Closing Arguments

by Frederick Busch

Marcus Brennan is a successful small-town lawyer on the verge of a breakdown. His wife, Schelle, thinks it’s post-traumatic stress disorder from his years as a POW in Vietnam. Planning the dedication of a memorial for Vietnam soldiers, she asks Marcus to say a few words at the ceremony, hoping the experience will help to exorcise his demons. But after agreeing to defend Estella Pritchett, a social worker accused of murdering her lover, Marcus begins a downward spiral into the murky depths of his own past–where sex is violent, where love means betrayal, and where his own memories have the power to destroy him. . . .

Genres: Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Frederick Busch (1941–2006) was the recipient of many honors, including an American Academy of Arts and Letters Fiction Award, a National Jewish Book Award, and the PEN/Malamud Award. The prolific author of sixteen novels and six collections of short stories, Busch is renowned for his writing’s emotional nuance and minimal, plainspoken style. A native of Brooklyn, New York, he lived most of his life in upstate New York, where he worked for forty years as a professor at Colgate University.

Reviews

[gaudeo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is well-written but deeply disturbing. The main character is so troubled by his past experiences as a soldier and POW in the Vietnam War that his relationships--all of them--barely function. Even sadder to say, although he "learns" a number of things through the progress of the novel, I can't say that he changes much. What's more, there's a good deal of sex in this book that in my mind crosses the line into the violent--again, deeply disturbing. I recommend this book only if you want a close look into the mental processes of a former soldier's experience in Vietnam.

[Timothy Bazzett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The late Frederick Busch's books just kept getting better and better. CLOSING ARGUMENTS, his 17th book, is a darkly disturbing - and I mean REALly disTURbing - novel of murder and sexual obsession (with an unhealthy dose of S&M and bondage in the mix). Let's see, there is also a close look at post-traumatic-stress-disorder, as experienced by both victims of childhood abuse and Vietnam combat veterans. Attorney Mark Brenner and his client, Estella Pritchett, are two kinky characters you will not soon forget. Their lawyer-client relationship becomes dark and dangerous all too quickly. Both hold dark secrets that are at the heart of this twisted story. A bit of King, a bit of Roth and a LOT of Frederick Busch. Suspense is too mild a word to describe this story. And the ending, well ... You'll just have to read the book. Higly literate, deeply disturbing, I recommend it highly.

[Kat Walter · Rating 1 out of 5]

No. Just no. Didn’t care for style or content. Didn’t finish.

[Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was one of the worst I have ever read.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enlightened to PTSD after reading this. A little difficult to read because of fragmented thoughts. But I imagine that is PTSD.

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this because I went to Colgate and Fred Busch taught there. Good on 'im for writing but I didn't think that it was particularly good.

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not an easy read, but I love his writing.

[Fayette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow! I found this book in my bookshelf, no idea where I picked it up. But it's INTENSE! I give it 3 stars because it was jumpy and I needed to push myself to stay with it...but it improved.

[Suzanne Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit raw, but I was hooked, maybe because court room dramas are my favorites. loved the style and characters were well developed for a short book.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Busch gives us yet another man tormented by interpersonal conflict, inner turmoil, and self-deception and -doubt. And another winner of a novel. Why is he not more widely known?