There is an implicit suggestion in the title of this novel that we all face the same predicament as that of the hero, Richard Novak. Living a sterile existence in the hills above Los Angeles, his succesful pursuit of mammon has severed him from almost all human contact and estranged him from his family. Aren’t we all to some degree guilty of putting material success before happiness to the detriment of our quality of life?
The scales fall from Richard’s eyes after a mysterious attack of severe pain leads him to think he could die at any moment. The pain passes but Richard’s epiphany endures. His response is to act in a kinder and more generous way to the people who he encounters in his daily life. Through a series of improbable adventures he begins to reconnect with a world that he had unthinkingly left.
This is an entertaining and wildly inventive story but it does suggest that Los Angeles really is another planet. I don’t think I’ll visit. Some of the episodes that Richard gets involved in stretch credulity to breaking point – a car chase where he rescues a naked kidnapped girl; or a violent confontation with his son that threatens to end in quasi-Oedipal sexual assault.
The Los Angeles that Richard, as the new Everyman, encounters is a wild assortment of rapacious salesmen, workmen and phoney lifestyle gurus – contrasted with eccentric but fundamentally good, immigrants, put-upon mothers and artists. In trying to help those who deserve it, Richard appears to spend a vast amount of money whilst being wildly generous with the use of his car, his house and himself. Even a stray dog gets the run of the house as no deserving case can be turned down.
Inevitably Richard had lost all contact with wife, son and extended family – more inevitably the son is on a road trip that will bring him and his father into violent collision, where years of neglect need to be atoned for by acts of superhuman understanding.
Through this ordeal by benevolence Richard emerges a better, though presumably poorer person. The story is not neatly concluded though as several loose ends are left deliberately untied. And LA too gets its just desserts, though I won’t spoil the ending by telling you how.
Did this book save my life? Not exactly, perhaps I’ll contact Richard and ask for a refund.
Joe Brannan's Blog 
I finished this book earlier this week – I have been considering how I would comment – after a slow start I suddenly begun to get engaged and romped through to the end – I enjoyed it – Joe has done a brilliant job in covering Richard’s eventful recovery journey through the LA landscape – As I was reading the book I was going along without questioning it very deeply – now I am wondering about the the very obvious symbolism of the sink hole – I am still a bit irritated by a little story hiccup concerning the return of Richard’s car – but this is not a big deal – I was not surprised by the Goop lifestyle at all – in fact it didn’t seem quite so frightening after all . There was so much more to this rehab story than Nine Perfect Strangers – one more thought – it is amazing how the consumer technology dates things these days – where the rest of the fabric of the book does not – this was a good pick – thanks Laura!
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One more thing – thank you Joe – I really appreciate the effort that you have put into organizing this book club – I can’t help but think how much NB would have loved this!
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I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it to be an easy read. The main characters in the book were varied and I liked them all, although in my head Richard was much younger than his middle aged years. It kept me interested throughout, although some of it was not believable. It was full of surprises – none of the events being predictable – but I did find the ending a bit odd. When Richard experienced the chest pains this was a pivotal moment in his life and he realised the importance of family and interacting with the outside world. The anger felt by his son was explained well but I was a bit confused about his relationship/lack of relationship with his ex wife. Through the course of the book Richard became a less selfish person and wanted to be considerate and caring for others – perhaps we could all take some of this into our own lives.
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I’m glad you ladies liked this book. I was more equivocal, thinking the portrayal of Richard and his son – and especially their quasi-sexual confrontation was way over the top. I wondered if this was because the writer is a woman. Perhaps men are inexplicable! Anyway, it was interesting to read a female account of a story in which most (not all) of the main characters are male. Certainly makes a change from men writing improbable female characters.
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