Synopses & Reviews
From the author of the cult classic
The Fuck-Up comes a vicious new tale of art, drugs, love, and death on the Lower East Side.
Orloff Trenchant is a painter who sells books on West 4th Street in Manhattan and is obsessed with mastering his craft. Desperate for cash, Or agrees to take a commission no one else will touch: he has three weeks to carve a headstone for a recently deceased restaurateur -- a Chinese takeout box. As Or attempts to make his deadline, he navigates among a toxic mix of fellow artists, struggling gallery owners, bloodsucking art dealers, his politically active friends, and a haunting addict poet whose life is more out of control than Or's own.
Nersesian's prose is sparkling and hypnotic in this brutal and comic story that will make you wonder if life and art are two different things.
Review
"[Nersesian's] literary artistry. His edgy exploration of the love of art and of life, and of the creative act and the sweat and toil inherent to it, is hard to put down." Booklist
Review
"Once again, Nersesian...focuses on urban life, and here he has created a masterly image." Library Journal
Review
"A fast-paced portrait of the joys and venalities of la viebohème: Nersesian's story is sharp without being caustic." Kirkus ReviewS
Synopsis
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.
About the Author
Arthur Nersesian was born and raised in New York City and has been teaching English at Eugenio Maria de Hostos Community College in the South Bronx since 1990.