Elroy Nights

by Frederick Barthelme

Elroy and his wife, Clare, elect to try living separately, a choice characteristic of their relationship-fond, thoughtful, generous to a fault, and more than a little cracked. So Elroy leases a high-rise beach condo, begins hanging out with his twenty-something students, and experiences a splendid re-enchantment with the world. With his trademark precision and pitch-perfect dialogue, Barthelme elegantly lays open this interweaving of twenty-year olds with their fifty-something fellow traveler. The result is a lovely, lilting romance, and a spare yet generous masterpiece from a writer at the top of his form.

Genres: Fiction, Novels

240 pages, Paperback

First published September 23, 2003

About the author

Barthelme's works are known for their focus on the landscape of the New South. Along with his reputation as a minimalist, together with writers Raymond Carver, Ann Beattie, Amy Hempel, and Mary Robison, Barthelme's work has also been described by terms such as "dirty realism" and "K-mart realism."He published his first short story in The New Yorker,and has claimed that a rotisserie chicken helped him understand that he needed to write about ordinary people.He has moved away from the postmodern stylings of his older brother, Donald Barthelme, though his brother's influence can be seen in his earliest works, Rangoon and War and War.
Barthelme was thirty-three year editor and visionary of Mississippi Review, known for recognizing and publishing once new talents such as Larry Brown, Curtis Sittenfeld, and Amy Hempel early in their careers.

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barthelme, Frederick's prose is always so smooth and effortless, sucks you in. Had read this before, and for some reason thought more happened, but it doesn't. A constant threat looming of sexual harassment that just never materializes. I imagine this was more edgy when it was published in 2003, but now, in 2018, just seems to have ducked all the issues. Still, though, Bathrtleme is smooth as silk, and the plot does "drive-bys" as he advised in his 38 steps.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rusty appears as a character in this book.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

re-reading. because I haven't got Waveland yet. update: re-read. and just as lovely and funny as the first time around.

[Heyhansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the character, Elroy, is maybe 10 years older than I am, I could still identify with what he was going through - maybe too well? Cautionary tale indeed. I'm sensing the gray edges of where he is. I probably shouldn't call it a "guys book" but, there it is, too late. But here's a quote:

"I thought how we'd started as young people insisting on living the way we wanted, and how we'd gradually retreated from that, from doing what we wanted. Things change. What you want becomes something you can't imagine having wanted, and instead you have this, suddenly and startlingly not at all what you sought. One day you find yourself walking around in Ralph Lauren shorts and Cole Haan loafers and no socks. You're wearing an Eddie Bauer T-shirt and a wristwatch that cost as much as your first car. You think, How did this happen? It isn't a terrible spot, and you don't feel bad about being there, being the person you are, in the place you are, wit hte wife or husband you have, the stepdaughter, the friends and acquaintances, the house and tools and toys, the job, but there is no turning back. You have a Daytimer full of things to do. You have a Palm PDA and names and addresses and contacts, and there is no way back. Even if there were a way back, you couldn't get there from here, and you probably wouldn't go if you could. The effort required isn't the kind of effort you can make anymore."

It's that last sentence that gets me.

[Shankia Tinsley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was a bit disappointed with this one. I was hoping the focus on the main character's illicit behavior would be heavier and more drawn out, but I felt like it barely scratched the surface. I guess I was looking for a thrill ride, but all I got was a ride to the bus stop.

What I did like was that it was quick and easy to read. Also, I liked how the characters interacted and how they seemed to understand one another, even though half the time I struggled to understand what their conversations were about. Finally, I felt that the main character's introspection and reflections of past events brought depth to the story and, to an extent, helped me to understand the author's own mind.

Barthelme has written a host of other stories and I definitely plan to read more of his work in the future.

[Thomas Cooney · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a college professor, I’m a sucker for novels on college campuses, or novels with professors as protagonists. Few of them, however, are great. This falls in the good category, mainly for Elroy’s humor, evinced as follows:

<<“I must have found you very attractive,” I said.
She gave me a get-real look. “That’s probably not a stretch. I’m twenty-two.”>>

“I took her out to dinner, and she was dumb as a truck. She lived in a tiny apartment in a field of apartments with two friends who were also dumb as trucks, so it was like a parking lot in there.”

Humor in prose always improves the prose!

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barthelme's style is smooth and comforting - you are right there in the feelings as he describes them. Had hoped the story would take a harder look at the real issue of harassment and the power held by people like his character - whether professor, teacher, boss, etc. Love his wording and style, just felt the story fell a bit short.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Barthelme is often like doing something supremely comfortable, like wearing your favorite jacket or sitting in your favorite chair. Even the uncomfortable bits fit nicely.

[Kim Whitley-Gaynor · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just OK. I based my decision to read this book on the reviews on the book cover. One reviewer said that the Elroy (the main character) is a completely sympathetic character. Some reviewers called it a "beautiful" book. I have no idea why the reviewers felt this way ... unless they were moody, brooding, middle-aged men that choose to be habitually disappointed.

Still, there was some wisdom within the pages (see quotes), so it was worth a read.

[Shelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure what happened here....I really wanted to enjoy this book, or even like Elroy. It didn't happen. It's not the worst book I have ever read, but I have certainly read better. Sadly, no one in my book club seemed to like this one either.

[Valerie · Rating 1 out of 5]

A middle-aged art professor drifts aimlessly through life. A boring book.

[Deja Bertucci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful. Nothing like spending a few afternoons with Mr. Barthelme.

[Mariya]

NO

[Geoff Wehmeyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like Coetzee but more blunt and heavy handed, some nice sentences though.

[Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Probably wasn't a book I should have been reading whilst having relationship problems of my own.

[Jolie G.]

Jun 27, 2007

[Paul McBride · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring book that never went anywhere, also did not care about any of the characters in the book. It was well written though.

[Michael D Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of the same from this author

[Marissa Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful book...no point to the story...

[Chere J · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read through this book waiting for something to make since, it never did.