AND SONS:DAVID GILBERT

This book is a pleasure to read as Gilbert can write, much more interesting prose than the typical potboilers that I have been reading.  His prose literally sings, the images alive, the comparisons apt and startling, helping me to see something in a completely new and different way. The novel begins with A. N. Dyer, a famous novelist, writer of a work comparable to Salinger's THE CATCHER IN THE RYE, reluctantly giving the eulogy (plagiarized) at the funeral of his life long friend, Charles Topping.  Much of the novel is told through they eyes of Toppings' son, Phillip, divorced, living alone, also a friend of A.N. Dyer and his two sons, Richard, now living in California, and Jamie, a  frustrated film maker.  At times we are in the minds of A.N. Dyer, then his sons, and before we realize it, Phillip is speaking in the first person, pulling us back in to the present, or the past, if he is remembering, a bit confusing at first.  A.N Dyer has obviously lost his gift, is in poor health and to all who know him, he seems to be dying.  He believes this to be true as well and as a result, he wants reconcile with his two sons for one major reason: he has another son, sixteen year old Andy, whom he wants his sons to get to know and take care of after he dies.  This son, by the way, ended his marriage to the woman he has always loved.
During the week in which this novel takes place, we get insights into all the sons, Richard, a frustrated screen writer, Jamie, as I mentioned, a documentarian, and Phillip, their friend. We learn from the sons and Phillip what an ass A.N. could be, a typical writer I guess.  He was a terrible father, except now, he tries to make it up to Andy.  We learn also, the other heart of the novel, that A.N abused and cared little for Phillip's father, Charles Topping, whose eulogy he just gave.  In fact, he made fun of him in his books, which Phillip realizes when he begins to read some of his father's letters.  The families gather, old scores are brought up, A.N. remains just as arrogant though more willing to be a father. And his sons, Richard and Jamie, finally realize the old man is dying, take him home from a art show, where he not only gets drunk but sick, putting him to bed.  Much more goes on between his son, Andy, and Richard's son, who become fast friends, hit bars, go to parties.  Things turn when Richard's son sleeps with young Andy's girl.  In some ways, it wakes Andy up, frees him, and it seems he's ready to start a new life, to grow up, when he's hit by a taxi and killed.  Not exactly a happy ending, as the old man lives on for a few years, his son's seeing him occasionally, and it's only Phillip who cannot forgive A. N. for his treatment of his father, abusive and mean.  Wonderfully written, accurate insights in to dysfunctional families, especially families of famous men.  Most writers personal lives seem to be screwed up, families torn apart, as their egos, their selfishness, their dedication to art separate them from the rest of us mortals who often put others first, especially family, sons, and wives.