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The Easy Way Out by Stephen McCauley
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The Easy Way Out (edition 2004)

by Stephen McCauley

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357571,610 (3.49)3
The Easy Way Out is about family and friendships, about being in love and out of love, about the perils of modern life. It's a story of doing what you want to do, not what you should do.
Member:KayDekker
Title:The Easy Way Out
Authors:Stephen McCauley
Info:Granta Books (2004), Paperback
Collections:Your library
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Easy Way Out by Stephen McCauley

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Showing 5 of 5
Really good, really funny novel. ( )
  susandennis | Jun 5, 2020 |
I picked this book up as some light bedtime (and train journey) reading and that's what it was, but it seemed ever more insubstantial than I expected. ( )
  mari_reads | Jan 1, 2013 |
My first Stephen McCauley book and I enjoyed it. I won't describe the plot again but the book is really a study of families and relationships rather than being plot driven. You do wonder whether Patrick and Arthur will stay together and if Tony the brother will marry but really the interest comes in following Patrick and his thoughts and actions.
What's really interesting is that Patrick is not really a character you can relate to or particularly like, other characters are much nicer (Arthur and Ryan for example) he's unsure what he wants and doesn't treat people very well but he's intriguing, funny and somehow this keeps your interest.
You can chime in with many of the thoughts and issues here and it's written with flair but not arrogance.
It will make me read other books by McCauley ( )
  withwill | May 30, 2009 |
Throughout the first hundred pages I thought that McCauley didn't have any clue what he should be writing about and all I got was a series of pseudo-witty and try-to-be-funny anecdotes of a dysfunctional family. To quit reading would have been 'The Easy Way Out' so I kept reading and were rewarded by an increasingly better story.
Patrich is one of three sons of an elderly couple that runs a clothes shop with products that are not only out of date but also out of taste. And the parents keep fighting and arguing... Well, haven't I heard that before. And the three sons aren't happy about their social life either: Ryan was left by his wife and lives with his parents again (dressing in their shop's clothes), Tony is about to get married but in love with another woman and Patrick, the narator, is involved with Arthur but both of them stick together for convenience and shelter only and not for lust or love.... (the sex scenes between them are just to depressing to be repeated).
So, during the next 200 pages I followed their sometimes disastrous struggles in life for love that doesn't always bring those people what they desire, want or need.
In between all of PatrickĀ“s sarcasm and negativism towards people, life and the world in general there are some gems to be found in this book. Well, one really needs to look for them, though.
Note: A very dear friend recommended this book as opera was part of the story according to the blurb. I almost missed those three moments of opera mentioning. Once again proof that the blurb of a book is mostly randomly written and not alwasy quite trustworthy. ( )
  Kaysbooks | Apr 28, 2009 |
HYSTERICAL! One of the funniest books I have ever read. Actually has made me lauh out loud several times...and that is pretty rare for me when reading.
  twryan72 | Jan 4, 2009 |
Showing 5 of 5
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The Easy Way Out is about family and friendships, about being in love and out of love, about the perils of modern life. It's a story of doing what you want to do, not what you should do.

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