THE BEST REVENGE: A Novel of Broadway - Hardcover

Stein, Sol

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0679402314 ISBN 13: 9780679402312

Publisher: Random House, 1991

Synopsis

A long-running argument over life, love, and the theater between playwright Ben Riller and his deceased father, Louie, acts as counterpoint to Ben's struggle in the midst of moral and financial ruin, personal redemption, and Broadway intrigues

About this title

Reviews

Former publisher and novelist Stein has returned to fiction with a cracklingly cynical tale of the manipulations behind the mounting of what is ultimately a hit Broadway play--in verse, yet. Successful producer Ben Riller has the urge to put on what may be a doubtful prospect because of long-dormant idealism. His usual backers won't cough up, he's running out of money and in desperation goes to an old Italian crony of his father's to ask a favor; the favor turns out to be the old man's son, Nick Manucci, a Great White among loan sharks whose terms curdle Riller's blood. But perhaps if he can find something on Nick. . . . Stein's ear for the deadpan dialogue of men who think only in terms of money is exact, his plot is nicely turned, with several surprise endings, and the Broadway detail is solid: even Meryl Streep gets a believable walk-on role. The book's only real problems, not disastrous, are Stein's habits of seeing the scenes from constantly differing points of view, which interrupts the narrative flow, and introducing Riller's dead father at odd moments, which is less cute than confusing. Otherwise, a slick, hard-boiled entertainment.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A novel that moves like a great Broadway comedy, rich with superbly etched characters and cannonball momentum, starring perhaps Groucho Marx in his first straight role as a semi-David Merrick-styled egoist producer. First, though, Ben Riller is himself, a producer with 14 hits out of 17 shows, a natural magnet for production money. Unhappily, Riller has fallen for a verse play (he'd written one himself many odd years ago), the first to be staged on the Great White Way in 30 years, and capital has not come in. All of Riller's old investors know in their bones that this one is a dog. It's now five weeks from opening, and he's spent the 20%, a crime, since moneys in escrow can't legally be spent until the full 100% capitalization is solid. Now Riller must turn to Nick Manucci, a moneylender who will give him the necessary $426,000 at 10% interest weekly, plus the lion's share of Riller's 50% of the show, plus Riller signing over all his possessions in case of default. All on a show in verse! And default is unthinkable, since breaking legs is one of Manucci's kinder forms of persuasion--aside from his leaving the Riller family houseless and penniless. Some of Riller's agony may be familiar personally to Stein, whose publishing house, Stein & Day, went bottoms up in 1989 (A Feast for Lawyers, 1989), but something has gone right for Stein in this novel, his strongest and best- tailored ever (The Resort, 1979). Riller is an extremely likable character, who talks with--and is accompanied everywhere by--his father's wise-speaking ghost, while the wonderfully villainous Manucci, a perfect foil much like Runyon characters once played by Sheldon Leonard, undergoes a stupefying character reversal that satisfies utterly. Not high art--but razor-sharp. Waiting for film. -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

When big-time producer Ben Riller (14 hits out of 17 tries) can't close the investment for his newest project, a verse play that should be done Off Broadway if anywhere, he turns to Nick Manucci, a dangerous mob money man and the son of his late father's friend. Author Stein, who teaches creative writing via computer and was the Stein in Stein and Day, centers the book on the relationship between Ben and Nick. He takes an unusual approach in this tenth novel, giving his different characters--including wives, lawyer, and playwright, some of whom are dead, like Ben's parents--different chapters to narrate. As a result, the book bogs down not in plot but in medium-grade sociological input about growing up Jewish (Ben) and Italian (Nick) in New York, before kicking itself into shape as the dustjacket-promised entertaining potboiler. Interesting, with an okay Broadway ambience, but Puzo and Pileggi were here first. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 3/15/91.
- David Bartholomew,
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Random House
• Publication date: 1991
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0679402314
• ISBN 13: 9780679402312
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 225