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The Fall of Princes
“A heart-wrenching, beautiful, darkly comic, deeply necessary tale that stuns again and again with razor-sharp prose and glittering wit. Robert Goolrick is, without question, one of the greatest storytellers of our time.” —Téa Obreht, author of The Tiger’s Wife
In the spellbinding new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Goolrick, 1980s Manhattan shimmers like the mirage it was, as money, power, and invincibility seduce a group of young Wall Street turks. Together they reach the pinnacle, achieving the kind of wealth that grants them access to anything--and anyone. Until, one by one, they fall.
Goolrick’s literary chops are on full display, painting an authentic portrait of a hedonistic era, tense and stylish, perfectly mixing adrenaline and melancholy. Stunning in its acute observations about great wealth and its absence, and deeply moving in its depiction of the ways in which these men learn to cope with both extremes, it’s a true tour de force.
“An addictive slice of semiautobiographical fiction . . . Goolrick vividly plumbs the depths of fortune and regret. The result is a compulsively readable examination of the highs and lows of life in the big city.” —Publishers Weekly
“A compelling, wholly seductive narrative voice . . . Goolrick’s stellar prose infuses this redemption story with a good deal of depth and despair, making it read like the literary version of The Wolf of Wall Street.” —Booklist
“A dark, intoxicating morality tale . . . With his impeccable prose, Goolrick focuses his unflinching eye on the grittiness beneath the sleek facade of nightclubs, fashion, and monied Manhattan extravagance. Beautifully crafted, seductive, and provocative.” —Garth Stein, author of A Sudden Light and The Art of Racing in the Rain
In the spellbinding new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Goolrick, 1980s Manhattan shimmers like the mirage it was, as money, power, and invincibility seduce a group of young Wall Street turks. Together they reach the pinnacle, achieving the kind of wealth that grants them access to anything--and anyone. Until, one by one, they fall.
Goolrick’s literary chops are on full display, painting an authentic portrait of a hedonistic era, tense and stylish, perfectly mixing adrenaline and melancholy. Stunning in its acute observations about great wealth and its absence, and deeply moving in its depiction of the ways in which these men learn to cope with both extremes, it’s a true tour de force.
“An addictive slice of semiautobiographical fiction . . . Goolrick vividly plumbs the depths of fortune and regret. The result is a compulsively readable examination of the highs and lows of life in the big city.” —Publishers Weekly
“A compelling, wholly seductive narrative voice . . . Goolrick’s stellar prose infuses this redemption story with a good deal of depth and despair, making it read like the literary version of The Wolf of Wall Street.” —Booklist
“A dark, intoxicating morality tale . . . With his impeccable prose, Goolrick focuses his unflinching eye on the grittiness beneath the sleek facade of nightclubs, fashion, and monied Manhattan extravagance. Beautifully crafted, seductive, and provocative.” —Garth Stein, author of A Sudden Light and The Art of Racing in the Rain
305 pages, ebook
First published August 28, 2014
74 people are currently reading
1503 people want to read
About the author
Robert Goolrick
17 books474 followersI was born in a small university town in Virginia, a town in which, besides teaching, the chief preoccupations were drinking bourbon and telling complex anecdotes, stories about people who lived down the road, stories about ancestors who had died a hundred years before. For southerners, the past is as real as the present; it is not even past, as Faulkner said.
I went to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and then lived in Europe for several years, thinking that I would be an actor or a painter, two things for which I had a passion that outran my talent. I wrote an early novel, and then my parents disinherited me, so I moved to New York, which is where small-town people move to do and say the things they can't do or say at home, and I ended up working in advertising, a profession that feeds on young people who have an amorphous talent and no particular focus.
Fired in my early fifties, the way people are in advertising, I tried to figure out what to do with the rest of my life, and I came back around to the pastime that had filled the days and nights of my childhood: telling complex anecdotes about the living and the dead. I think, when we read, we relish and devour remarkable voices, but these are, in the end, stories we remember.
I live in a tiny town in Virginia in a great old farmhouse on a wide and serene river with my dog, whose name is Preacher. Since he has other interests besides listening to my stories, I tell them to you.
I went to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and then lived in Europe for several years, thinking that I would be an actor or a painter, two things for which I had a passion that outran my talent. I wrote an early novel, and then my parents disinherited me, so I moved to New York, which is where small-town people move to do and say the things they can't do or say at home, and I ended up working in advertising, a profession that feeds on young people who have an amorphous talent and no particular focus.
Fired in my early fifties, the way people are in advertising, I tried to figure out what to do with the rest of my life, and I came back around to the pastime that had filled the days and nights of my childhood: telling complex anecdotes about the living and the dead. I think, when we read, we relish and devour remarkable voices, but these are, in the end, stories we remember.
I live in a tiny town in Virginia in a great old farmhouse on a wide and serene river with my dog, whose name is Preacher. Since he has other interests besides listening to my stories, I tell them to you.
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August 10, 2015
"Let me tell you something. There's no nobility in poverty. I've been a poor man, and I've been a rich man. And I choose rich every fucking time. "
----Jordan Belfort, The Wolf of Wall Street
Robert Goolrick, #1 New York Times bestselling author, pens his new novel, The Fall of Princes that screams being rich and leading a fast life with all the millions that allows one to lead such a lifestyle, and also the 80s when the golden dreams of Wall Street ruled everyone in America, along with it's sprawling downfalls that was so hard to avoid while living on the edge.
Synopsis:
In the spellbinding new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Goolrick, 1980s Manhattan shimmers like the mirage it was, as money, power, and invincibility seduce a group of young Wall Street turks. Together they reach the pinnacle, achieving the kind of wealth that grants them access to anything--and anyone--they want. Until, one by one, they fall.
With the literary chops of Bonfire of the Vanities and the dizzying decadence of The Wolf of Wall Street, The Fall of Princes takes readers into a world of hedonistic highs and devastating lows, weaving a visceral tale about the lives of these young men, winners all . . . until someone changes the rules of the game. Goolrick paints an authentic portrait of an era, tense and stylish, perfectly mixing adrenaline and melancholy.
Stunning in its acute observations about great wealth and its absence, and deeply moving in its depiction of the ways in which these men learn to cope with both extremes, the novel travels from New York to Paris to Los Angeles to Italy to Las Vegas to London on a journey that is as seductive as it is starkly revealing, a true tour de force.
The unnamed protagonist accounts his glory days in the Wall Street when he was a wolf and represented his club called 'BSD' (Big Swinging Dicks) along with his fellow buddies who made millions like anything as traders. He made millions week after week and spent it like a boss on drugs, alcohol, high-class hookers, exotic vacations, designer suits and accessories. This is when America saw the boom of the Wall Street trading during the 80s, when every young graduate's dream was to become not just rich but filthy rich, but it also saw the waking rage of AIDS/HIV that drove people to commit suicide and love became costly. The narrator here talks so honestly with an open heart that it at times, it will make the readers envy his fast life and as well as it will make the readers feel pity for his life as he never saw it coming when his liquid cash stopped loving him and it became a disaster for him to accept his poverty-stricken lifestyle with no glitters and fancy vacations.
The writing style is extremely brilliant and unknowingly and even unwillingly, the story will make the readers sway with it's hypnotic movements. From cocaine-high narrative to drowning-on-the-edge narrative, it will always keeps the readers on their edges till the last page. The prose is fantastically eloquent as well as flows so freely that it immediately hooks the readers like a drug right from the very first chapter. With clever anecdotes, the book stands out to be a perfection in the midst of so many Wall Street- themed novels in the market.
Yes it does reminded me of the movie The Wolf of the Wall Street, but this book has an unique flavor as well as essence that drags the readers into the ruination of the protagonist.
The characters are all strongly developed by etching their flaws which are kept under the limelight until the very last page, thus making the novel so realistic, intense and intimidating. The main character is like the face of all those young wolves of the Wall Street who had only one mantra "Earn it all and Spend it All Recklessly". But his honest voice hits the readers like a tequila shot right on their hearts and the author has crafted him with lots of depth and back story to make the readers somehow contemplate with his plight.
The soaring years of the protagonist's life is portrayed with great vivid details, at times blinding out the reality and living high on the edge of fantasy like a dream and also the carefully depicting his downfall that not only affects his lifestyle but also him when he hits the ground.
The author arrests the 1980s era so perfectly and vividly with his words that it feels like he is talking about yesterday when we actually saw it happening with our own eyes. The society and the culture paints the glittering backdrop that adds a vulnerability to the future thus adding a dramatic as well as true setting for the story. Moreover the author's sarcastic depiction of the 80s prove to be a pragmatic portrayal of today's world.
In short, this is a damn good book that I've read it in a while and that which made me think with all those insightful views on a not very distant past, that not only speaks about the disadvantages of money but also about those relationships that comes with the money and those which stays even when the money stops flowing.
Verdict: A must read book for everyone that makes one feel like riding high on a deadly roller coaster- sexy yet thought-provoking!
Courtesy: Thanks to the author's publishers for giving me an opportunity to read and read an ARC of this yet-to-be-released book.
----Jordan Belfort, The Wolf of Wall Street
Robert Goolrick, #1 New York Times bestselling author, pens his new novel, The Fall of Princes that screams being rich and leading a fast life with all the millions that allows one to lead such a lifestyle, and also the 80s when the golden dreams of Wall Street ruled everyone in America, along with it's sprawling downfalls that was so hard to avoid while living on the edge.
Synopsis:
In the spellbinding new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Goolrick, 1980s Manhattan shimmers like the mirage it was, as money, power, and invincibility seduce a group of young Wall Street turks. Together they reach the pinnacle, achieving the kind of wealth that grants them access to anything--and anyone--they want. Until, one by one, they fall.
With the literary chops of Bonfire of the Vanities and the dizzying decadence of The Wolf of Wall Street, The Fall of Princes takes readers into a world of hedonistic highs and devastating lows, weaving a visceral tale about the lives of these young men, winners all . . . until someone changes the rules of the game. Goolrick paints an authentic portrait of an era, tense and stylish, perfectly mixing adrenaline and melancholy.
Stunning in its acute observations about great wealth and its absence, and deeply moving in its depiction of the ways in which these men learn to cope with both extremes, the novel travels from New York to Paris to Los Angeles to Italy to Las Vegas to London on a journey that is as seductive as it is starkly revealing, a true tour de force.
The unnamed protagonist accounts his glory days in the Wall Street when he was a wolf and represented his club called 'BSD' (Big Swinging Dicks) along with his fellow buddies who made millions like anything as traders. He made millions week after week and spent it like a boss on drugs, alcohol, high-class hookers, exotic vacations, designer suits and accessories. This is when America saw the boom of the Wall Street trading during the 80s, when every young graduate's dream was to become not just rich but filthy rich, but it also saw the waking rage of AIDS/HIV that drove people to commit suicide and love became costly. The narrator here talks so honestly with an open heart that it at times, it will make the readers envy his fast life and as well as it will make the readers feel pity for his life as he never saw it coming when his liquid cash stopped loving him and it became a disaster for him to accept his poverty-stricken lifestyle with no glitters and fancy vacations.
The writing style is extremely brilliant and unknowingly and even unwillingly, the story will make the readers sway with it's hypnotic movements. From cocaine-high narrative to drowning-on-the-edge narrative, it will always keeps the readers on their edges till the last page. The prose is fantastically eloquent as well as flows so freely that it immediately hooks the readers like a drug right from the very first chapter. With clever anecdotes, the book stands out to be a perfection in the midst of so many Wall Street- themed novels in the market.
Yes it does reminded me of the movie The Wolf of the Wall Street, but this book has an unique flavor as well as essence that drags the readers into the ruination of the protagonist.
The characters are all strongly developed by etching their flaws which are kept under the limelight until the very last page, thus making the novel so realistic, intense and intimidating. The main character is like the face of all those young wolves of the Wall Street who had only one mantra "Earn it all and Spend it All Recklessly". But his honest voice hits the readers like a tequila shot right on their hearts and the author has crafted him with lots of depth and back story to make the readers somehow contemplate with his plight.
The soaring years of the protagonist's life is portrayed with great vivid details, at times blinding out the reality and living high on the edge of fantasy like a dream and also the carefully depicting his downfall that not only affects his lifestyle but also him when he hits the ground.
The author arrests the 1980s era so perfectly and vividly with his words that it feels like he is talking about yesterday when we actually saw it happening with our own eyes. The society and the culture paints the glittering backdrop that adds a vulnerability to the future thus adding a dramatic as well as true setting for the story. Moreover the author's sarcastic depiction of the 80s prove to be a pragmatic portrayal of today's world.
In short, this is a damn good book that I've read it in a while and that which made me think with all those insightful views on a not very distant past, that not only speaks about the disadvantages of money but also about those relationships that comes with the money and those which stays even when the money stops flowing.
Verdict: A must read book for everyone that makes one feel like riding high on a deadly roller coaster- sexy yet thought-provoking!
Courtesy: Thanks to the author's publishers for giving me an opportunity to read and read an ARC of this yet-to-be-released book.
May 2, 2019
I love reading about the 80's. It's excessive, fast, cocaine infused, and egotistical. In a nutshell that describes the main character. He didn't set out to be that way, but he's a product of the lifestyle he found himself living while climbing his way to the top. He's a complete ass, reckless, and his sexuality is confusing and on fire. I like a main character that can be humbled as he reflects on the past and come to a satisfying conclusion.
I enjoyed reading this and I thought Goolrick did a great job of painting life in 1980's New York City.
I enjoyed reading this and I thought Goolrick did a great job of painting life in 1980's New York City.
April 26, 2015
Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
The 1980s were the decade of excess, the decade in which the Gordon Gekko-esque "Greed is good" mantra ruled Wall Street (and not just the Oliver Stone movie of the same name), and young "Masters of the Universe" raked in millions upon millions of bucks in financial trading, only to blow it through excessive spending, drugs, and sex. It was also the decade in which the promiscuity of the 1970s led to the horror of AIDS, the early days of which caused people to commit suicide, and family members and friends to shun those with the disease.
In Robert Goolrick's The Fall of Princes the 1980s are the backdrop for a lamentation of sorts, narrated by Rooney, who reached the highest of the highs as a trader for one of the elitest companies, only to plummet to the lowest of the lows a short while later. Rooney entered the Wall Street world as a young man somewhat confused about what direction his life would take, but once he realized the potential he had to make millions and millions of dollars, his ambition exploded, and he quickly became one of the most prolific young traders, earning—and spending—an absolute fortune. He became known as one of the "BSDs," or "Big Swinging Dicks," the phrase somebody coined to describe this cocky band of brothers.
"When you strike a match, it burns brighter in the first nanosecond than it will ever burn again. That first incandescence. That instantaneous and brilliant flash. 1980 was the year, and I was the match, and that was the year I struck into blinding flame."
The exhilaration that came with the power and privilege of the job brought with it access to women (and men), alcohol, drugs, cigars, and the finest in fashion, vacations, homes, and other luxuries. But as Rooney tells it, while it required a herculean amount of effort to make the money, it was far, far too easy to spend it, especially in their efforts to have the best of everything.
The Fall of Princes traces Rooney's rise and fall, his friendships and romantic relationships, and the lives of those around him. You see the cocky, handsome, well-built, well-dressed specimen of a man he was, and the timid, regret-filled man he became, consumed with longing for the life he no longer had. Rooney takes you on a tour of a not-too-distant time, of trying to be the best and have it all, but realizing that all of the money in the world can't buy you love, or self-worth, or certainty of your place in the world.
While Rooney and his friends are much like the characters in movies like The Wolf of Wall Street , I still found his character utterly fascinating, and I found this book to be compelling, heartfelt, and far deeper and more complex than I thought it would be. Goolrick, whose earlier novels like A Reliable Wife and Heading Out to Wonderful captured simpler times further back in history, is an excellent chronicler of place and time, and really captures the high and low points of 1980s culture and society, as well as how life feels when you're in your ascent, as well as once you've hit your lowest point.
If you're fascinated by the culture of cocky excess that characterized the 1980s on Wall Street, or you like to see the conceited meet their downfall, you'll find The Fall of Princes a tremendously interesting book.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
The 1980s were the decade of excess, the decade in which the Gordon Gekko-esque "Greed is good" mantra ruled Wall Street (and not just the Oliver Stone movie of the same name), and young "Masters of the Universe" raked in millions upon millions of bucks in financial trading, only to blow it through excessive spending, drugs, and sex. It was also the decade in which the promiscuity of the 1970s led to the horror of AIDS, the early days of which caused people to commit suicide, and family members and friends to shun those with the disease.
In Robert Goolrick's The Fall of Princes the 1980s are the backdrop for a lamentation of sorts, narrated by Rooney, who reached the highest of the highs as a trader for one of the elitest companies, only to plummet to the lowest of the lows a short while later. Rooney entered the Wall Street world as a young man somewhat confused about what direction his life would take, but once he realized the potential he had to make millions and millions of dollars, his ambition exploded, and he quickly became one of the most prolific young traders, earning—and spending—an absolute fortune. He became known as one of the "BSDs," or "Big Swinging Dicks," the phrase somebody coined to describe this cocky band of brothers.
"When you strike a match, it burns brighter in the first nanosecond than it will ever burn again. That first incandescence. That instantaneous and brilliant flash. 1980 was the year, and I was the match, and that was the year I struck into blinding flame."
The exhilaration that came with the power and privilege of the job brought with it access to women (and men), alcohol, drugs, cigars, and the finest in fashion, vacations, homes, and other luxuries. But as Rooney tells it, while it required a herculean amount of effort to make the money, it was far, far too easy to spend it, especially in their efforts to have the best of everything.
The Fall of Princes traces Rooney's rise and fall, his friendships and romantic relationships, and the lives of those around him. You see the cocky, handsome, well-built, well-dressed specimen of a man he was, and the timid, regret-filled man he became, consumed with longing for the life he no longer had. Rooney takes you on a tour of a not-too-distant time, of trying to be the best and have it all, but realizing that all of the money in the world can't buy you love, or self-worth, or certainty of your place in the world.
While Rooney and his friends are much like the characters in movies like The Wolf of Wall Street , I still found his character utterly fascinating, and I found this book to be compelling, heartfelt, and far deeper and more complex than I thought it would be. Goolrick, whose earlier novels like A Reliable Wife and Heading Out to Wonderful captured simpler times further back in history, is an excellent chronicler of place and time, and really captures the high and low points of 1980s culture and society, as well as how life feels when you're in your ascent, as well as once you've hit your lowest point.
If you're fascinated by the culture of cocky excess that characterized the 1980s on Wall Street, or you like to see the conceited meet their downfall, you'll find The Fall of Princes a tremendously interesting book.
See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....
April 17, 2018
This book is totally different from his other reads but I was addicted by the third page. It was fascinating to be part of this overindulgent lifestyle. I think the author was actually making a small joke by the very end. The main character ends up selling books in a mega bookstore. It was kind of funny after being exposed to his life before "selling books." This author is one that I think readers are overlooking. I've given all his books 4-5 stars and he's got a new one coming out. Talented to say the least. Could not put down. What a train wreck of a lifestyle presented.
October 23, 2015
I have to say I was a tad disappointed in this one, although I had high hopes when I started. I loved "A Reliable Wife" and thought Mr. Goolrick's noir first-person narrative worked fantastically in that book and for that setting. For this book, to me it largely fell flat. The focus ended up being too much on the almost indifferent-sounding "Yeah, well, it was nice, we messed up, and now I just have to live with with the consequences" Rooney. This would have worked well for maybe 100 pages, but it got pretty old pretty fast past that point.
I don't just want to be critical, since I am a huge fan of Robert Goolricks unique style. However, I think the book could have been improved a little if they author had focused a little more on the actual story surrounding the antagonist's demise and tragedy. I work in finance, so I am probably biased in that I wanted to hear a little more about the wheeling and dealing behind the downfall of the main characters.
No question - I will definitely read the next Robert Goolrick novel, but though this one didn't work for the most part.
I don't just want to be critical, since I am a huge fan of Robert Goolricks unique style. However, I think the book could have been improved a little if they author had focused a little more on the actual story surrounding the antagonist's demise and tragedy. I work in finance, so I am probably biased in that I wanted to hear a little more about the wheeling and dealing behind the downfall of the main characters.
No question - I will definitely read the next Robert Goolrick novel, but though this one didn't work for the most part.
September 2, 2015
Holy cow, did I love this book. It's my favorite of the fall reads so far. (Yeah, I know it's early. Whatever.)
I was a little hesitant because I was not a fan of A Reliable Wife but I've always been curious to read more from Goolrick. When I saw this one on NetGalley, the description was compelling enough to give it a try.
Normally I don't like books about spoiled rich people, old money or new. The characters are typically flat and their behavior bad. Boring.
I think knowing that Rooney has fallen is what changed my mind on this one but I wasn't interested in 300 pages of schadenfreude so I waded in cautiously. And was hooked from the beginning. There is something in Goolrick's voice that elicits empathy. Rooney is human. He has depth. He knows he's made mistakes and he's trying to live his life the best he can.
The Fall of Princes is at its strongest not when laying out the excesses of the 80s but when showing Rooney's human side, after the fall. Chapter 17 (In the Grip) about the AIDS epidemic knocked me off my feet and I'm not certain I exhaled the entire chapter. Also powerful were the stories about Casey and Holly, who were much more fully-developed characters than Rooney's wife Carmela.
I loved the ending (with one small quibble) and may have even teared up a little bit. It wasn't *quite* what I expected (let me know if you want to discuss; avoiding a spoiler) but it was satisfying and I think it was the right thing for Rooney to do.
This is one book that needs to be on my bookshelf and I definitely want to read it again. I hope this one doesn't get lost in the noise of the fall--I will be talking it up a lot.
I was a little hesitant because I was not a fan of A Reliable Wife but I've always been curious to read more from Goolrick. When I saw this one on NetGalley, the description was compelling enough to give it a try.
Normally I don't like books about spoiled rich people, old money or new. The characters are typically flat and their behavior bad. Boring.
I think knowing that Rooney has fallen is what changed my mind on this one but I wasn't interested in 300 pages of schadenfreude so I waded in cautiously. And was hooked from the beginning. There is something in Goolrick's voice that elicits empathy. Rooney is human. He has depth. He knows he's made mistakes and he's trying to live his life the best he can.
The Fall of Princes is at its strongest not when laying out the excesses of the 80s but when showing Rooney's human side, after the fall. Chapter 17 (In the Grip) about the AIDS epidemic knocked me off my feet and I'm not certain I exhaled the entire chapter. Also powerful were the stories about Casey and Holly, who were much more fully-developed characters than Rooney's wife Carmela.
I loved the ending (with one small quibble) and may have even teared up a little bit. It wasn't *quite* what I expected (let me know if you want to discuss; avoiding a spoiler) but it was satisfying and I think it was the right thing for Rooney to do.
This is one book that needs to be on my bookshelf and I definitely want to read it again. I hope this one doesn't get lost in the noise of the fall--I will be talking it up a lot.
July 15, 2015
2.5 stars.
Being a huge fan of Robert Goolrick, I was thrilled to have received an ARC of this book from Algonquin Publishers. Having loved his memoir and previous two novels, I had high expectations for this one. I am sorry to say that I was disappointed in this Bonfire of the Vanities-like tale of a narcissistic guy who won and then lost everything in the world of finance in the 1980s in an entirely foreseeable fashion. As others have mentioned, there was not much of a plot, and I found little to like or sympathize with in the protagonist or any of the other characters.
Being a huge fan of Robert Goolrick, I was thrilled to have received an ARC of this book from Algonquin Publishers. Having loved his memoir and previous two novels, I had high expectations for this one. I am sorry to say that I was disappointed in this Bonfire of the Vanities-like tale of a narcissistic guy who won and then lost everything in the world of finance in the 1980s in an entirely foreseeable fashion. As others have mentioned, there was not much of a plot, and I found little to like or sympathize with in the protagonist or any of the other characters.
December 28, 2017
Un roman très intéressant sur les golden-boys des années 80 et le déclin de l'un d'entre eux mais qui les représente tous.
December 15, 2014
Grandeur et décadence d’un trader new-yorkais dans les années 80. Il a vécu comme un prince, cumulant tous les excès : alcool, drogue, sexe. Il a gagné des millions de dollars, en a dépensé autant. Il a échappé aux ravages du sida mais a vu ses amis tomber comme des mouches. Et puis un jour, tout s’est effondré pour lui aussi : il a perdu son travail, sa femme a demandé le divorce. Toutes les portes se sont refermées devant lui, il a touché le fond pendant deux ans, survivant en partie grâce à la lecture d’À la recherche du temps perdu de Marcel Proust. C’est aussi grâce à sa connaissance de l’œuvre qu’il a trouvé un emploi dans une librairie. Depuis, sa vie a bien changé, monotone et sans éclat. Il se souvient des folies de sa jeunesse, il raconte les moments marquants de son existence, sans complaisance et ne cherche pas à se justifier, s’étonnant même d’avoir survécu.
Un livre fort et percutant d’un auteur que je découvre. J’ai pris beaucoup de plaisir à cette lecture alors que le sujet, à priori, aurait dû me rebuter. Mais l’auteur garde une certaine retenue dans la description des épisodes de fêtes et de beuveries, le côté trash des situations étant atténué par les regrets du narrateur, qui jamais ne se glorifie de ses succès passés ni de ses excès. L’évocation de quelques figures secondaires apporte aussi de vrais moments de tendresse et d’amitié. A découvrir sans hésitation !
Curieusement, il y a beaucoup de similitudes entre La chute des princes et une lecture précédente, Trente ans et des poussières de Jay McInerney. Il s’agit de la même époque, dans une ambiance similaire et les héros vivent des expériences proches. Mais dans Trente ans…, le lecteur accompagne le jeune couple dans les crises qu’il doit surmonter et ne sait rien du futur. Ici, le temps a passé et c’est un narrateur assagi et solitaire qui raconte sa jeunesse enfuie.
Un livre fort et percutant d’un auteur que je découvre. J’ai pris beaucoup de plaisir à cette lecture alors que le sujet, à priori, aurait dû me rebuter. Mais l’auteur garde une certaine retenue dans la description des épisodes de fêtes et de beuveries, le côté trash des situations étant atténué par les regrets du narrateur, qui jamais ne se glorifie de ses succès passés ni de ses excès. L’évocation de quelques figures secondaires apporte aussi de vrais moments de tendresse et d’amitié. A découvrir sans hésitation !
Curieusement, il y a beaucoup de similitudes entre La chute des princes et une lecture précédente, Trente ans et des poussières de Jay McInerney. Il s’agit de la même époque, dans une ambiance similaire et les héros vivent des expériences proches. Mais dans Trente ans…, le lecteur accompagne le jeune couple dans les crises qu’il doit surmonter et ne sait rien du futur. Ici, le temps a passé et c’est un narrateur assagi et solitaire qui raconte sa jeunesse enfuie.
December 29, 2015
I really enjoyed Goolrick's previous novels - Heading Out to Wonderful and A Reliable Wife - so I was very excited to tear into his latest one. I liked The Fall of Princes . . . but it definitely doesn't compare to his other two books. It was like a bunch of random short stories about the main character's life - one chapter spent reminiscing about a friend's Vegas bachelor party, one discussed the beginning of the AIDS epidemic (probably the one I found most interesting), another went over his drunken night at the Russian Tea Room which was ultimately his downfall (or was it?) The whole book made me think that Goolrick interviewed several individuals from that era and then combined all these little stories and slices of life into a book. Which is fine, but not what I expected.
September 6, 2015
Too trite; too many cliches; excessive luxury brand name dropping, to justify the weak, repetitive themes of sexual confusion and the emotional pains/schadenfreude of greed, narcissism and sexually transmitted disease.
August 4, 2019
*Rezensionsexemplar
-----------------
"Ein literarischer Abgesang auf das glitzernde New York der 80er-Jahre"
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Was ich mir erhofft hatte: Eine Geschichte aus meiner liebsten Stadt, aus vergangener Zeit, eine Art Gatsby oder Wolf of Wallstreet.
Was ich bekommen habe: Eine (für mich) literarisch hochtrabende herumspringende Geschichte von unsympathischen Charakteren, die in mir weder Mitleid noch Mitgefühl hervorgerufen haben. Vielleicht sollen sie das auch nicht - Ich weiß nicht, was der Autor mir mit deisem Werk sagen wollte, außer dass man mehr als froh sein kann, dass diese "glitzernden 80er Jahre" vorbei sind. Vermutlich.... Ekelhaft dekadente Menschen, die sich einen Dreck um andere kümmern und nur auf ihr eigenes Wohl aussind wird es zu jeder Zeit der Menscheit geben. Doch muss ich darüber lesen?
Rooney wollte Künstler werde - leider reichte weder musikalisches noch schauspielerisches noch zeichnerisches Talent. Also wird er Trader an der Wall Street - zu einer ekelhaft dekadenten Zeit. Von Beginn an weiß man dass der Erzähler tief gefallen ist - Für mich absolut in Ordnung. Er hat es nicht anders verdient! Drogen, Sex, Party und mehr... Dazwischen anderen Leuten das Geld aus die Tasche ziehend. Mehr passiert nicht!
Einzelne vergangene und heutige Szenen werden wild aneinandergereiht und der Sinn dahinter fehlt mir oft.
Einzig die Parts bei denen es um das Aufkommen von AIDS ging haben mich auf gewissen Weise berüht und interessiert. Von alle Protagonisten konnte ich nur Holly etwas abgewinnen. Leider taucht sie erst auf den letzten 20 Seiten auf.
Die Schreibweise ist einfach nicht mein Ding. Poetisch hochgestochen - Ich mag solch "literarischen" Werke einfach nicht. Besonders nicht, wenn es inhaltlich ebenso uninteressant für mich ist!
Vermutlich gefällt einem das Buch besser, wenn man die USA der 80er näher kennt - Die Kultur, die Menschen, die Sendungen von denen hier die Rede ist. Ich kannte allerdings nur zwei am Rande erwähnte Personen (ein Makeup Artist und ein HairStylist - Aber auch nur weil es bekannte Marken auch in Europa sind).
Alles in allem fehlte mir der rote Faden. Es wird ein Buch sein, welches ich schnell wieder vergessen werden. Schade eigentlich - Aber nicht jedem kann alles gefallen! Mir hat dieses Werk nicht gefallen!
-----------------
"Ein literarischer Abgesang auf das glitzernde New York der 80er-Jahre"
-----------------
Was ich mir erhofft hatte: Eine Geschichte aus meiner liebsten Stadt, aus vergangener Zeit, eine Art Gatsby oder Wolf of Wallstreet.
Was ich bekommen habe: Eine (für mich) literarisch hochtrabende herumspringende Geschichte von unsympathischen Charakteren, die in mir weder Mitleid noch Mitgefühl hervorgerufen haben. Vielleicht sollen sie das auch nicht - Ich weiß nicht, was der Autor mir mit deisem Werk sagen wollte, außer dass man mehr als froh sein kann, dass diese "glitzernden 80er Jahre" vorbei sind. Vermutlich.... Ekelhaft dekadente Menschen, die sich einen Dreck um andere kümmern und nur auf ihr eigenes Wohl aussind wird es zu jeder Zeit der Menscheit geben. Doch muss ich darüber lesen?
Rooney wollte Künstler werde - leider reichte weder musikalisches noch schauspielerisches noch zeichnerisches Talent. Also wird er Trader an der Wall Street - zu einer ekelhaft dekadenten Zeit. Von Beginn an weiß man dass der Erzähler tief gefallen ist - Für mich absolut in Ordnung. Er hat es nicht anders verdient! Drogen, Sex, Party und mehr... Dazwischen anderen Leuten das Geld aus die Tasche ziehend. Mehr passiert nicht!
Einzelne vergangene und heutige Szenen werden wild aneinandergereiht und der Sinn dahinter fehlt mir oft.
Einzig die Parts bei denen es um das Aufkommen von AIDS ging haben mich auf gewissen Weise berüht und interessiert. Von alle Protagonisten konnte ich nur Holly etwas abgewinnen. Leider taucht sie erst auf den letzten 20 Seiten auf.
Die Schreibweise ist einfach nicht mein Ding. Poetisch hochgestochen - Ich mag solch "literarischen" Werke einfach nicht. Besonders nicht, wenn es inhaltlich ebenso uninteressant für mich ist!
Vermutlich gefällt einem das Buch besser, wenn man die USA der 80er näher kennt - Die Kultur, die Menschen, die Sendungen von denen hier die Rede ist. Ich kannte allerdings nur zwei am Rande erwähnte Personen (ein Makeup Artist und ein HairStylist - Aber auch nur weil es bekannte Marken auch in Europa sind).
Alles in allem fehlte mir der rote Faden. Es wird ein Buch sein, welches ich schnell wieder vergessen werden. Schade eigentlich - Aber nicht jedem kann alles gefallen! Mir hat dieses Werk nicht gefallen!
October 7, 2015
www.litwitwineanddine.com
I received a free copy of this book from Algonquin publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Summary: The Fall of Princes tells the tale of one man's rise and fall in the hedonistic world that was 1980's Wall Street. Money, power, greed, love, lust, sex, drugs, and alcohol provide the all of the interest once could hope for in Goolrick's latest novel. From the excess and decadence of top of the Street's food chain to city's underbelly filled with drugs, hookers, and the beginning of the AIDS crisis, we are spared nothing.
My thoughts:
I am a big fan of Goolrick's and this book did not disappoint! He writes with such nostalgia you'd bet your first-born you were there, shared the experiences with him, and are also experiencing the longing to be back in the good 'ole days. He is able to provide us with protagonists that are so introspective you'll wonder how anyone could be that in touch with their feelings. In a good way.
Though the experiences in this book provide insight into the extremes of life in 1980's Manhattan, I felt that Goolrick was able to pull it off in a way that is both historically accurate and still manages to draw you in though you may have heard similar tales of the excesses before.
As for Rooney. our rarely named protagonist, I could relate to him though I share almost nothing in common with him. There is just something about the way his humanity is expressed that makes him likable. Perhaps it's a perfect balance of good and evil in his actions and intentions mixed with a certain vulnerability that makes me want to see him content though I understand he is not destined to be "happy". But I think that is the point.
My rating: 5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from Algonquin publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Summary: The Fall of Princes tells the tale of one man's rise and fall in the hedonistic world that was 1980's Wall Street. Money, power, greed, love, lust, sex, drugs, and alcohol provide the all of the interest once could hope for in Goolrick's latest novel. From the excess and decadence of top of the Street's food chain to city's underbelly filled with drugs, hookers, and the beginning of the AIDS crisis, we are spared nothing.
My thoughts:
I am a big fan of Goolrick's and this book did not disappoint! He writes with such nostalgia you'd bet your first-born you were there, shared the experiences with him, and are also experiencing the longing to be back in the good 'ole days. He is able to provide us with protagonists that are so introspective you'll wonder how anyone could be that in touch with their feelings. In a good way.
Though the experiences in this book provide insight into the extremes of life in 1980's Manhattan, I felt that Goolrick was able to pull it off in a way that is both historically accurate and still manages to draw you in though you may have heard similar tales of the excesses before.
As for Rooney. our rarely named protagonist, I could relate to him though I share almost nothing in common with him. There is just something about the way his humanity is expressed that makes him likable. Perhaps it's a perfect balance of good and evil in his actions and intentions mixed with a certain vulnerability that makes me want to see him content though I understand he is not destined to be "happy". But I think that is the point.
My rating: 5 stars
December 13, 2016
I received a net galley ARC copy from Algonquin for a fair and honest review: I'll do my best.
Yes, indeed, this is The Wolf of Wall Street meets The Bonfire of the Vanities. Maybe more Bonfire than Wolf but the protagonist in this book, Rooney, is not as fascinating a character as Sherman McCoy from Bonfire. This is 1980's NYC in all its excess, narcissism, rudeness and Rooney and the other junk bond and trash security sellers are known as the BSD's (Big Swinging Dicks). So, that gives you a picture of what you're in for here. They tossed around money and women like horseshoes,but then the bottom dropped out for Rooney. This is a sort riches to rags story and it's sad and funny to watch all at the same time. I mean these guys were spending money like crazy!
Goolrick is an excellent storyteller and his books are really readable. I certainly enjoyed this book to a point. There's no real plot to say and it's not really linear but kind of like jumps around a bit. I liked Goolrick's, A Reliable Wife, a lot lot, probably a lot more than most: 3.24 rating on Goodreads? Really? Seriously? Heading Out To Wonderful was rather good as well if not a bit bloody and violent at the end.
I'm giving this a 3 but actually it's about a 3.42 stars!
Yes, indeed, this is The Wolf of Wall Street meets The Bonfire of the Vanities. Maybe more Bonfire than Wolf but the protagonist in this book, Rooney, is not as fascinating a character as Sherman McCoy from Bonfire. This is 1980's NYC in all its excess, narcissism, rudeness and Rooney and the other junk bond and trash security sellers are known as the BSD's (Big Swinging Dicks). So, that gives you a picture of what you're in for here. They tossed around money and women like horseshoes,but then the bottom dropped out for Rooney. This is a sort riches to rags story and it's sad and funny to watch all at the same time. I mean these guys were spending money like crazy!
Goolrick is an excellent storyteller and his books are really readable. I certainly enjoyed this book to a point. There's no real plot to say and it's not really linear but kind of like jumps around a bit. I liked Goolrick's, A Reliable Wife, a lot lot, probably a lot more than most: 3.24 rating on Goodreads? Really? Seriously? Heading Out To Wonderful was rather good as well if not a bit bloody and violent at the end.
I'm giving this a 3 but actually it's about a 3.42 stars!
March 24, 2016
I read this book because I love the writer. The subject didn't interest me much at first and I was afraid after 50 pages I was reading another American Psycho without an insane serial killer. The similarities turn out to be minor. This is a beautifully written love letter to excess. I enjoyed it despite myself.
August 23, 2015
I received an ARC of "The Fall of Princes." I loved "A Reliable Wife" and "Heading Out to Wonderful," so I was excited about Goolrick's newest novel. Goolrick writes like few other authors, except maybe Wally Lamb and Colin McCann. His protagonists are original, and his stories are loaded with irony, emotional depth, and even a touch of humor.
Goolrick's latest novel makes for compelling reading, but it has a tendency to ramble and repeat, making it tedious at times. I got the point about obscene wealth and depravity early on and didn't need to have whole paragraphs repeated in order to get it. So why 4 stars? The last 40 pages, when Rooney has lost everything (not a spoiler, you know from the first paragraph this is coming) and is reduced to living in a rat-infested flat and associating with hookers and junkies, offers some of the most beautiful writing I have ever come across--painful, bittersweet, self-reflective, intimate, and deeply moving. By the end, it all came together, and I have no regrets about staying with the earlier part of the book and will be eagerly awaiting the next one.
Goolrick's latest novel makes for compelling reading, but it has a tendency to ramble and repeat, making it tedious at times. I got the point about obscene wealth and depravity early on and didn't need to have whole paragraphs repeated in order to get it. So why 4 stars? The last 40 pages, when Rooney has lost everything (not a spoiler, you know from the first paragraph this is coming) and is reduced to living in a rat-infested flat and associating with hookers and junkies, offers some of the most beautiful writing I have ever come across--painful, bittersweet, self-reflective, intimate, and deeply moving. By the end, it all came together, and I have no regrets about staying with the earlier part of the book and will be eagerly awaiting the next one.
September 19, 2015
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for providing me with an ARC of The Fall of Princes by Robert Goolrick. Below is my unbiased review.
Part Bonfire of the Vanities, part Wolf of Wall Street ,The Fall of Princes is grittier, dirtier, wickeder and way more scandalous. This tale reads more autobiographical than fictional. One senses that every haunting thought and depraved act was in fact committed and procured. As with his other novels, Robert Goolrick writes seductive characters and richly crafted scenes. Easily, The Fall of Princes could become a blockbuster movie!
Rooney, our sarcastic pragmatic narrator lives his life by the "forty or forty"rule. Retirement begins when your portfolio hits 40 million or you've made it to your 40th birthday. He lives large, plays hard and burns bright. I literally read this book in a day....brilliant! Well crafted and executed. Haunting and haughty!
Part Bonfire of the Vanities, part Wolf of Wall Street ,The Fall of Princes is grittier, dirtier, wickeder and way more scandalous. This tale reads more autobiographical than fictional. One senses that every haunting thought and depraved act was in fact committed and procured. As with his other novels, Robert Goolrick writes seductive characters and richly crafted scenes. Easily, The Fall of Princes could become a blockbuster movie!
Rooney, our sarcastic pragmatic narrator lives his life by the "forty or forty"rule. Retirement begins when your portfolio hits 40 million or you've made it to your 40th birthday. He lives large, plays hard and burns bright. I literally read this book in a day....brilliant! Well crafted and executed. Haunting and haughty!
October 15, 2015
A well written and honest look at life in a 1980's wealthy trader life. As the title suggests and the book opens to his "fall" from wealth and employment. I loved his story and the focus on love relationships whether he is in one, out of one or looking for one. Drugs, sex and money all make for good novels but the way in in which Goolrick tells this short novel is very human and heartfelt. I want to read more Goolrick now. He knows how to capture my attention and tell a story. Thank you Kalen for reviewing this earlier in 2015 and turning me on to a book I don't think would've crossed my TBR otherwise.
July 9, 2015
“I loved this novel about the rise and fall of a man in NYC during the 80s, when money was easy to make and easy to spend. What happens when you can get anything you want, and what does it really end up costing you? The story of the people working in the financial industry during that time is interwoven with the reality of AIDS, cocaine and the changes going on in society. So many sentences were so well-written that I found myself stopping to take them in and relish them.”
Jennifer Cook, Cheshire Public Library, Cheshire, CT
Jennifer Cook, Cheshire Public Library, Cheshire, CT
September 29, 2019
An engrossing read about one man's quick rise to the top in the Wall Street trading world of the 1980's only to plummet as quick due to excess greed and the gullibility of youth. Told in first person, this is an emotional, raw, and dark tale where the fall kept him down financially, but brought an awaking to a soul and a journey back to humanity. Done in first person, I really enjoyed the voice, so this was a quick read. As if Holden Caulfield from J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye" lived in the era and told the tale.
April 27, 2021
This book read like a fast-paced Bret Easton Ellis novel. This book was full of sex, drugs and despair. The main character looks back and reminisces on his rich past while he lives in “squalor”. The book was moderately paced and gave insight to the glamorous 80s setting. The characters are so hedonistic that the lives and deaths around them barely phase their drug fueled debauchery. The examination of bisexual and homosexual life in the 80s during the AIDS epidemic was featured briefly in this novel. I felt like it was dealt with in a dark manner, but dealt with honestly. The author did a great job at painting life in New York City in the 1980s. The depiction of male bisexuality was dark and depressing. The protagonist being humbled by reminiscing on his past was dealt with depth and honesty.
did-not-finish
October 15, 2020DNF - this book definitely reminds me of American Psycho and Glamorama ... but it's lacking the humor and scathing social commentary via sarcasm. That gap makes this a book about rich people being horrible with money, and I'm just not in a place to enjoy that.
January 9, 2023
American psycho but kinda sweeter
August 10, 2015
With money comes opportunities; both opportunities and money have the power to change you. Whether those opportunities is a better life or a life filled with issues is dependent on each person. Surrounded by ruthless Wall Street types and a certain lifestyle expectation, the consequences compound quickly for the protagonist of Robert Goolrick's The Fall of Princes.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Doors open to the group of Wall Street investors in 1980s Manhattan and they live in the lap of luxury, able t have whatever and whoever they want. But the old adage that all that glimmers is not gold is slowly realized to be true as these men begin to fall from the social graces they become accustom to and take advantage of. Following Rooney/Billy Champagne/unnamed narrator, readers are treated to a view of the life of excess experienced by an elite selection of young investors at The Firm and the subsequent lows that came from their extraordinary habits.
In its essence, it felt like a contemporary version of Nick Carraway's narration of the moneyed life of excess in The Great Gatsby; I am, however, wary to make a comparison like this to such a classic (and oft misinterpreted) work as it has the potential to belittle each respective work. There were some typographical and typesetting/layout issues present in this ARC that could have been tightened up to improve the impression of quality of the editing and book as a whole. Readers never truly get the narrator's name and only whatever others call him and what he chooses to call his persona. This anonymity is an interesting aspect to make him everyone and no one all at once. The voice of the narrator was honest and acknowledged the horrific things that people can and will do for and with money, which makes him a more sympathetic character. There is nice book-ending or paralleling crafted with the story's imagery at the beginning and end. The narrative falls in line with many other Wall Street stories, reminiscent of films of years past and the story serves as a form of time capsule of the 80s lifestyle of the wealthy elite.
Overall, I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Doors open to the group of Wall Street investors in 1980s Manhattan and they live in the lap of luxury, able t have whatever and whoever they want. But the old adage that all that glimmers is not gold is slowly realized to be true as these men begin to fall from the social graces they become accustom to and take advantage of. Following Rooney/Billy Champagne/unnamed narrator, readers are treated to a view of the life of excess experienced by an elite selection of young investors at The Firm and the subsequent lows that came from their extraordinary habits.
In its essence, it felt like a contemporary version of Nick Carraway's narration of the moneyed life of excess in The Great Gatsby; I am, however, wary to make a comparison like this to such a classic (and oft misinterpreted) work as it has the potential to belittle each respective work. There were some typographical and typesetting/layout issues present in this ARC that could have been tightened up to improve the impression of quality of the editing and book as a whole. Readers never truly get the narrator's name and only whatever others call him and what he chooses to call his persona. This anonymity is an interesting aspect to make him everyone and no one all at once. The voice of the narrator was honest and acknowledged the horrific things that people can and will do for and with money, which makes him a more sympathetic character. There is nice book-ending or paralleling crafted with the story's imagery at the beginning and end. The narrative falls in line with many other Wall Street stories, reminiscent of films of years past and the story serves as a form of time capsule of the 80s lifestyle of the wealthy elite.
Overall, I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
August 13, 2016
Fiction
Inside Cover:
New York City, the 1980's. Young men, princes all. Too much money. Too much freedom. They thought it never would end.
... best selling author Robert Goolrick brings to vivid life a world of excess and self-indulgence ... where drugs were bountiful and not refused. Where no price was too high and flesh was always on offer. Where a quick trip to Europe or a weekend on the coast or a fabulous Hamptoms beach house were part of what was expected. When the money just coming, and coming, and coming ... until it didn't.
These Princes of Wall Street, the stock and junk bond traders of the 1980's, were the top traders, the top young men at the wealthiest, most prestigious firm, who were paid unbelievable amounts of money. The story is told by Rooney, one of the "princes" after the thrill ride, fueled by mind- boggling amounts of drugs and alcohol, came to an end for each of them in different ways.
This isn't a book I would normally be interested in reading, but Robert Goolrick is a big favorite author. His first novel A Reliable Wife is one of the best books I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I highly recommend it, as well as his second book Heading Out to Wonderful.
While I wasn't very interested in reading about these subjects, once I began reading, I read till the wee hours. Goolrick's excellent writing pulled me in immediately. Each "prince's" personal journey was intriguing, and unfolded with insight and clarity. Even the minor characters were interesting, and I couldn't wait to know what happened next.
Inside Cover:
New York City, the 1980's. Young men, princes all. Too much money. Too much freedom. They thought it never would end.
... best selling author Robert Goolrick brings to vivid life a world of excess and self-indulgence ... where drugs were bountiful and not refused. Where no price was too high and flesh was always on offer. Where a quick trip to Europe or a weekend on the coast or a fabulous Hamptoms beach house were part of what was expected. When the money just coming, and coming, and coming ... until it didn't.
These Princes of Wall Street, the stock and junk bond traders of the 1980's, were the top traders, the top young men at the wealthiest, most prestigious firm, who were paid unbelievable amounts of money. The story is told by Rooney, one of the "princes" after the thrill ride, fueled by mind- boggling amounts of drugs and alcohol, came to an end for each of them in different ways.
This isn't a book I would normally be interested in reading, but Robert Goolrick is a big favorite author. His first novel A Reliable Wife is one of the best books I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I highly recommend it, as well as his second book Heading Out to Wonderful.
While I wasn't very interested in reading about these subjects, once I began reading, I read till the wee hours. Goolrick's excellent writing pulled me in immediately. Each "prince's" personal journey was intriguing, and unfolded with insight and clarity. Even the minor characters were interesting, and I couldn't wait to know what happened next.
October 13, 2015
The title of this novel tells most of the story. The “Princes” are those privileged hustlers from the 70s and 80s who made and lost fortunes on Wall Street. If the author is correct, most of them knew they were scam artists but were just too greedy and too hedonistic to slow down and get a real life. The accounts of conspicuous consumption in this account are mind-bending but not beyond belief. “Greed is good” had to have some resonance in these men and women and they spent as if they had to prove it. The narrator of this story is Rooney. No other identity is necessary in order to place him in that niche of nouveau riche who stormed the Street and made untoward thousands of dollars a minute selling stocks. The chronology of the story progresses through the excesses of the 70s and peaks in the heady days of the 80s, marred only by shadows of a strange disease that started with pneumonia and ended in HIV deaths. It is, as Goolrick portrays it, not surprising that the excesses led to such terrible ends. The Princes played with their lives as they did with the financial lives of their colleagues. They experimented with sex and drugs and drinking—all the behaviors necessary to ensure maximum risk. Rooney marries but the day he is finally fired his wife sues him for divorce and as he returns home he finds both empty closets but empty bank accounts as well. The women of the Princes are as venal and amoral as they are but they usually get to the bank accounts first. Rooney meets “the 11-foot hooker,” Holly, near the end of the story and we feel he might make a success of it with her only she is a he and they become friends instead of mates. And Rooney is left with only one luxury: he sleeps on percale sheets. After what he had at his peak, that’s small consolation but, given the way the princes lived and died, that may have been consolation enough. A tough take on a bygone age that, in many ways, is still with us.
July 3, 2016
In this semi-autobiographical novel, author Robert Goolrick takes us to Wall Street in the boom era of the 1980s. For those men on the Street, life was a never ending party. Loose women, fast cars, high fashion, and an endless supply of drugs and alcohol fueled their nights. But it was also the advent of the AIDS epidemic, and all around them they watched their friends die, fearful of the disease, but also unheeding of the choices they were making.
I was fascinated by this book from start to end. It is brash, bold, and incredibly in your face. The language that Goolrick chose to tell the story was perfectly suited to the time. Told in the first person, Rooney, who lived his life on top of the world before it came tumbling down after one wrong choice on a night like any other, tells us his history and also his present.
This story shares many similarities to the author's own life, though it his not his entirely. I was quite impressed by his ability to fictionalize his story in this manner, giving over just enough elements to lend authenticity, but also not making it all about him. Previously, I had not entertained any thoughts of reading Goolrick's memoirs, The End of the World As We Know It, but it is now solidly on my radar.
This is the second book I've read by this author, and despite their differences in time and content, stylistically they have much in common. I am more than a bit impressed by his ability to write such vastly different stories and yet allow his voice as an author shine through so clearly. His second book, Heading Out to Wonderful, has been taking up space on my Nook for a couple of years, but I will now be making plans to read it very soon. Goolrick has rapidly become one of my favorite contemporary authors and I look forward to reading any future publications.
I was fascinated by this book from start to end. It is brash, bold, and incredibly in your face. The language that Goolrick chose to tell the story was perfectly suited to the time. Told in the first person, Rooney, who lived his life on top of the world before it came tumbling down after one wrong choice on a night like any other, tells us his history and also his present.
This story shares many similarities to the author's own life, though it his not his entirely. I was quite impressed by his ability to fictionalize his story in this manner, giving over just enough elements to lend authenticity, but also not making it all about him. Previously, I had not entertained any thoughts of reading Goolrick's memoirs, The End of the World As We Know It, but it is now solidly on my radar.
This is the second book I've read by this author, and despite their differences in time and content, stylistically they have much in common. I am more than a bit impressed by his ability to write such vastly different stories and yet allow his voice as an author shine through so clearly. His second book, Heading Out to Wonderful, has been taking up space on my Nook for a couple of years, but I will now be making plans to read it very soon. Goolrick has rapidly become one of my favorite contemporary authors and I look forward to reading any future publications.
June 29, 2018
Begonnen mit dem Buch, war ich quasi auch schon fertig.
Von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite war ich völlig versunken in dem Buch.
Es wird die Geschichte erzählt von einem Mann, der an der Wall Street Karriere
machte und ins Bodenlose fiel.
Es war wirklich eine Achterbahn der Gefühle. Ein Auf und Ab.
Geld,Macht, Korruption, Drogen, Sex etc... Alles dabei...
Es war als, wenn ich in eine ganz andere/neue Welt eintauchen durfte.
Es wurde für mein Empfinden nix beschönigt oder so. Gnadenlos wurde der
Leser in alle Emotionen mithineingezogen. Ich konnte gar nichts dagegen tun.
Grandiose Geschichte....
Von der ersten bis zur letzten Seite war ich völlig versunken in dem Buch.
Es wird die Geschichte erzählt von einem Mann, der an der Wall Street Karriere
machte und ins Bodenlose fiel.
Es war wirklich eine Achterbahn der Gefühle. Ein Auf und Ab.
Geld,Macht, Korruption, Drogen, Sex etc... Alles dabei...
Es war als, wenn ich in eine ganz andere/neue Welt eintauchen durfte.
Es wurde für mein Empfinden nix beschönigt oder so. Gnadenlos wurde der
Leser in alle Emotionen mithineingezogen. Ich konnte gar nichts dagegen tun.
Grandiose Geschichte....
January 4, 2016
Normally I just give books however many stars I think they deserve and don't write a review, but I'm not sure I can do that here.
I'm not opposed to putting a book down partway through if I'm not enjoying myself, and I came very close to doing that a few times with this book. I didn't feel like I could connect with any of the characters until I met Holly, and she remained the singular character about whom I cared even in the slightest.
I kept feeling that I'd heard this story so many times before, and I still sort of feel that way after finishing. I'm not sure if I should be upset with the narrator or the author, but some real-world inaccuracies in this story left me feeling distrustful and skeptical-- particularly the small, yet important, mistake of naming the wrong state in referencing the death of Matthew Shepard, for example.
The characters often felt like caricatures, and the plot was unsurprising and pedestrian, if not predictable.
That said, a little more than halfway through this book I found it impossible to put down. I'm glad I finished it, but I'm still unsure if I want to give it one star or three.
I'm not opposed to putting a book down partway through if I'm not enjoying myself, and I came very close to doing that a few times with this book. I didn't feel like I could connect with any of the characters until I met Holly, and she remained the singular character about whom I cared even in the slightest.
I kept feeling that I'd heard this story so many times before, and I still sort of feel that way after finishing. I'm not sure if I should be upset with the narrator or the author, but some real-world inaccuracies in this story left me feeling distrustful and skeptical-- particularly the small, yet important, mistake of naming the wrong state in referencing the death of Matthew Shepard, for example.
The characters often felt like caricatures, and the plot was unsurprising and pedestrian, if not predictable.
That said, a little more than halfway through this book I found it impossible to put down. I'm glad I finished it, but I'm still unsure if I want to give it one star or three.
May 8, 2016
I received an advance reading copy through Netgalley.
This was seriously great. I didn't know if I could really care about rich assholes making millions of dollars in finance in NYC in the 1980s, but Goolrick pulls it off like it's no big deal. I was completely absorbed in the world of the book and had a hard time putting it down, even if the downfall of the main character is telegraphed in the title.
The book is written in vignettes that jump around in time and space. At first this style was jarring, but I quickly grew to love the way the story was told, like being told memories from different times in a person's life. The 1980s NYC that comes to life in these vignettes feels so incredibly real, mostly due to Goolrick's bluntness. He doesn't shy away from anything and details all of main character Rooney's experiences, both good and bad. I especially loved his truly heartbreaking descriptions of the early days of the AIDS crisis.
This was seriously great. I didn't know if I could really care about rich assholes making millions of dollars in finance in NYC in the 1980s, but Goolrick pulls it off like it's no big deal. I was completely absorbed in the world of the book and had a hard time putting it down, even if the downfall of the main character is telegraphed in the title.
The book is written in vignettes that jump around in time and space. At first this style was jarring, but I quickly grew to love the way the story was told, like being told memories from different times in a person's life. The 1980s NYC that comes to life in these vignettes feels so incredibly real, mostly due to Goolrick's bluntness. He doesn't shy away from anything and details all of main character Rooney's experiences, both good and bad. I especially loved his truly heartbreaking descriptions of the early days of the AIDS crisis.
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