington, a middle-aged and highly sucessful pianist. It doesn`t take too long for them to start a short yet poignant relationship, which will change their lives within the following months. David Leavitt doesn`t break any new ground here, as he basically presents another perspective into the typical experienced artist/ young disciple connection. However, his depiction is convincing and intriguing enough, presenting well-crafted characters (Pamela, Paul`s eccentric mother, is particularly memorable and unique), some clever and intelligent humor and many interesting subjects (coming-of-age elements, a glimpse into the artistic world, detailed descriptions of NY and Rome, the search for love and fame, sexual choices). Leavitt seems to know of what he`s talking about, providing a subtle, credible and worthwile story that only disappoints when it reaches the end (yes, the resolution was anti-climatic and not very surprising, presenting an abrupt and unconvincing finale). A good read.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not Leavitt's best,
By Curtis Lane (Orlando, FL United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Page Turner (Hardcover)
David Leavitt's greatest gift is his empathy, with which he developes strong, lively, wonderful characters. His greatest form, however, is the short story, not the novel. This peace features well drafted characters and a sometimes absurd plot dragged out to a ridiculous climax. Though this novel has its faults, it is still a pleasant read for Leavitt fans, though for people not familiar with his work, I would recommend _Family Dancing_.
2.0 out of 5 stars
Unfortunately this family isn't even close to dancing,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Page Turner (Paperback)
Stock characters mate and exchange dialog like:"Hello?" "Alden?" "No, Paul." "Paul, Joseph Mansourian here. How are you?" "Fine, fine".... Paul, the young title character, doesn't make it as a concert pianist but looses his virginity to one, an older gent with a yet older agent/lover. Paul renders sexual services to the agent as well (the very John Mansourian whose telephone call we just tapped). We are shown Paul's pain at discovering his own artistic limitations, though their deeper roots remain hidden. The only suspense of his melodramatic coming-out scene is not resolved, as we never learn whether Paul's suburban WASP mother is after all a Jewish mother in disguise, as might be inferred from the feel of the cardboard from which she is cut. Incidentally, not only is Paul gay, but so is his mother's friends' son and the son of his father's new wife. Maybe it's something in the water. The only positive deconstruction one might force on this novel is that its literary shortcomings provide an unintended metaphor for the protagonist's artistic abilities.
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