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Tuxes
"It was good land, rich land, big and sprawling and Paleolithic, rich in swamp, rich in algae, in the heart of The Fern Belt." So starts the sweeping saga of the Bundleworths, the original "Old Money," who proudly trace their lineage all the way back to Texas, One Million B.C. For Price Bundleworth, tight-fisted patriarch of the family, and by corporate bylaw, inheritor and President of the formalwear conglomerate, Tuxaco, life is grand. That is, until ne'er-do-well son Cad sticks his shovel in the ice at a tuxedo-rental-store groundbreaking in the Arctic Circle, and the family discovers an ice-cold blast from the past. From the ski slopes of Gstaad, to the boardrooms of Bundleworth, Texas, from the racetrack curves of La Grand Mort to the nip/tuck clinics of Beverly Hills, Tuxes tells the tempestuous, sensational story of the return of a man with a club and a dream. One who seldom speaks, but whose eyes burn, beneath a sloping forehead, with the entrepreneurial spirit.
192 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2007
4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 30, 2013
When I began reading this book I didn't make it past the first page without laughter. Scott Fivelson is a sharp and witty writer with the ability to transform characters from words on paper to real people that make you think about the world we live in.
I wasn't sure what to think before I began this book, sometimes satire is done really well and is entertaining and smart and other times...well, not so much. This book is definitely smart and fun.
Based on the rich and monetarily-motivated families of Texas, this book follows the goings on of one family in particular. The story rises and falls around the decisions and actions of the characters, showing more of their personalities and characteristics as the book progresses.
If you are a fan of the books that focus on Big and Rich Texas, you will need to keep in mind that this is satire.
I particularly enjoyed Cad's character. The upheaval he brings to the story made for a nice jump in pace that carried the story until the end. This story is full of hilarious quotes and wry observations that you will want to share with those around you.
Overall, this book was a lot of fun. It is a short, tightly-woven read worthy of a recommendation.
I wasn't sure what to think before I began this book, sometimes satire is done really well and is entertaining and smart and other times...well, not so much. This book is definitely smart and fun.
Based on the rich and monetarily-motivated families of Texas, this book follows the goings on of one family in particular. The story rises and falls around the decisions and actions of the characters, showing more of their personalities and characteristics as the book progresses.
If you are a fan of the books that focus on Big and Rich Texas, you will need to keep in mind that this is satire.
I particularly enjoyed Cad's character. The upheaval he brings to the story made for a nice jump in pace that carried the story until the end. This story is full of hilarious quotes and wry observations that you will want to share with those around you.
Overall, this book was a lot of fun. It is a short, tightly-woven read worthy of a recommendation.
October 13, 2013
An exciting tale of love, betrayal, money, high fashion, and an unexpected cave man deep in the heart of Texas.
The story
At almost seventy, Price Bundleworth has it all - an attractive and supportive wife, an attractive and vacuous daughter, a beautiful home, a multinational corporation, a strong silent chauffeur, a fantastic butler, and of course, a selection of high flying friends. Money and power excite him the way nothing else does, and, in the lead up to his birthday, he has solidified his rule over Tuxaco, creators of the finest tuxedos in the world. Thanks to an obliging board, he is now able to rule the company for the rest of his life, as the oldest male Bundleworth. Life couldn't be sweeter.
Until the Bundleworth family is thrown into upheaval by the return of Cad Bundleworth, disgraced son of Price, from the dead. Cad dons his tux and sets off to break new ground for the family business in the Arctic Circle. However, he returns with something more than a thriving Arctic tuxedo business... he returns with BC, the new owner of Tuxaco. And there's nothing Price can do about it.
Can Price get his business back? Has Cad really reformed from a mime artist with left leaning proclivities? Will BC run the business into the ground? Will Price's daughter settle her sluttish and self destructive ways? And who is trying to destroy the Bundleworth empire?
The style
Scott Fivelson has taken the concept of a Danielle Steel-style, Texan family saga, and made it shorter, punchier, far less serious, and, in my humble opinion, much more readable. Point in case - I've never read a Danielle Steel.
Written in the third person, Tuxes follows all the characters and their bewildering relationships, proclivities, and follies while keeping an array of twists and unexpected turns for the reader to snicker about. The writing style is smirk-worthy the whole way through - reminiscent of a cross between early Ben Elton and a bit of Carl Hiassen, Fivelson masters comedic satire in a way that some Americans just never manage, try as they might. The actual plot line is soap-opera-esque, with returned relatives, cavemen unfrozen by science, oddly familiar chauffeurs, affairs, the obligatory murder, and a courtroom scene. While this kind of thing can get exhausting, Fivelson knew when to wrap it up, and at 170 pages the story is tight and full of action, with no drag.
The characters are great fun; they all manage to have the two dimensionality of stereotypes to begin with, and then are pushed into the realm of the hilarious as they are developed. Attention to detail is the key here, particularly considering the length, and sufficient attention there was.
Tuxes is a light, short read guaranteed to keep you smirking the whole way through, with the odd sharp social observation to keep the reader on their toes.
Who is this book for?
Good holiday reading - although avid fans of the Texan family saga genre should be aware that it is, of course, a satire, and therefore read it as intended.
Some people just don't get satire...
If you like this book, you would also like...
Ben Elton's earlier stuff before he got a bit repetitive. His social commentary, which was mainly environmental, is very astute and his satirical characterization is funny. But it's not about tuxedo tycoons, which, frankly, I enjoyed as a subject matter.
The story
At almost seventy, Price Bundleworth has it all - an attractive and supportive wife, an attractive and vacuous daughter, a beautiful home, a multinational corporation, a strong silent chauffeur, a fantastic butler, and of course, a selection of high flying friends. Money and power excite him the way nothing else does, and, in the lead up to his birthday, he has solidified his rule over Tuxaco, creators of the finest tuxedos in the world. Thanks to an obliging board, he is now able to rule the company for the rest of his life, as the oldest male Bundleworth. Life couldn't be sweeter.
Until the Bundleworth family is thrown into upheaval by the return of Cad Bundleworth, disgraced son of Price, from the dead. Cad dons his tux and sets off to break new ground for the family business in the Arctic Circle. However, he returns with something more than a thriving Arctic tuxedo business... he returns with BC, the new owner of Tuxaco. And there's nothing Price can do about it.
Can Price get his business back? Has Cad really reformed from a mime artist with left leaning proclivities? Will BC run the business into the ground? Will Price's daughter settle her sluttish and self destructive ways? And who is trying to destroy the Bundleworth empire?
The style
Scott Fivelson has taken the concept of a Danielle Steel-style, Texan family saga, and made it shorter, punchier, far less serious, and, in my humble opinion, much more readable. Point in case - I've never read a Danielle Steel.
Written in the third person, Tuxes follows all the characters and their bewildering relationships, proclivities, and follies while keeping an array of twists and unexpected turns for the reader to snicker about. The writing style is smirk-worthy the whole way through - reminiscent of a cross between early Ben Elton and a bit of Carl Hiassen, Fivelson masters comedic satire in a way that some Americans just never manage, try as they might. The actual plot line is soap-opera-esque, with returned relatives, cavemen unfrozen by science, oddly familiar chauffeurs, affairs, the obligatory murder, and a courtroom scene. While this kind of thing can get exhausting, Fivelson knew when to wrap it up, and at 170 pages the story is tight and full of action, with no drag.
The characters are great fun; they all manage to have the two dimensionality of stereotypes to begin with, and then are pushed into the realm of the hilarious as they are developed. Attention to detail is the key here, particularly considering the length, and sufficient attention there was.
Tuxes is a light, short read guaranteed to keep you smirking the whole way through, with the odd sharp social observation to keep the reader on their toes.
Who is this book for?
Good holiday reading - although avid fans of the Texan family saga genre should be aware that it is, of course, a satire, and therefore read it as intended.
Some people just don't get satire...
If you like this book, you would also like...
Ben Elton's earlier stuff before he got a bit repetitive. His social commentary, which was mainly environmental, is very astute and his satirical characterization is funny. But it's not about tuxedo tycoons, which, frankly, I enjoyed as a subject matter.
July 27, 2023
I had been excited to read this story since first reading the teaser about the novel on Amazon. Being a big fan of series like Dynasty and The Borgias - and after having studied anthropology for some time in my early college years - I was intensely curious as to how these worlds would be brought together in this story. It turns out, Tuxes is an incredibly clever, incredibly witty rabbit hole of surprising events written in the most believable of ways, in a style that's not only intelligent and thoughtful, but playful and unpretentious. While touching on various stereotypes and tropes from multiple genres, the author still effortlessly creates wildly original characters with incredibly imaginative backstories, and provides unexpected and delightful twists, turns, and side stories. Not only is the reader getting a hilarious, and sometimes dark, comedy, but also an old-money drama, a quirky romantic comedy, a courtroom murder mystery, a financial guide (though, as far as I know, the author isn't a licensed financial advisor and this novel isn't meant to be regarded as an actual financial guide), and a nature documentary all together - seamless - an all-in-one page-turner.
First, I greatly enjoyed the prologue - it's a short tale set in Texas, one million years b.c., of one man and his one act that turned humanity from a species of losers among a multitude of other species of losers, to a species at least lightly peppered with winners. With a single original thought, followed by a single fearless act, followed by the epiphany of an up-until-then unimagined concept, an outlandish concept, the world's first capital-W Winner was born, the original sigma male, the og patriarch, Entrepreneurial Adam, Great-Grandfather… B.C. Bundleworth. This incredibly vivid prequel to the main show is the perfect setup, the first domino in a complex line that leads to the dynamics in the world of the current-year Bundleworth clan. This opening tale would be a dream to see on the big screen, despite the inevitable and necessary censorship blurring.
The family dynamics among the Bundleworths are complex and ever-changing. Typical at first glance, you think you recognize the characters - Price, the ruthless, power-hungry patriarch, Cad, the disappointing and manipulative son, and Avarice, the bratty, Mean Girl daughter - we recognize them in their familiar flaws, but we're shocked and delighted by the extremes of these flaws. And, like with any family, the nuances are many, and the gray areas rarely touch black or white. The father is protective of his family and their legacy, the son is searching for greater purpose, and the daughter is far more loving and generous than anyone gives her credit for. The mother, Mavin, lives her own Cinderella story, but resents it, and dreams of the happiness of a simpler life with Price, basking in his affection rather than spending his millions on clothes and parties. But, like Contessina de' Bardi de Medici, she does her part for the family, always wearing the best clothes and throwing the best parties. She loves Price. She's proud to be Price's wife. She's proud to be a Bundleworth. This family goes through ebbs and tides in their feelings for each other, there is ample infighting for power, and what trust is hard-earned is well-deserved.
True romantics will be swept off of their feet by the whimsical love stories told throughout the novel - secret love, transformative love, ride-or-die love, scorned love, opposites-attract love, fairy-tale-beginnings love, I've-crossed-oceans-of-time-to-find-you love - it's all here, accompanied by all of the qualities of the best romantic comedies. I'm particularly fond of the pairing of Stein, the stoic, thoughtful, if somewhat rough-on-the-eyes family chauffeur with a murky past and Avarice, the aforementioned insufferable spoilt not-the-downright-bitch-we-think who turns weak in the knees when she's suddenly a helpless damsel, being thrown from her horse, and Stein happens to be nearby, her unexpected knight in shining armor. Sounds dreamy. Where had he been her whole life? Front seat. Happily ever after.
Tuxes is a great whodunnit murder mystery, which seems to be overlooked in other reviews. A murder, a shocking turn of events, leaves the reader scanning a long list of possible perpetrators in their mind. Who would kill Burlie Knightol, a simple but respectable parking garage nightwatchman at Tuxaco? Arrested are all three Bundleworth men, B.C., Price, and Cad. But what would their motives be? Were they framed? Was it really Mavin Bundleworth, hoping her husband would get a light sentence and they could finally live the broke, affectionate life she dreams of? Was it Avarice? Revenge for being so ignored by her father her whole life? (He is vaguely reminded of her existence at a certain point later in the novel). Was it Burlie's own twin brother, private investigator A D. Knightol, just because he's sick of sharing a face, especially since he also shares one with the great Silverado actor Brian Dennehy? (Who, unfortunately, won't be available to play himself in the film adaptation of Tuxes). Was it Stein, setting up an explosive climax for his sensational expose on the Bundleworth clan, his golden ticket? Or was it DeCoy McGuffin? His company is #2 in international men's formalwear and Tuxaco's #1 competitor. Or is he just a decoy? A McGuffin? It could have been anyone, really. The identity of the true killer knocked me off my feet! Another engrossing Fivelson Mystery!
I'm very happy to have added this hilarious and absorbing quick read to my library, and it's something I can clearly imagine being presented in other media as well, billed as a modern Borgias comedy, presented by Starz, if Netflix hasn’t done it first. I really enjoyed my time reading this story, it consistently put me in a great mood, and I've officially been convinced that families like the Ptolemys, the Borgias, the Hapsburgs, the Kennedys, and the Carringtons have been around since at least one million years b.c., and they've been taking their cues from the Bundleworths all along!
Looking forward to the sequel, gotta be one!
First, I greatly enjoyed the prologue - it's a short tale set in Texas, one million years b.c., of one man and his one act that turned humanity from a species of losers among a multitude of other species of losers, to a species at least lightly peppered with winners. With a single original thought, followed by a single fearless act, followed by the epiphany of an up-until-then unimagined concept, an outlandish concept, the world's first capital-W Winner was born, the original sigma male, the og patriarch, Entrepreneurial Adam, Great-Grandfather… B.C. Bundleworth. This incredibly vivid prequel to the main show is the perfect setup, the first domino in a complex line that leads to the dynamics in the world of the current-year Bundleworth clan. This opening tale would be a dream to see on the big screen, despite the inevitable and necessary censorship blurring.
The family dynamics among the Bundleworths are complex and ever-changing. Typical at first glance, you think you recognize the characters - Price, the ruthless, power-hungry patriarch, Cad, the disappointing and manipulative son, and Avarice, the bratty, Mean Girl daughter - we recognize them in their familiar flaws, but we're shocked and delighted by the extremes of these flaws. And, like with any family, the nuances are many, and the gray areas rarely touch black or white. The father is protective of his family and their legacy, the son is searching for greater purpose, and the daughter is far more loving and generous than anyone gives her credit for. The mother, Mavin, lives her own Cinderella story, but resents it, and dreams of the happiness of a simpler life with Price, basking in his affection rather than spending his millions on clothes and parties. But, like Contessina de' Bardi de Medici, she does her part for the family, always wearing the best clothes and throwing the best parties. She loves Price. She's proud to be Price's wife. She's proud to be a Bundleworth. This family goes through ebbs and tides in their feelings for each other, there is ample infighting for power, and what trust is hard-earned is well-deserved.
True romantics will be swept off of their feet by the whimsical love stories told throughout the novel - secret love, transformative love, ride-or-die love, scorned love, opposites-attract love, fairy-tale-beginnings love, I've-crossed-oceans-of-time-to-find-you love - it's all here, accompanied by all of the qualities of the best romantic comedies. I'm particularly fond of the pairing of Stein, the stoic, thoughtful, if somewhat rough-on-the-eyes family chauffeur with a murky past and Avarice, the aforementioned insufferable spoilt not-the-downright-bitch-we-think who turns weak in the knees when she's suddenly a helpless damsel, being thrown from her horse, and Stein happens to be nearby, her unexpected knight in shining armor. Sounds dreamy. Where had he been her whole life? Front seat. Happily ever after.
Tuxes is a great whodunnit murder mystery, which seems to be overlooked in other reviews. A murder, a shocking turn of events, leaves the reader scanning a long list of possible perpetrators in their mind. Who would kill Burlie Knightol, a simple but respectable parking garage nightwatchman at Tuxaco? Arrested are all three Bundleworth men, B.C., Price, and Cad. But what would their motives be? Were they framed? Was it really Mavin Bundleworth, hoping her husband would get a light sentence and they could finally live the broke, affectionate life she dreams of? Was it Avarice? Revenge for being so ignored by her father her whole life? (He is vaguely reminded of her existence at a certain point later in the novel). Was it Burlie's own twin brother, private investigator A D. Knightol, just because he's sick of sharing a face, especially since he also shares one with the great Silverado actor Brian Dennehy? (Who, unfortunately, won't be available to play himself in the film adaptation of Tuxes). Was it Stein, setting up an explosive climax for his sensational expose on the Bundleworth clan, his golden ticket? Or was it DeCoy McGuffin? His company is #2 in international men's formalwear and Tuxaco's #1 competitor. Or is he just a decoy? A McGuffin? It could have been anyone, really. The identity of the true killer knocked me off my feet! Another engrossing Fivelson Mystery!
I'm very happy to have added this hilarious and absorbing quick read to my library, and it's something I can clearly imagine being presented in other media as well, billed as a modern Borgias comedy, presented by Starz, if Netflix hasn’t done it first. I really enjoyed my time reading this story, it consistently put me in a great mood, and I've officially been convinced that families like the Ptolemys, the Borgias, the Hapsburgs, the Kennedys, and the Carringtons have been around since at least one million years b.c., and they've been taking their cues from the Bundleworths all along!
Looking forward to the sequel, gotta be one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2017
In Tuxes, Scott Fivelson somehow successfully manages to mix pure satire with a compelling story. Highly recommended.
January 25, 2023
Good fun from a keen satirical mind...
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews