Long Island Compromise

This is a funny but dark book about Jewish rich people (or rich Jewish people?). Funny, really really funny. I can’t do it justice because I am not a writer, but the New Yorker has an, I am sure, very deep insightful review of the book. Read that and you can stop here… or not.

The story begins with a 20 year old trauma, the weeklong kidnapping of the family patriarch and styrofoam packaging factory owner; the ransom is paid the father returns but although the family insists they have recovered this event casts its shadow over the rest of the events in the story. In the next section, the strongest part of the book, is the story of the very charismatic son Beamer, a screenwriter/producer who has has floated in Hollywood on initial unearned success and then by drafting on his much more talented friend/writing partner along with his family’s money. He is now 36, with writer’s block (he can’t seem to think of any scripts that don’t revolve around a kidnapping!), a drug habit, a philandering habit, a dominatrix habit, three children and a young wife who has suspicions but is in denial.

Searching around for a pull quote I found the following describing the communication style between Beamer and his wife (There are tons of longer and funnier passages to quote but I want to keep this concise):

“And would she even answer a straightforward question? Noelle was a repressed Presbyterian, or just a Presbyterian, and would never share as uncomplicated or direct a thought as “Yes, I’m angry at you, and here is an explanation for why.” Her ancestors had left their ability to share their feelings on the Mayflower and had never called lost luggage to pick them up.

After Beamer’s story, there are sections about his plodding, careful turtle, older brother Nathan he has a better marriage but his law career is stalled at junior partner. Next it is on to the incredibly talented younger sister Jennifer who, out of rejection of her family’s wealth, stifles all of her career opportunities as well as any relationships romantic or otherwise. Anyway, the overall path of the story is of the series of events that seem to be leading the family to financial disaster. I took my time reading this because I just hate reading about impending disaster, yet I did eventually finish the story and it is truly funny.

Jewish humor, I am aware, is it’s own genre of American literature which I have neglected and I probably need to go read some Philip Roth.