Book 36 : Martin Dressler : The Tale of an American Dreamer - Steven Millhauser

I'm glad that I didn't know much about this book before I read it. If I had known how much mythology and how many famous parabals were included, I likely wouldn't have enjoyed it nearly as much. I have this thought that I don't like fantasy or magical realism, but I'm finding that there are more exceptions to this rule than I'd thought. This book was certainly an example of one of those exceptions.

The book takes place in the '30s and begins with young Martin Dressler working in his father's cigar store. As time, and the book, carries on, he takes a job at a local hotel, opens a cigar shop in its lobby, is promoted within the motel, opens his own chain of diners and achieves many other layers of success. With each added success, Martin is increasinly surprised at just how far he's gotten and continues to shoot even higher. So high, in fact, that he eventually falls.

This book is written like a biography. While there is dialouge dispersed throughout, it's told in a very linear way and I was left feeling that the author was mostly guessing at his characters emotions.

There are many themes throughout this book, but the one that stuck with me the most is of Martin as a dreamer. He begins modestly but takes on such feats as opening a city within a hotel. This hotel has many levels underground, complete with full city blocks, zoos, theater districts, parks with ponds and on and on. He also befriends two ladies. One of them he marries, one of them he respects. We're left watching his failed marriage and wishing that he'd married the one he clearly cared about. However, he is not interested in the practical. His hunger is only for the oft silent beautiful sister.

In summation, I enjoyed this book very much. I'm interested to read more from this author and if I didn't all ready have many books in queue, I would probably re-read this one to get more of a feel for some of the myths I missed the first time.

"Do you believe that the actor on the stage is really a villain? Let me ask you something else. If he isn't a villain, then is he a liar?"

8/10
YTD:
Books read : 36
Pages read : 10,375
Currently reading : Veronica - Mary Gaitskill & Early Autumn - Louis Bromfield