Winging It

by Susan Schmidt

Like pilgrims to the shrine of culture come three Americans, Robert, Jesse and Vera, in love with London and famous Londoners. Emotionally hurt survivors of the 1960s, they have tried to make their lives immune from the pains and pleasures of desire. Into this strategy of damage limitation enters Jeremy, an ingenue Englishman, whose powers of seduction match his gourmet sensibilities. As each member of the trio in turn becomes the object of Jeremy's affections, their long standing commitment to 'love and peace' is threatened.
Part Henry James, part Armistead Maupin - Winging It celebrates the triumph of the unfashionable value of friendship in an age when fashion is everything.

Genres: Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1994

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The one word that comes to mind when I ask myself what I thought of this novel is "pleasant". I know, that's a very bland adjective, but it fits. The story itself, about an emotionally unstable gay man, Robert, and his little circle of middle-aged American ex-pat 60's artsy types in 90's London (and their various mini-dramas, romantic mishaps, creative impulses, existential angst, etc.), is held together by the somewhat complicated dynamics of their friendship. Also holding things together is Isabel, Robert's aged yet spry pot-smoking landlady, whose role as the soothing spiritual mother to this group of overgrown Peter Pans (nobody has an actual job nor makes a living from their artistic creation; money comes from a trust here, a disability check there, etc.) helps keep things grounded.
So, a nice, pleasant read; I'd give this 3 or 3.5 stars but since I appear to be the only person on Goodreads to have read this book (found it in a charity shop, liked the cover!) I'm under too much pressure; so rounding up!