The Confessions of Max Tivoli

Rating:
Summary: An absolute joy to read
Review: I am in grad school, busy reading assignments, yet the draw of Max Tivoli was too powerful. After reading a wonderful review, I couldn't wait to get started and I am so glad I did! Max Tivoli is one of my all-time favorite books, next to The Man Who Fell In Love with the Moon by Tom Spanbauer (sp?). This book is an absolute joy. Buy it, then be prepared to buy it again and again as you share it with everyone who you can think of...it is a wonderful escape.

If only college textbooks were as engaging and fun to read!

Rating:
Summary: Overwritten Obsessiveness
Review: I appear to be in the minority of reviewers of this book. I had a very difficult time finishing it. The underlying premise of the book - a man, Max, who ages backwards is great and had great potential. Unfortunately, the potential was not realized.

Max is obsessed - and I do not mean that in a complimentary way -with Alice whom he first meets when she is 14 and he appears to be in fifties, although in reality is 17. After meeting her the book consists of his seeking and wooing of her, his feelings for her and his endless analysis and self-analysis. I found nothing endearing about the man or this(ese) relationship(s). I got to the point where I had lost all sympathy for him, which is difficult for a person in his situation.

I found the writing cumbersome; like something you would expect in a romance novel. Max is telling the story when he has reached his elder years in the body of a thirteen year old. The tone, especially towards the end, gains an unappealing snideness that prevented me from sympathizing with him at all. Early on, I had lost all rooting interest in the "hero" anyway.

The affair with the mother was one amusing part of the book. The author could have done so much more with such a terrific premise. It is unfortunate he did not.

Rating:
Summary: Pretty Cool
Review: I bought this book because I was intrigued by its premise - aging backward. I couldn't imagine how a writer could make that work in a believable way, but Greer did it smoothly. Thos book is excellent - it really makes you think. I thought, gee it would be kind of cool to age backwards, but then one thinks what it must be like to be so isolated from others - maybe not. This is really an amazing book - and I generally hate love stories.

Rating:
Summary: Clever, Sophisticated
Review: I can't say I've ever read (or even imagined) a story like this. We begin to picture Max Tivoli as a baby who has the outside appearance of an old man and must use our imaginations as sophisticated readers to accept him growing younger as he ages. This is an issue throughout the book, except for the brief period in his thirties, where he actually looks his age. The author, Andrew Sean Greer, does a beautiful job with his description(s) and truly puts us not only inside the head of this unique character, but also in turn of the century San Francisco and beyond.

Beautifully written, it's a love story on many levels and I ... loved it. Highly recommend.

Submitted by the author of "I'm Living Your Dream Life," and "The Things I Wish I'd Said," McKenna Publishing Group

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Tale- Romantic, Historic, Dark, & Universal Themes
Review: I could not put this book down. I was completely intrigued by the premise, which was not as "sci-fi" as it initially sounded. The imagery created by the author is very vivid, and some of his analogies made me smile as well as cry. There are many profound lines in the book which I still remember, even after reading only once. The characters were real and well developed. I predict this will be made into a movie, and hopefully not a sugary one. This is a dark tale, with many themes that are universal to us all--truly a fantastic tale. I look forward to more books from Mr. Greer.

Rating:
Summary: Whew!
Review: I first read a review for this book in a People magazine and was instantly intrigued by the storyline. I purchased it immediately because I couldn't imagine how someone could create a story about time moving backwards and forwards at the same time, knowing however, that if it was done well, it would indeed be a captivating story.

With all of that said and done, my only comment is: BRILLIANT and just so very well written. In fact, I'm still trying to stitch my heart back together, and would probably complete the task if I could just keep my tears from saturating my view.........
(Note: I actually read the book and did not get the audio book despite the tag line that says so. I guess I clicked on the wrong thing to review).

Rating:
Summary: Best book I have read in years
Review: I loved everything about this book. Finally, a young contemporary author who can write in complete sentences. I would recommend this book to anyone who wish to be enchanted.

Rating:
Summary: MARVELOUS AND COMPELLING
Review: I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area several years ago from Tacoma, and was almost immediately drawn into the very strong literary scene here. This past Saturday, I went to a book festival in the city, mostly to see James Dalessandro, the author of 1906, an extraordianry book about the great earthquake and fire. Seated next to him was Andrew Greer, whose novel, The Confessions of Max Tivoli, had been recommended by several friends. I bought a copy and was so engrossed I spent the rest of the weekend reading and savoring it. I don't know that its perfect, there were a few cliches, but understandable as Greer is very young and has room to grow. But Max Tivoli just stole my heart: a character who is born old, grows young, and constantly has to move and re-enter his own life as a different person. I hate to give any of it away, as the book, small and compact, truly surprised me at every turn. I love San Francisco, and I'm thrilled that we have writers like Amy Tan and James Dalessandro and Andrew Greer, from whom I expect even more and better things. I loved this book: anyone who loves quirky, original ideas and characters with heart and imagniation will love Max Tivoli.

Rating:
Summary: Who cares?
Review: I must agree with Charles Weinstein, who posted his review on March 22, 2004. Rather than paraphrase what he so eloquently and perceptively found lacking in Greer's book, I would simply direct those who might be swayed by the gushing, glowing reviews to read his before buying this disappointing work. Such a promising premise - and yet the characters left me caring not a whit for them, or what ultimately became of them. Having just finished The Time Traveler's Wife and You Remind Me of Me, this book seemed liked an apt continuation of the theme - time and place disjointed, the placement of characters we care about in impossible situations. I gave up after 175 pages, read the last page, and moved on to the next book on my shelf - Peace Like a River. Higher hopes abound.

Rating:
Summary: A Tour de Force!
Review: I picked up Confessions based on its great NYTimes review and was not dissappointed. This is a fabulous book - a great read with moments of pure genius. The first few pages can be a bit confusing, but stick with it. It's a brillant book in line with the best that Dickens and Proust had to offer.