Reinhart's Women

This is, of course, the fourth Reinhart novel. That it is out of print is a travesty, an abomination, a devastating commentary on the sick state of humanity as a whole.In this novel, Reinhart has become a cook. Writing a novel is like cooking with memes. It is done for much the same reasons; it is very difficult. But Thos. Berger make it looks easy. I don't know how he does it. It is genius.Thomas Berger must feel that his characters are too interesting and entertaining to not return to, and he is right. Splendor Mainwaring's son is here, representing his father who is in cryogenic suspension, we hope. (It is my theory that *Robert Crews* is a sequel to *Regiment of Women* perhaps the funniest novel ever written, except for *Neighbors*.) In a hundred years, surely it will be seen that Reinhart (not Rabbit) is the essential fictional human of the second half of the 20th Century.I first read *Reinhart's Women* when I was about 34. Then I put it away, knowing--every week that passed in my life--that when I was in my early fifties, I would take it out again, and re-read it. It gave me something to look forward to. After waiting all these years, I have not been disappointed. I wish I could get amnesia so that I could read it again tonight. Wrongly pigeon-holed by some as a "comic" novelist, or even "black humorist", Berger's themes are large, his fiction is true. He writes novels of imagination (*Changing the Past*, *Being Invisible*, *Regiment of Women*, of history (*Arthur Rex*) and of the human condition). That they are excrutiatingly funny does not mean that they are not excrutiatingly true.I have read a lot of novels over the years. *Reinhart's Women* is my favorite novel. No one knows women better than Berger, except other women. If you want to know about women, read about Reinhart's.On the chance that Mr. Berger might read these reviews, I would like to say to him:Hey! How's Reinhart? Was his TV show a success? Did he marry Edie and give Blaine a kid half-brother or -sister? Did he revivify the restaurant? What about Mercer? What happened to her? Did Genevieve fare better in California than she did in Chicago, and did she ever raise her ugly head again in Southern Ohio (presuming that Reinhart remained there)? Or did everyone simply live happily ever after?You brought back Jack Crabb. I love Reinhart more. I reallize that the out-of--print status of *Reinhart's Women* may not seem to be too encouraging, but how about this: Mr. Berger, if you write a fifth Reinhart, I will personally give you $100. I am not kidding. [email protected]

I understand from this book is now out of print, but I am enjoying the library audio version. Carl Reinhart is a middle-aged man who never seemed to make anything of his life. He is divorced, not gainfully employed and lives with (and frankly, off of) his 25-year-old daughter, Winona, who is a successful model. So why do I actually LIKE this guy? Reinhart is very intelligent, philosophical and has a passion for cooking. He is not a professional cook, or professional anything else, of course, but as a self taught amateur has become quite accomplished at the art. The beautiful Wimona eats exceedingly little, but Reinhart is tolerant of that - it IS her job to be slim and gorgeous. He also very much rolls with the flow when he discovers this lovely and beloved daughter is gay.Actually, "Rolling with the flow" describes Reinhart very well - he just seems to philosophize about life's surprises and mishaps and goes on rolling. The other women in his life include Grace Greenwood, a dynamic executive for a food company (and Winona's "friend") who manages to get Reinhart gainfully employed, first as a food demonstrator at a grocery store, then as a TV chef. In the cooking demonstration job he works with the loose but sweet Helen, who bestows upon Reinhart the same comforting gifts she generously bestows on a few (more than a few?) men. Reinhart, accepting people for what they are is, of course, tolerant of that. Then we have Mercer, his wellborn daughter-in-law who seems to either be "on something" or maybe just not connecting on all cylinders. Being marriend to Reinhart's unfeeling jerk of a son may be the reason. I'm not sure where he's going with Edie Mulhouse (I have a cassette and a half to go), a very large neighbor, but Reinhart has befriended the painfully shy and awkward gal. Is she in love with Reinhart? She seems to worship him. Or maybe she's in love with Winona; such indications are also hinted at. Equally puzzling is Genevieve, Rehihart's ex wife, who appears out of the blue after a decade of no contact with her ex-husband. Why did SHE show up? It appears her purpose in contacting our hero is for the purpose of loudly, embarrassingly and publicly cracking up.