Product Description

Mysteriously rich and desperately lonely, George Smith appears to be under attack from all quarters. His former wife and four horrible children are suing to get his money, and someone is sending him threatening letters. Despite some very elaborate precautions, he remains worried. So he builds a mausoleum in which to live.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #120591 in Books
• Published on: 1994-01-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 408 pages

Review
George Smith - background obscure, future indefinite, present chaotic - is warned by his ex-wife that the only time he will stop traffic is the day of his funeral. Perhaps with this in mind, Smith continues the erection of a grandiose ??haraoh-sized mausoleum which floods him with unwanted publicity. Beleaguered by threatening communications from unidentified stockholders in his unexplained business, the newly wealthy, totally insecure Smith crashes through frightened days and weird nights. The otherwise physically insignificant Smith is sexually equipped like a latter-day Gargantua and ex-wife, secretaries, ex-mistress and maid are improperly impressed. He desires them all until after the fact, when they seem to expect something further of him. The single exception is ex-secretary Sally ??omson who is pursued at wildly funny book length. A Joycean stream of consciousness technique is joined to a Lawrence-like concern with orgasm but the details of highest nonsense are pure Donleavy. No Ginger Man this time, but a singular - surely critic stopping - Smith. (Kirkus Reviews)

Customer Reviews

Brilliant
Halfway through this book, I knew I had to get my hands on anything by JPD out there. It is that good. Laugh out loud funny. IMO the gents will enjoy this more than their female counterparts. This book went down like a super fine singlemalt scotch on a warm fall evening. One of the finest works these eyeballs have viewed. And they have seen much. Not to be missed.

Insanely Perfect
I wish I had written this book, but I didn't, so I'm glad he did. On the rare occasion I bring the title up I am not surprised to find that no one's ever even heard of it's author. I still haven't met in person anyone else who has read this book.

It's a perfect story, but not the kind I would read to my nieces or buy for my grandmother. I still recommend it to anyone who has ever thought that something's not quite right and they can't decide if the people they meet are really as convoluted and arrogant as they think, or if maybe it's just them.

Anyone wants to read the greatest book of their life, well this might be it, so don't think too hard and try it.

humor that cuts like a knife.
Donleavy's humor insists there is something to laugh about in this world, but then you realise that what you are laughing out-loud at is, at best, something disgusting, or rude, or utterly insane... chicken soup for the soul.