Gerald's Party by Robert Coover
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Robert Coover's wicked and surreally comic novel takes place at a chilling, ribald, and absolutely fascinating party. Amid the drunken guests, a woman turns up murdered on the living room floor. Around the corpse, one of several the evening produces, Gerald's party goes on - a chatter of voices, names, faces, overheard gags, rounds of storytelling, and a mounting curve of desire. What Coover has in store for his guests - besides an evening gone mad - is part murder mystery, part British parlor drama, part sly and dazzling meditation of time, theater, and love.
"We have the past, we have the future," muses Gerald, "but what we never seem to be able to get ahold of is the present." In this major novel, Coover and his narrator mean to invoke the present, and to suggest again the illusory nature of the other states. Our host's evening starts off with the corpse of a promiscuous minor actress, and an anticipated affair for him. But a parodic police inspector, a few more deaths, a blocked toilet, and a director out to make a play of corpse and motley guests keep things moving in improbable directions that dovetail with ideas on theater, time, and love. The secret of Coover's art is amazing juxtapositionof philosophy, scatology, disparate conversations, acts, memories, and metaphorical inventionall powered by the author's enormous verbal energies. Despite a humorous first impression, this isn't an easy book to enter. But it has "the power of play to provoke unexpected insights, . . . excite the heart . . . and perhaps persuade that, after all, there's no time like the present. . . ." Jeff Clark, SUNY Coll. at Old Westbury Lib.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
US$ 4.87
Within U.S.A.
Seller: BookDepart, Shepherdstown, WV, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Fair. Trade paperback, fading, use wear to exterior; light fading to paper; former owner's name written on front end page; clean text, firm binding. Seller Inventory # 92747
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Cat On The Shelf, Fort Worth, TX, U.S.A.
Condition: VeryGood. **STOCK PHOTOS AND CATALOG INFO MAY VARY FROM ACTUAL BOOK, PLEASE REFER TO SELLER PHOTOS AND ITEM DESCRIPTION FOR MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION. THE SELLER PHOTO SHOWS THE EXACT COPY YOU WILL RECEIVE** This is a used book in VERY GOOD condition, meaning it has very minor or unnoticeable defects. Paperback soft cover edition. Seller Inventory # 5D6W920000NY_ns
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: HPB-Emerald, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!. Seller Inventory # S_393534785
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Polly's Books, Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Good. A standard copy with a tight and square binding. Softcovers are good but have yellowed. Text is clean but has yellowed. Careful packaging and fast shipping. Shipped in 100% recyclable material. Seller Inventory # 38013
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Dan A. Domike, Hoquiam, WA, U.S.A.
Soft cover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Light wear to the wraps. Mild page toning. Otherwise a clean, unmarked copy with no spine creases. Seller Inventory # ABE-1537564441161
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: The Book Garden, Bountiful, UT, U.S.A.
Trade Paperback. Condition: Very Good - Cash. Minor rubbing and edge wear to cover, with light reader wear to pages. Still great condition. Unmarked pages. Stock photos may not look exactly like the book. Seller Inventory # 907235
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Black Cat Hill Books, Oregon City, OR, U.S.A.
Paperback. First Edition Thus [1987]; First Printing indicated by a complete numerical sequence. Very Good to Very Good+ in Wraps: shows several small dampstains to the wrapper covers (the text pages are unaffected); several very fine creases and very mild rubbing to both the front and rear panels; else only faint tanning to the text pages, due to aging, and a single page dog-eared. The binding is square and secure; the text is clean. Free of any ownership names, dates, addresses, notations, inscriptions, stamps, plates, or labels. A handsome, well-cared for copy, structurally sound and tighly bound, showing only very mild wear a couple minor flaws. Remains close to 'As New'. Clean and crisp throughout. The binding is tight. NOT a Remainder, Book-Club, or Ex-Library. 8vo. (8 x 5.35 x 1 inches). 316 pages. Language: English. Weight: 11.5 ounces. Trade Paperback. First Edition Thus [1987]; First Printing indicated by a complete numerical sequence. Seller Inventory # 50433
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: GridFreed, North Las Vegas, NV, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Like New. 1987, "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9", stated First Plume Printing, January, 1987. Like new condition. Seller Inventory # 10-10889
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Robinson Street Books, IOBA, Binghamton, NY, U.S.A.
Trade paperbac. Condition: Used: Good. Prompt shipment, with tracking. we ship in CLEAN SECURE BOXES NEW BOXES Contemporary Fictionvery good clean trade paperback. Seller Inventory # ware786tma284
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Callaghan Books South, New Port Richey, FL, U.S.A.
Soft cover. Condition: Near Fine. First Thus. (1st Thus) Trade paperback, color-illustrated front wrapper, praise for book on back. 316 browned pages. Near Fine copy. Seller Inventory # 18235
Quantity: 1 available