Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

December 23, 2023

Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

David is an American expatriate living in Paris in the 1950s. David's girlfriend Hella, another American, is in Spain trying to figure out what is going on in their relationship. David is strongly attracted to other men and is doing his best to fight/hide his inclinations, which are more acceptable in Paris than in America. When he becomes involved with a beautiful young Italian man named Giovanni, he begins a downward spiral that threatens to destroy both their lives.

I have been meaning to read this for a long time. I felt emotionally drained and sad at the end of the book. The two main characters struggle to come to terms with their identity, their masculinity, their sexuality. David knows on an intellectual level that he should fit into the expectations of society, his father, and his girlfriend, yet he is unable to resist Giovanni. His self-loathing prevents him from accepting Giovanni's love and seeking the life he secretly longs for, while Giovanni is willing to throw everything away for David. Daring for its time, still a classic today.

Paris in the 1950's

A Beautiful Crime by Christopher Bollen

December 29, 2019

A Beautiful Crime by Christopher Bolen

Nick and Clay, two fledgling con men from New York, concoct a scheme to swindle a retired American expatriate in Venice.  Their plan is simple:  play on the expatriate gazillionaire's obsession with a famous New York family's antiques.  When their first swindle succeeds beautifully, they decide to gamble on an even bigger con.

While the plot was interesting, I found all three of the main characters to be unlikable - the most interesting character in the book was Freddy, who died before the book opens but fortunately appears in a later section.  When I found out that Richard, the expatriate, was one of those super-wealthy Americans who decide that they have to save Venice, I hoped that Nick and Clay would swindle him good (sorry, but if the Italian and Venetian governments don't want to save Venice, it shouldn't be up to a bunch of stupid mega-rich Americans to do it - there are too many causes in our own country that need their help desperately, like wildlife conservation and childhood poverty).  But the plot moves quickly, the writing is quite literary for a thriller, and it's a quick read that will keep the reader interested.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC in return for a review.