Book: About Schimdt
Author: Louis Begley
Published: 1997 (Ballantine)
Pages: 273
Maybe it’s because estate law is boring, or because his
daughter never becomes enough of a character to feel strongly about their
central conflict one way or another, or because he’s a rich old white guy who
finds being a retired slightly less rich old white guy really difficult and
doesn’t know how to transcend that pain out of its inherent pettiness—I didn’t
like poking around in Schimdt’s head.
It was dull and cranky and, worst of all, had no story in
it. He does things, such as hate the fact that his daughter is marrying a
Jewish guy. And things are done to him, mostly sexual advances from the females
who are not related to him. But they are clichés strung together and hitched in
the middle by a dying relative inheritance coincidence that puts him comfortably
ahead of where he started literally without him doing a thing.
I’m donating this one. Maybe a ready-to-retire WASP will
pick it up and read it, then shudder and go do exciting and/or useful things
with the rest of their life.
Next!
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