Mysteries of Pittsburgh

Rating:
Summary: Certainly One of My Favorites
Review: It's been a while since I read the book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Every friend who has read it also enjoyed it--without exception (how's THAT for a first).

Rating:
Summary: steel city sludge...
Review: Yikes! Boy, was this painful to read! I found this book to be incredibly boring. I haven't read anything else by the author, but he should thank his marketing campaign for selling to the public a pretty lame first effort. I hope his other efforts are better than this turgid novel. There's nothing in this book to recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: made me remember my college days w/Fond Loathing
Review: loved the prose-- fresh, fun, engaging. provided strong resonance in that chord of insecurity we all possess as young adults: watching people we envy for their looks, confidence, savoir-faire, wishing we could be one of them. manages to turn that humiliation into humor... wish i had Chabon's sense and sensibility at that age-- growing up might not have been so lurching.

Rating:
Summary: This coming-of-age story is a fascinating read.
Review: After reading "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh" over ten years ago, I can still say that it is one of the most entertaining and fulfilling books I have read. Most of the characters are well developed, and the story, although contrived at points, flows, as does the bubbly prose. My only criticsm is the lack of development of the main character's gangster father, a plot thread which does not effectively entwine with the rest of the story. Otherwise, this work is simply marvelous. I also had my hardbound copy signed by the author at a bookstore in Laguna Beach, CA. This book remains a small treasure on my bookshelf.

Rating:
Summary: The reason to read this book:
Review: Phlox Lombardi rules! The best fictional character I've had the pleasure of knowing. Read it. For her.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing book-extremely visual if you know the city
Review: Having gone to Carnegie Mellon University, (in Pittsburgh) this book hit home. The characters out of context may seem unreal, yet if you have ever lived in the city, you know they are commonplace, and part of what makes Pittsburgh so amazing. I thought that is was a modern work with similarities in the intent of Catcher in the Rye. It portrays human relationships so well, and with complete unashamed honesty. I would strongly recommend this book if you like the works Douglas Coupland, novels about coming of age, or if you like Catcher in the Rye.

Rating:
Summary: Over-rated
Review: I found this book tedious going. I mean, a whole chapter dedicated to two characters playing "Twister"???? (that did not further the story at all?) The language was contrived in its literary prententiousness, the metaphors and similes were contrived. (A porno mag drops out of a book at the protagonist's book store job, "like a severed arm." (!!) Uh..okay). The book reeked of something written by a (post)adolescent. (Not a compliment). Maybe if you're gay, or live in Pittsburgh (or both) this will be enjoyable. Otherwise, I can't recommend it. I actually bought my copy of PITTSBURGH at a book signing, and met Mr. Chabon when he signed my copy. He was very articulate, well-mannered, and seemed a sensitive and nice fellow. So when I opened the book the first time, I WANTED to like it. But I just couldn't. No matter how hard I tried. (So I still have a signed hardcover, first edition copy of the book. Is it worth something?)

Rating:
Summary: The Mysteries of Pittsburgh
Review: When you consider Chabon's age at the writing of this book, it becomes even more unbelievable. This is hands down the best book that I've read in the last five years; here is, finally, a concise, dramatic representation of our young generation in the full swing of hope and misery. Chabon avoids hackneyed situations, dialogue and emotions; he avoids sentimentality in its most over-used definition, but his outlook on the characters' relationships is cogent and convincing. I was left breathless by his ability to make us care for people, to show us, with a little humor, the dark sides of us all, and Chabon makes us all feel a little less ashamed of our involvement in life. He is a truly generous writer, in love with his work, and sensitive to the reader. His characters in this book represent us all, and he has, with a single first book, raised the stakes where modern writing is concerned. This book will be remembered for generations; it would be a sign of wisdom to recognize it now.

Rating:
Summary: A great, grand book
Review: I hate reading reviews of books that begin, "The greatest book I ever read, it changed my life!" And so I'm a little embarrassed to write that "The Mysteries of Pittsburgh" is, uh, the greatest book I ever read, and it changed my life. OK, maybe it didn't exactly change my life, but when I finished the last page and went for a walk, the world was a different place. It was a world of wonder, of possiblity, and I was glad to be a part of it. I'm a Pittsburgher, and a grad student at Pitt, so reading this magical story about neighborhoods I have walked through and bars where I have been shot down had a special resonance for me. The language of the novel is so rich, so beautiful, that I have read and re-read it several times. At times funny, at times tragic, at all times fascinating, it is just a magnificent book. The book is often described, for the most part accurately, as a gay coming-of-age story, and I must at this point confess that I am not gay, not even a little bit. But I still greatly enjoyed reading about the relationship of the two Arthurs, even as I hoped Art would reunite with his wonderfully bizarre Phlox. And I haven't even mentioned the force of nature named Cleveland, or Art's mobster father, or the myriad other delights of this wonderful book. Unlike so many other books written by twentysomethings, this book doesn't dwell on slacker angst or indulge in pointless diatribes about how crummy the world is. This is a book about love, about friendship, about family, and about how precious and tenuous they all are. Like I said, I'm from Pittsburgh, and I love my hometown. Pittsburgh is a bit provincial, it lacks the glamour and glitz of New York or Los Angeles. But Chabon shows that magic can happen anywhere, even in the Hillman Library at Pitt, and that the wonderful mysteries of life can be revealed in the humblest of places. Read this book, and just enjoy the journey.

Rating:
Summary: Lovely, stylish.
Review: Michael Chabon has provided the great breakthrough for gay writers. More than David Leavitt, he brought the gay sensibility mainstream. "Mysteries of Pittsburgh," with its campy plot and over-the-top language, is exquisite.