The Amateur

by David Gordon

A young man fleeing heartbreak back home meets a mysterious expat at a café in Paris. What begins as a friendly conversation between two outsiders soon transforms into a heart-pounding confession that threatens to shake both men to their cores. In this darkly funny, Sopranos-meets-Sebald page-turner by acclaimed mystery writer David Gordon, people aren’t always what they seem, and digging for the truth could have fatal consequences.

29 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 27, 2014

About the author

David Gordon was born in New York City. He attended Sarah Lawrence College and holds an MA in English and Comparative Literature and an MFA in Writing, both from Columbia University, and has worked in film, fashion, publishing, and pornography. His first novel, The Serialist, won the VCU/Cabell First Novel Award and was a finalist for an Edgar Award. His work has also appeared in The Paris Review, Purple, and Fence among other publications.

Reviews

[Shaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly dark, fast-paced engaging read (listen, in my case, since I chose the audiobook format).

[BananaBerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved David Gordon’s The Serialist. I read someone else’s review of it, and agreed: Of how it had something interesting to say about genre fiction and why people gravitate toward it - how it feeds some need inside of us. And of its meta factor and its Jim Halpert, looking at the camera level of self-awareness. Of its gentle lampooning of post-modern fiction*. It was funny and dark, and his perspective brought a weird and unique feel to the story, even though not everything clicked for me all the way through. But basically, it was a cool book. I read it twice, back-to-back. Ever since then, I’ve had a soft spot for David Gordon.

That said, I didn’t really understand what I was supposed to get from this story. It was interesting enough – it reads fast, the story propels you to keep going – but I felt like I missed the point. I guess just to work through a story that was sitting in his head? Seems like it could have been included in the middle of a book of short stories (this was just that - a short story).

I probably have an unrealistic expectation because of whatever it is I connected to so much in The Serialist. But I’ll read Mystery Girl one day, and hope he keeps putting out books.

*One of the (made-up, I presume) post-modern books he pokes fun of sounds legit interesting, TBH. A book with an alternate world written completely in the footnotes, and presented upside down. I’d read it.

[Patrick Schultheis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice little short story

[Dale Levy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but simple

Short but simple

The story the amateur is not amateurish,no no. It is brilliant and perfectly constructed. I loved the voice. Its sparse and sticks to the point. It leaves you wondering about all the rest of the characters and giggling at the ending. Thanks David Gordon I am going to look for more of your writing.

[Yuri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short, but well-constructed and absorbing story. The old man calls himself "Amateur", well maybe in drawing, yes. But is he really an "Amateur"? Oh, Hell NO. it's fast-paced, and before you realize, you will find yourself at the very end of the story, you will find yourself dazed just like the protagonist of the story. Or, maybe the protagonist was yourself.

[Rainey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindle Unlimited title. Interesting story of a brief encounter. Kept me riveted wanting to find out what happened.

[Jean Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Golden

I didn't like it. The writer did not use any punctuation and the plot left me hanging. I don't know anyone who would enjoy reading this. It was a waste of my time.



'

[Barbara (Bobby) Title · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm!

So that was that! He was a nice guy and took care of everybody post haste. I sure wasn't expecting it.

Oh, that life should really be that easy.

[Vince O'Hara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this story was a kick. It was as if Somerset Maugham had done New Jersey. Great twist(s) and a solid ending.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this more than I expected