Green Desire/A

As 1. a New Englander and 2. the child of parents who lived through most of the period described in Myrer's Green Desire I loved this book. Two brothers, one defined by the old-school and who-you-know and the other by an unconquerable work ethic, tangle in a web spun by the dazzling daughter of a Portuguese fisherman's family. It is contemporary drama meeting the Great Depression head on. These are characters you won't soon forget.

A Green Desire starts with two young brothers being separated. The younger brother, Tipton, stays with his mother and a life of poverty, the older brother, Chapin, goes off with his rich aunt to live a life of privilege. It is this separation which defines them as the story progresses from 1911 to its conclusion over forty years later. The two boys grow up to be fierce rivals. They compete in business, but most of all they compete for Jophy, a beautiful woman of Portuguese descent, who is as passionate as she is desirable. Tipton and Chapin resemble the main characters in Myrer's famous novel of military life, Once an Eagle. Tipton is like Sam Damon, honourable and straight, a natural leader, leading by example. Chapin is similar to Courtney Massengale, devious and cunning, selfish and amoral. But here the resemblance between these two novels stops. A Green Desire focuses on civilian life. The story passes through two world wars, but its emphasis is on the battles of civilian life. Tipton fights to get ahead and raise himself from poverty through his own efforts. Chapin fights to maintain his life of privilege and to acquire power in the world of business. To do this both have to get though the Crash and the Depression. Myrer shows that he was a wonderful storyteller, because he makes this story just as exciting as his stories about the military. The characters are vivid and believable and the story is full of incident. His description of life during the Jazz Age and the Depression is full of convincing details. A Green Desire is a well-written novel, pleasant and quite easy to read. Myrer has realised that he no longer needs to use obscure words to show off his talent as a writer. Now he just shows with clear memorable sentences that, at his best, he could be a very fine writer indeed. This is a powerful and moving novel. It may well be Myrer's best.