Brendan Wolf
by Brian Malloy
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Book Summary Information
Author: Brian MalloyEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-04-15
ISBN: 0312377614
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Book Reviews of Brendan Wolf
Book Review: 'Falling Man': Brian Malloy examines the post 9/11 psyche
Summary: 5 Stars
One of the more terrifying and fascinating images to remain so long after the tragedy of 9/11 is the iconic image of the falling man captured in his jump to escape the devastation of the Twin Towers during the terrorist attack in New York City. As Sean, the love interest in the life of the book's title character tries to explain to Brendan Wolf, 'I meant no matter how much we believe our lives are in order, it's an illusion. Nobody knows for sure who the Falling Man is, but he was in the Tower on that day because it was part of the order of his life. And then, from out of nowhere, a bunch of religious fanatics fly a plane into his building, and finally he's forced to make a choice - what to do when the life you knew is taken from you? .....He didn't want to suffocate or have a ceiling drop on his head. Yeah, he was a victim, but he took control of his last moments, they all did, all the jumpers. They were left with just a few minutes to decide how their lives would end. I admire them, their courage.' Brian Malloy has succeeded in creating a story that despite its at times meandering subplots ultimately results in creating a character, a set of characters, that become indelible in our memory. It is a powerful story, a book filled with moments both hilarious and fantastical, as well as serious examinations of 21st century man.
Brendan Wolf is a 35-year-old lost soul, a lad who with his brothers Ian and Steven was deserted by his criminal parents, placed in foster homes and eventually adopted by people who also turned out to be a much the losers as his parents. 'Brendan Wolf' is not his real name (he was born Victor Hall) but instead is a make-believe name in many ways reflecting his obsession with the character from the Jon Krakauer memoir 'In the Wild' - Alexander Supertramp. Brendan goes from meaningless job to meaningless job in Minneapolis, unconnected to anyone since his breakup with his former lover Jeff. His brother Ian is incarcerated in Rush City, a jail, and during a visit to try to reconnect with his true family, Ian recommends Brendan connect with a old obese man Marv whose 'houseboy' Frankie is Ian's current partner in Rush City. Desperate for money and a roof over his head, Brendan goes to Marv's mansion and there the changes in his life begin. How Brendan copes with Marv, becoming involved in a near tragedy that turns his thinking around to become the caretaker of a man who initially disgusted him, how he tries to align with Ian once released form Rush City and becomes involved with Ian and his wife Cynthia's fraudulent scheme involving an anti-abortion group, and how he meets Sean, a lonely but comfortably out gay man and tastes some moments of normalcy, only to make wrong decisions that lead to his compounded failures is a mere outline of this book's treasures. Malloy's writing style keeps the reader involved with every page, even through episodes that at times seem to threaten the momentum of the story, leading to the somewhat surprisingly bleak ending. It is a work of an author unafraid to tell truths instead of create happy-ever-after endings: the result is an enormously engaging story as well as a fine critique of just where we are today. Highly recommended! Grady Harp, November 09
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