Arkansas : Three Novellas

Rating:
Summary: A Disappointment
Review: After reading Leavitt's Family Dancing and The Lost Language of Cranes (two superior words), this book came as a disappointment. The writing is not as crisp and gently flowing as the other works I have read, and the stories... well, I will cover those individually.

The Term Paper Artist: The author here indulges himself in a little fantasy and shameless defense on behalf of contraversy raised by one of his novels. Really, I think that the only way this story can be viewed as having sufficient redeaming qualities to justify its publication is by reading it as a very good, slightly literary piece of gay erotica. Serving this function I think the story did an excellent job. Otherwise the story flopped. At first I thought overcoming the fact that the character was the author (more or less) would be difficult, but I got over that pretty quickly. The moping and whining about the critical slathering he got over While England Sleeps was admitable, but got very tiring by the end. (2.5*)

The Wooden Anniversary: Reading this by itself with no previous knowledge of the characters might have lead to a slightly higher review, but I have read "Dedicated" from Family Dancing. Consequently, I cannot help but compare the two. What both Celia and Nathan became is hard to believe in the period of time between the stories, and Leavitt does not provide enough to make it very believable. As I mentioned in discussing "The Termpaper Artist," Leavitt's word style has grown heavier and harder to read, which detracted yet more. If I were to rate this simply on its plot and leave out the writing and any knowledge of the previous story containing the two main characters, it would most likely get a four and a half to five star rating. But I can only justify giving it three and a half. (3.5*)

Saturn Street: This story was actually pretty good. It was touching even if the main character was not someone I would wish to know too closely in life. I do feel it was longer than it could have been, though. And again, Leavitt's lessened word-style brings it down some more. (3.5*)

EDITION WARNING: I do not know if this problem is widespread or if I am a rare case. I got the hardcover edition of this book, and the ink smelled horribly. I got headaches reading this book because of it. I quickly resorted to holding the book far away from me as I read it with a fan blowing away from me on the page, and I ended up getting eye-strain instead of headaches. Keep this in mind, and consider getting another edition.

Rating:
Summary: Touching...and very funny
Review: David Leavitt's novels are filed under the "alternative literature" section in our local bookshops. His works come recommended as that of an important modern writer. Apart from his award winning debut "Family Dancing" which focussed on a myriad of dysfunctionality in modern families, his subsequent novels and short stories have (I am told) been exclusively about gay life. "Arkansas - Three Novellas" is no different. It is purportedly also his most daring. Though graphic and explicit in some of its sex scenes, it is never pornographic. Leavitt has such a natural and easy writing style his prose never comes across forced. Neither does his plots seem contrived. Of the three novellas, "The Term Paper Artist" work best. It is both touching and funny. I found myself laughing through most of it. "The Wooden Anniversary" is also great. The twist at the end is simply ingenius. This makes me want to read its prequel in one of Leavitt's earlier short story collections. However, "Saturn Street" isn't quite as good. I found the story shallow and unconvincing. If "Arkansas - Three Novellas" is anything to go by, Leavitt is a writer that will appeal to readers of all persuasion. His stories and are both entertaining and enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: Welcome back to the familiar.
Review: Leavitt returns to familiar territory in two of the novellas with themes of friendship, unrequited love, AIDS and hope. The writer in "Saturn Street" falls in love with an AIDS patient and is faced with inner turmoils that he can hardly put his finger on. Leavitt's amazingly light and sensitive touch avoids the melodrama that lesser writers would succumb to. "The Wooden Anniversary" raises more questions than it answers and the ending clearly demands a sequel. This lastest instalment of the Celia and Nathan Show deserves a deeper exploration into the psyche of the two main characters. Thankfully, it does contain some intelligent vignettes of the evolving and unspoken tension of old friendships that makes it worth the effort. Lastly, in "The Term-Paper Artist", Leavitt shows a different side of him: funny, crafty and even charming. Entertaining enough but hardly engaging. Leavitt is an eloquent and amazingly sharp writer of gay fiction and many of his earlier works have moved me a great deal. But given the disappointment of "The Page Turner" which was written after this collection, I pray he is not losing it!

Rating:
Summary: One great novella and 2 more
Review: Read this book for the first novella in it: "The term paper artist" which is perfect, no less. In this novella, Leavitt combines autobiographical details with what seem to be pure fiction. However, no one can know for sure. The novella is fascinating, daring, in my opinion even revolutinary. The other 2 novellas are nice, but nothing like the first one.

Rating:
Summary: This man is teaching our children!
Review: So, the man who in this book writes about a man who writes A level term papers for failing college students ("The Term-Paper Artist"), and so convincingly I *have* to give him a star for it, is now teaching at the University of Florida and is up for Tenure. How about that.

Rating:
Summary: This man is teaching our children!
Review: So, the man who in this book writes about a man who writes A level term papers for failing college students ("The Term-Paper Artist"), and so convincingly I *have* to give him a star for it, is now teaching at the University of Florida and is up for Tenure. How about that.

Rating:
Summary: Not Leavitt's best day
Review: The first story here, "The Term Paper Artist," is little more than a piece of gay erotica. "The Wooden Anniversary" is a return to hold characters and is written in a very wooden manner. "Saturn Street," is a good story, but unusual to Leavitt, the writing falls flat. Give him time; this is Leavitt's return after a slump inspired by a lawsuit (which you'll get a pretty good idea about upon reading "The Term Paper Artist." Pass.