The Fundamentals of Play

Rating:
Summary: prose that lingers
Review: I assume that like her narrator, Ms. Macy is prematurely, and warily, wise. She is an unusually talented writer and a keen social critic. There is a sentence worth re-reading on every page. This novel is worth reading for the parenthetical observations alone -- observations, among other things, about getting over school, life in Manhattan and the conflicting ways of measuring success. The fact that they are sprinkled within a compelling story is a bonus. Fundamentals is a portrait of a fading scene, of unworthy love, and of people's sometimes commendable, sometimes exasperating instict to remain loyal to their memories, even when they should know better.

Rating:
Summary: Modern Day Gatsby makes for intriguing read
Review: This isn't a book that you can give up on. Any comments about the book after only a few beginning pages are irrelevant because one needs to read the entire book to grasp what went on even in the early pages. I, like other readers, found some of the characters tedious at the start -- they're as snooty and pretentious as Thurston Howell III. The character that they heap all their abuse on -- Harry Lombardi -- is more sympathetic, mainly because the reasons they despise him are so trivial -- he doesn't have social graces and doesn't "get" the ironic barbs they like to trade with each other. But the end of the book packs such a powerful wallop, that it raises, I think, many issues that go far beyond the lifestyle of a few rich kids in NYC. I think the critical fact is that Macy does something very sophisticated here -- the narrator, George Lenhart, isn't to be trusted in the sense that we're not expected to buy into his view of the characters because his opinions really reveal more about him. I think it's inaccurate to say that the book is weakened because of the knocks the narrator makes on Catholics and the working class. George Lenhart is very much like Jay Gatsby. He is trying to gain entry into a world he's not really a part of. And it takes a while for him to realize that for all their pretense of camaraderie, the "true" denizens of that elite world won't ever accept him as one of their own. The scorn that George feels for others that don't fit that world reveals a much deeper -- and far more interesting for the reader -- form of self loathing. His fascination with the character Kate really is difficult to comprehend at first because most of the time she seems incredibly vapid. But she does represent some ideal world and way of living -- enjoying the gaiety of life as George says -- that George tries to hold onto, even when he compiles more and more evidence that Kate and her world don't come anywhere close to the ideal he's imagined. There is one fabulous scene when George visits a party at a Newport mansion in which Kate and a "touched" uncle behave bit like lunatics in an asylum. By the end of the novel, Harry, is the one character who acts with any nobility or responsibility. Even though George is mildly disillusioned by the end, the closing scene suggests he's still holding onto a shred of hope in his idealized view of the world of rich and glamorous. Part of his fascination with Kate may be that she manages to uphold the illusion regardless of all the family and personal struggles she confronts that might shatter it. The few attempts she makes to rebel against that world almost shatter her. When her family members close ranks around her, she can't sustain any resistance to them and eventually acquiesces into playing her role again. Is that a strength or a weakness -- the question is left for you to decide. With regard to the cycle of character development that George works through here, I think there's a statement about the human capacity for denial -- for faith in someone or something you believe is better than yourself -- and your desire to hold onto that faith even when all the evidence suggests the object of your adulation isn't worthy of devotion. I think there are probably plenty of other parallels -- faith in heros, mentors, causes, movements -- that would raise the same issues for many others who have never been inside a mansion or drank cocktails at an exclusive country club.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT READ, VERY INTERESTING
Review: The thing that intrigued me most about Caitlin Macy's debut book was that it brought up subjects that have been ignored lately in fiction. At times, I did feel as though Macy was being a bit too pretentious as an author - someone who "knows" so much about these characters' lives. But, it works well. As a junior at a prestigious New England liberal-arts college, I know many of the same people, and it is extremely interesting to see an author give so much attention to our types. Her point is very interesting...watching MTV one recent evening, I realized that the majority of America's pre-teen to teenage audience was basing their personality's on a Limp Bizkit or similar personality. Gone are the days that people wear black-tie to a New Year's party (or rather, gone are the days that people think this is the norm). Macy addresses this concern and writes a book that cuts right through the emotions of those who read it. If you have no interest in the upper-class, Prep people she talks about, you may not enjoy the book. However, I value it as an interesting chronicle of a class of Americans who are rapidly being shoved aside. However...with the new George W. administration, who knows? Maybe these people will become more visible...we can only wait and see. BUT, read the book for it's great comment on a society that is apparently on its way out...a great read. My favorite line? "In the summer, nothing counts." So true. CM, we eagerly await your next work.

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't even finish it
Review: I read the first 60 or so pages & couldn't finish the book. I had a feeling that something was going to happen, but nothing had, yet. Boring book, the characters aren't very interesting or believable.

Rating:
Summary: BY THE YEAR 2002, THIS BOOK WILL BE A CLASSIC.
Review: I read this book while traveling in SIENA. It's a classic.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful debut, both engaging and flawed...
Review: Perhaps I am not wonderful at picking up nuances. I saw parallels to Gatsby as well as other readers. I loved the fluidity of Macy's prose, the ease of her rich descriptions. The characters, however, took a while to get the hang of, and I thought I was intelligent. Dialogue was at times cryptic to me - I couldn't understand some of the implications of what was said. Kate seemed boorish and not at all engaging. It was as though the other boys wanted her simply because Nick had at one time had her. I never felt as though I wholly understood a character's motivation, other than if I knew George I most certainly wouldn't have wanted to befriend him, as disillusioned and cynical as he seemed at such a young age - 23 and too worried to have sex! That doesn't sound like any 23 year old I knew - Ivy Leaguer or no! Growing up in the Yale area - though not attending - and knowing many of the locations of which Macy described warmed me to the book more than the story itself. I kept waiting, and waiting, for something to happen. When it did, I felt rewarded for having read thus far along, but the way the climactic point was handled was sadly disappointing and downright trite. It then felt as though Macy wrote the book to show off her vocabulary, not her imagination. I was taken by the book, could relate entirely to the situations, and hope Macy's next effort is a bit better. I will look for it and read it.

Rating:
Summary: Very well done and interestingly nuance!
Review: I see that Caitlin Macy is a talented writer. After all, she has brought the characters in The Fundamentals of Play to life. I marvel at the fact that this novel is somewhat similar to The Great Gatsby. Evidently Macy has done what Helen Fielding and other authors have done: create a novel that is vaguely similar to a classic. That's okay though, I mean, she has succeeded in adding her own exquisite language in the story. The story focuses on George Lenhart (the narrator) and his college friends, Chat and Kate. Having lived a sheltered and predictable life, the three friends have no idea how Nick, the poor and less likely to succeed student in Maine has turned into a successful business man. To George's dismay, Nick's life is interestingly nuance and it's breaking all the rules that are supposed to keep life in order. There are many amusing moments in this novel, like having to deal with a career in New York City and class-conscious friends. I strongly suggest that you read this entertaining and witty novel. Trust me, you will love it.

Rating:
Summary: Too Boring For Words
Review: I will never listen to amazon reviewers again. This recycled, dullard of a novel has nothing new or inciteful to offer...Kate Goodenow is flatter than a pancake and all the characters within this debut effort are about as exciting as a box of saltene crackers....nuff said!

Rating:
Summary: Wickedly Engaging!
Review: This book was given to me by a friend who knew I would enjoy it - and was she right! From the moment I opened the book, I haven't been able to put it down - each page is better than the last. The characters are wonderfully witty and wicked at the same time. They are people you want to know intimately (and probably did in college), but are afraid to ask what they did last night (when you desperately want to know).

This book is fantastic and a must read for everyone that is making their way in the world. You won't be sorry!

Rating:
Summary: what a great young author
Review: Her writing is fresh. It is amazing a woman can write a man's voice so well. Every generation-xer must read this book. It is a great enjoyable read and well worth every minute. Go buy it now!!!!