Mesopotamia

by Arthur Nersesian

"Thoroughly entertaining, with an offbeat sense of humor . . . There's a solid mystery here, underneath the goofiness" ( Booklist ).Things have not been going well for journalist Sandy Bloomgarten. Her job went down the drain and her marriage quickly followed. After a lengthy bender, she awakens one morning to the stark realization that she is flat broke. Nonetheless, she's still a crack reporter, and when a tabloid offers her a freelance assignment in Memphis--just a stone's throw from her childhood home in Mesopotamia, Tennessee--she takes it.Though sent there for one story, she winds up tracking down someone is killing Elvis impersonators who perform at the annual Sing-the-King festival. The few available clues lead her to several unlikely a cheating local minister constantly on the make, a strange band of misfits who only cover Elvis tunes, and a small-town private eye who blew himself up along with his crystal meth lab. As Sandy's investigation closes, she realizes that she is sitting on what could be the story of the century. The only problem is she can never reveal what she has found . . ."The immortal shadow of Elvis Presley gyrates wildly through this satiric exploration of America's fascination with tabloid journalism." -- Publishers Weekly

Genres: Fiction, Book Club

225 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 28, 2010

About the author

Arthur Nersesian is the author of eight novels, including The Fuck-Up (Akashic, 1997 & MTV Books/Simon & Schuster, 1999), Chinese Takeout (HarperCollins), Manhattan Loverboy (Akashic), Suicide Casanova (Akashic), dogrun (MTV Books/Simon & Schuster), and Unlubricated (HarperCollins). He is also the author of East Village Tetralogy, a collection of four plays. He lives in New York City.

From arthurnersesian.com:
www.arthurnersesian.com/

"Arthur Nersesian is a real New York writer. His novels are a celebration
of marginal characters living in the East Village and trying to survive.

Nersesian's books include The Fuck-Up, The East Village Tetralogy, and now just published by a small press based in New York, Manhattan Loverboy. Nersesian has been a fixture in the writing scene for many years. He was an editor for The Portable Lower East Side, which was an important magazine during the 1980s and early 90s.

When The Fuck-Up came out in 1997, MTV Books picked it up and reprinted it in a new edition for hipsters everywhere. Soon Nersesian was no longer known only to a cabal of young bohemians on Avenue A. His work has been championed by The Village Voice and Time Out."

Reviews

[elsalmon L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Broke freelance reporter uncovers an Elvis impersonator murder, but doesn't dare to report what she uncovered.

[Bandit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book just proves that good writing transcends genres. Mesopotamia wasn't quite what I've come to expect from Nersesian, instead of a stark unflinchingly graphic and honest New York drama, this is a mystery set in the south. It has all the strengths of his other books, particularly great engaging characters and excellent pacing and strong narrative, plus more Elvis impersonators than you can shake a stick or a pelvis at. Very quick read. Recommended.

[Lisa Welch · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one very different book. I would put it in the new class of "white trash mystery". This book was enjoyable because of the characters you hate to love and the absolutely bizarr-o plot twists. Entertaining and surprising. I will definitely be checking out more by this author!!!

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

murders, elvis impersonators, murdered elvis impersonators. What's not to like about Nersesian's newest novel?

[Rogue Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

If ever you wonder where and how a writer, embedded in the place he lives and writes of, goes on vacation, well then, read Mesopotamia. Nersesian takes a break from the city and takes off for the goony lands of Mesopotamia and Memphis Tennessee, the lands of Elvis impersonators.

I can't get enough of this guy, Arthur Nersesian.

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've loved everything I've read by Nerseian to this point but this was a bit of a miss for me. The quality of the writing was lower and I didn't really care about the characters. It got better in the last third but a MEH for me.

[César Nuñez · Rating 3 out of 5]

´"Mesopotamia", de Isaac Chocrón.

[Margaret L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to read more about these characters!

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

A zany and highly improbable crime-and-tabloid romp through the backwoods of Tennessee. Like a low-rent Elmore Leonard novel but not as funny or well-written.

[Jason Pettus · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)

It's no secret that I'm a pretty huge fan of Akashic Books, although even the greatest small presses sometimes have their off-days; take for example their latest, the wacky caper tale Mesopotamia by Arthur Nersesian, which is not exactly bad but is certainly not up to the level I expected from the author of cult classic The F-ck-Up. In fact, if anything, you could really call this 'Carl Hiaasen Lite,' and your enjoyment of it can be directly related to your existing opinion of that Florida-based humorous crime novelist; only in this case things are set around the Memphis area, a convoluted plot that involves white-trash scams, an alcoholic Asian reporter, an OJ-style mixed-race celebrity spousal murder, and a conspiracy that may or may not prove that Elvis is still happily alive, and running of all things an Elvis impersonator bar down the street from Graceland. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's fine for what it is, and there's a good chance that you yourself will really love it; but it just got a little too silly a little too often for me, plus is just full of disposable contrivances that seem to exist only to up the novel's quirkiness factor (like the fact that the main character's raging alcoholism instantly disappears the moment it's convenient for the story that it do so). It gets a limited recommendation today, a case of Akashic being just a little off its usual A-game.

Out of 10: 7.9

[Carrieliauw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having fallen in love with The Fuck-Up, Dogrun, Unlubricated and Nersesian's other gritty fast-paced novels of protagonists so achingly realistic, I'm a huge sold and every book of his I read like a hungry wolf- or like he would put it "starved for literature", his literature. Mesopotamia starts off with a tone promising thrill and suspense but quickly descends (in a good way) triggered by a fast slap of reality- the harsh brash conditions of actual life and our little protagonist unknowingly setting the stage for her train wreck of a story.

Not exactly a crime thriller as purported, Mesopotamia is more of a whirlwind of unbelievably real incidences packed back-to-back and overlapping. We can only imagine these things happening to our lives- an accidental shooting of a friend, an unwitting relationship with a trailer park mom of 7 kids, and some ultimate recovery and compensations to a shitty life- but Nersesian's words of laced with self-deprecating humour and smart ass finery brought these to life.

It felt so grim-ridden, like we're sitting in a pool of mud in the rain unwilling to get up until we finish this book, yet the completion of the story cleaned everything up.

[ABC Group · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mesopotamia is a step apart from the other works I've read by Arthur Nersesian. In prior works, historical issues have been developed, retold and set forward to tell a alternative story...or one with a particular slant. While this happens again in Mesopotamia, it's been a while since I've read Nersesian in such fine form.

Completely funny and utterly absurd (at times), this satire of our media-crazed culture unfolds a story of Korean born Sandy Bloomgarten, reporter extraordinaire, who is given an assignment by her tabloid employer to run down to TN and investigate the kidnapping of a young girl. What unfolds is a whirlwind of Elvis impersonators, trailer park woes, shotgun murders and alcoholic misery. Despite the many misgivings in Sandy's life, the currency of human need becomes the common thread that ties this story together while never becoming a morality tale.

A well deserved break from the Five Books of Moses, Nersesian has given us one of his better novels in quite some time.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to preface this review by saying I absolutely adore Nersesian's style of writing. Hands down, he is my favorite author.

This particular book was a bit of a Midwestern Scooby Doo tale. Laced with a couple of misfit minorities, it gives you a true depiction of Midwest demographics. The change of scenery was appreciated though! I found the heroine in this story to be comical and most of her inner thoughts made me laugh out loud. The story was just overweight (dare I say obese) with characters and could have relayed the same zany story without all the extra characters.

Still a great read!

[Suge · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty good, but not up to par with Nersesians previous novels. The story follows a washed up alcoholic journalist looking for one last job to report on. The story is easy to get into, doesn't take long for the story to get to its plot. While this isn't my favorite Nersesian novel, it is a lot better than his previous one (Swing Voter of Staten Island). The characters are likeable and the plot isn't too obvious. Not too humorous, nor too serious. A great book to pick up and read.

[Mitchan · Rating 1 out of 5]

As another reviewer mentioned I thought it was going to be a lot darker judging by the cover (which we all know we shouldn't do). Essentially it is story about what happened to Elvis Presley with a bit of murder mystery and tabloid journalism thrown in. There are a few twists in it but really only read it for the sake of it being the only book I had on holiday. None of it was really of any interest to me and as someone else also mentioned it was a bit chick flickish.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. I would not have normally picked it up, but the local Borders was closing and all their books were 90% off, so I thought, "what the heck." Mesopotamia turns out to be a small rural town midway between Memphis and Nashville. The story is of a Korean tabloid reports and her odyssey of unraveling the murder of an Elvis impersonator.

[Jeremiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like off the wall stories involving Elvis impersonators, small-town Tennessee and tabloid reporting all mixed with alcohol and pompadours, you'll love this books.

It's been a long time since I've read anything by this author but I remember loving "The Fuck Up". This story was a little big weirder but entertaining, nonetheless. A good no brainer read.

[Punk]

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[Bria · Rating 1 out of 5]

found the cover a bit misleading as I thought it would be a dark-noir type mystery however it read more like chic-lit which isn't my cup of tea. I should have paid closely attention to the blurb - my bad.

[Andrea Janov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird story, even for Nersesian. Though I enjoyed this book, the chapters kept me engaged, I kept turning pages and reading "just one more chapter" before I put it down, I just didn't walk away with anything. Maybe three stars is an unfair rating, it just isn't as good as Nersesian's other novels.

[Lori]

galley from BEA
Author didnt show for a signing, So upset! I love Nersesian...

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

don't judge a book by its author?

[Marievaligorsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

elvis-mania!


very original -- an interesting peek into tennessee and 'bloid writing

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't get into it. Don't care for his style of writing at all.

[Alan Prevallet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like it a lot more after I was finished than while I was reading.

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise is interesting, someone is killing Elvis impersonators, but this book could really have benefitted from editing. The story line is confusing, and the writing is too clever.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was interesting, but sometimes a bit confusing, and the big twist was a bit too easy to figure out. It was entertaining.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not like his other books. Slightly funny but not funny enough.

[Jill Cordry · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining and easy read for when one is up all night horribly jet lagged. Could have used better editing though.

[Katrien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky, odd, but never dull. I don't know that I loved it, but I kept going back to it to see what would happen next.