A few days ago, I finished The Confessions of Max Tivoli by Andrew Sean Greer. I launched into this book on the basis that I feel like I don’t read enough local authors. I definitely - in my head - support local artists, local authors, local press, etc., but sometimes it hard to put that into practice. So I did, and I was rewarded for my, you know, doing what I should be doing.

I knew the general plot going in, but the details of it still kind of hit you. However, once you get used to the conceit - the story of a man who is living life in reverse, born as an old man and growing ever younger - the story itself is engrossing. The entire concept and its execution result in a rather sad tale, not just for Max, but for those around him who know and who don’t know about his condition. Greer writes Max as a person with an element of selfishness that’s striking, given that he’s such an inherently sympathetic character. Of course, there’s a sense that Max has almost earned the right to be a bit careless with other people’s hearts.

One aspect of the novel that I found utterly endearing was the late 1800s, early 1900s San Francisco setting. I’m a sucker for history and nods to neighborhoods past and present and the interweaving of meaningul events added something extra that I particularly enjoyed. In fact, I think I’m going to go out and walk the Barbary Coast Trail, which I never quite had any context for until I read this book.

While there are plenty of predictable moments, there are also genuine surprises, sweet exchanges, and a few perfectly goofy episodes. I laughed, I cried, well, not really, but the story does inspire a whole range of emotions, and I’ll have the explore the other works of Andrew Sean Greer. But not stalk him. (I kid because I love.)

Posted on Wednesday, September 6th, 2006 at 11:02 pm in Lit.
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