Model Behavior

Picture this: So I finished the last book on "my list" of books to read. This is unusual for me because I usually have a list of about 5 or more books to read at any given point. Well this time was different. I had read all of Bret Easton Ellis' works, a lot of Chuck Palahniuk, some Salinger, all of the classics that I was interested in at that point, and all of the biographies of people that I wanted to know more about. So here I am without a book to read. Luckily my girlfriend is an avid reader and she would have none of this. We made a trip to the local Barnes & Noble. We walked up and down the aisles for over an hour. I picked up anything that look remotely interesting but nothing really struck my attention. Then I arrived at the Jay McInerney portion of the fiction section. I remembered one time that someone suggested him to me because of how much I liked Bret Easton Ellis' works. I also remembered McInerney being a character in Easton's book "Lunar Park." So I start looking through the various books and reading the summaries on the backs of the books. I picked up Model Behavior and it seemed semi-interesting. Then I read the first paragraph and knew I was in for a treat. I bought the book (okay I lied, my girlfriend bought it for me) and began reading it when we got back home. Fast forward a few weeks later (I would have read it faster but that's hard to find the time being a full-time college student, having a job, and all of the other things that take up time in life): Upon finishing Model Behavior, I knew that I had just experienced something special. The book had my attention the entire time. I think it has to do with Connor McKnight being such an interesting character. In a strange way I saw a lot of myself in him. It may have to do with the time in my life that I read the book, but I could really relate to it. Overall, Model Behavior is one of the best novels that I have ever read. however, I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. I get the feeling that a lot of people just wouldn't be interested in it. My suggestion is to read the first few pages. If you don't laugh or find it enjoyable at that point then put it down and find another novel to read. I have continued to make my way through McInerney's catalogue of books. In addition to Model Behavior, I have read Brightness Falls, How It Ended (the older edition), and Bright Lights, Big City. I have been throughly impressed with those titles but Model Behavior is his masterpiece as far as I'm concerned. If you decide to pick it up, I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

This book is the only one I own by Mcinerney. It's some of the most well written prose I have experienced. The lack of action is over won by it's sofisticated stile and besides the characters are some you can't help liking - especialy Jeramy and Brooke with their extreme personalities. I think Jeramy some how is a mutilated version of the auther.

I absolutely adored the author's "Philomena" story when it appeared in The New Yorker years ago, and I was so happy to read this more elaborate version. The style of the writing is rivoting, the wit and sentiments warming and light. There should be more in the marketplace like this; less drama and violence that will never reach you and me. This story captures a city-goer who has shared experiences most of us have, and talks about them in ways we should all appreciate. This and "Story of My Life" are my favorite works from McInerney, and I hope to read more of him in the future.

In the interim since his spectacular 1984 debut, "Bright Lights, Big City," Jay McInerney's follow-ups -- "Ransom" (1985), "Story Of My Life" (1988), "Brightness Falls" (1992) and "The Last Of The Savages" (1996) have all been good, but have failed to live up to what one of his characters might call "early promise." Not so with his latest, "Model Behavior," a stunning tour-de-force that delivers all the McInerney punch -- sizzling similes, masterful metaphors, dazzling descriptions and blistering satire -- in a remarkably slim volume. Critics may focus on the parallels with "BLBC," but McInerney offers readers a fresh story about frustrated-writer-spurned-by-vapid-model. For the '90s, the drug is not cocaine but Klonipin, the modern babylons not all-night discos but chic restaurants and book parties. McInerney also includes seven short stories in this collection, from the brilliant "Smoke," which chronicles the futile attempt of Russell and Corrine Callahan to quit smoking (a cutting room floor leftover from "Brightness Falls," whose protagonists were Russell and Corrinne Calloway?) and six other pieces, including a tense story about a prison doctor at the mercy of his patients.

When Philomena leaves for the coast, wannabe celebrity journalist Connor McKnight sees his already unsteady world quake with an 8 on the Manhattan version of the Richter Scale. To make the tremors worse, his boss has ripped his head apart for failing to bring in a profile on the hunk of the moment, Chip Ralston, who is avoiding Connor better than Walter Payton eluded a tackle. When a person is depressed, they turn to family and friends for solace. However, Connor's sister beats him to the role of needing a shoulder due to her divorce. Jeremy, Connor's best friend, requires a comforting boost to his confidence because he fears the publication of his next novel. Just when Connor thinks he has been sucked dry, his most dreaded nightmare surfaces. His parents are coming to town to spend Thanksgiving with him and his sister. Jay McInerney has earned a deserved reputation for his collective works, but his latest book may be his best yet. MODEL BEHAVIOR, the novel in this collection, is a jocular satire on celebrity life in Manhattan. The story line is fabulous because of the humorous disregard and mental slap-stick by his friends and family towards Connor's downward spiral. The seven short stories are interesting and well written, but pale next to the ironic touches of the novel, which, in of itself, is worth the price of admission. However, read the novel and then allow a few weeks to pass before perusing the short stories, which in a separate book would be regarded as brilliant slices of life.Harriet Klausner