In this darkly funny story, Ray and Jewel Kaiser try (and push) their luck at the Paradise casino. What curious events ensue, what tricks of fortune and misfortune, make up the fabric of this novel about wising up better late than never.
Jewel’s fourteen-year-old daughter, Ray’s dead father, and a mother convinced that a sitcom star is visiting across the street from her house feature in the Kaiser’s adventures. Dazed casino denizens, a lusty grocery-store manager, body-pierced children, and hourly employees in full revolt enhance the setting. This is the story of a couple who, after tumbling headfirst out of their middle-class Garden of Eden, discover they’ve landed in an even more fertile garden outside its walls.
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"One of my very favorite books, this is a small-scale masterpiece about the long slow slide into weirdness and loserdom." — Scott (5 out of 5 stars)
"One of my very favorite books, this is a small-scale masterpiece about the long slow slide into weirdness and loserdom."
“In his lovingly detailed focus on American life in the fast-food lane, Barthelme achieves a kind of updated American Gothic.”
“A wise and funny tale.”
“The genius of Barthelme’s jazzed-up comic art is to look at life’s familiar, junky stuff and, by some act of affection, make it mysteriously new.”
“Adams Morgan does author Frederick Barthelme a distinct favor: In the tradition of unexpressive performance style, he gets out of the way…Bob the Gambler has enough quirkiness all by itself and doesn’t need any added complications.”
“A novel of surprising heart and soul.”
" The gambling scenes were especially powerful. "
" I really liked how this family pulled together under difficult circumstances. The dialogue was a little hard to relate to, but not the motives and struggles of the characters. "
Frederick Barthelme is the author of eleven books and editor ofthe literary journal Mississippi Review. He directs the writing program at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Adams Morgan is a theater-trained actor who has appeared in venues around the United States. He has also narrated for National Public Radio and performed radio dramas and historical reenactments. He lives in New York City.
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