Ellington Boulevard: A Novel in A-Flat
by Adam Langer
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Book Summary Information
Author: Adam LangerEdition: Hardcover
Published: 2008-01-22
ISBN: 0385522053
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau
Book Reviews of Ellington Boulevard: A Novel in A-Flat
Book Review: Falls Far Short of Crossing California
Summary: 2 Stars
When "Crossing California" was published, I thought that Langer might be one of the seminal voices of his generation. The characters were trenchant. The story--touching. The ending--sublime.
Then came "The Washington Story". And what a mess that was. The characters introduced in the first story had absoltely nothing to do in the second. One almost wishes that he could take a "literary mulligan". That is, return to the wonderful set of characters when he had something important to say. It worked with the film version of "Hulk"--why not here.
Alas, now comes "Ellington Boulevard". Again, Langer is able to introduce a set of nice, interesting characters. And they move along nicely throughout the first half of the book. But, alas, just like "The Washington Story", there comes a time that there is nothing for them to do. Instead, Langer pulls out all stops to create a world where coincidence rules and the unbelievable becomes common place. This book has more in common with the film "Enchanted" than it does with "Crossing California"--except that "Enchanted was more believable.
Bottom line: Langer hit a home run his first time at the plate. The second time he struck out badly. This time he has grounded out to third. He's a talented guy. Like to see what he writes the next time around. I only wish that he would remain true to his characters than make up a convoluted mess.
Summary of Ellington Boulevard: A Novel in A-Flat
Clarinetist Ike Morphy, his dog Herbie Mann, and a pair of pigeons who roost on his air conditioner are about to be evicted from their apartment on West 106th Street, also known as Duke Ellington Boulevard. Ike has never had a lease, just a handshake agreement with the recently deceased landlord; and now that landlord’s son stands to make a killing on apartment 2B.Centering on the fate of one apartment before, during, and after the height of New York’s real estate boom, Ellington Boulevard’s characters include the Tenant and His Dog; the Landlord, a recovered alcoholic and womanizer who has newly found Judaism and a wife half his age; the Broker, an out-of-work actor whose new profession finally allows him to afford theater tickets he has no time to use; the Broker’s New Boyfriend, a second-rate actor who composes a musical about the sale of 2B (“Is there no one I can lien on if this boom goes bust?”). There’s also the Buyer, a trusting young editor at a dying cultural magazine, who falls in love with the Tenant; the Buyer’s Husband, a disaffected graduate student taken to writing bawdy faux-academic papers; and the Buyer’s Husband’s Girlfriend, a children’s book writer with a tragic past.
With the humor and poignancy that made Langer’s first novel, Crossing California, a favorite book of the year among critics across the country, Ellington Boulevard is an ode to New York. It’s the story of why people come to a city they can’t afford, take jobs they despise, sacrifice love, find love, and eventually become the people they never thought they’d be—for better and for worse.
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