Duke of Deception (edition 1990)

This is the kind of memoir that makes the reader squirm for its raw account of dysfunction. It embodies the conflict between truth, wishful thinking, and memories, while portraying a certain lifestyle and era that baby boomers and their parents may remember vividly. ( )

June is the month for celebrating fathers. I don't think celebrating is what Wolff had in mind when he wrote the Duke of Deception. Instead I think the writing was cathartic for him and a way to exorcize demons that have haunted him since childhood. If it possible to have the perfect balance of a love/hate relationship with a family member Wolff accomplished it. Throughout the entire tale Wolff is matter of fact to the point of being downright cold and yet, you can tell he loved and worshiped his father. He just didn't completely understand him. Geoffrey Wolff is a son who couldn't wait to be far enough away but was never close enough. Probably the most astounding aspect of "Duke" Wolf was his ability to exploit and swindle people at every chance he got. Lying, cheating, stealing became second nature to him. My mind reeled every time Duke Wolff uprooted his family to dodge a debt. ( )

This book grabbed me from page one and kept me. Having grown up with a very careful and frugal father who lived through the Depression and taught my siblings and me the necessity and advantages of saving, working and earning our keep, it was hard for me to imagine a father like Geoffrey Wolff had, who so flaunted the rules and laws of society - and for many years got away with it. I mean this guy, Arthur Wolff, was like the Great Imposter and the Wizard of Oz. He knew how to work the system and lived the good life - at least part of the time. It took his older son a while to figure out what his father was, but even when he finally had, he couldn't completely hate him. There is such a see-saw of emotions and material circumstances and living conditions displayed here that, frankly, I can't understand how the author survived his childhood and became a respected writer and teacher. But he did, and I salute him. I'd read a few of his little brother's books, but this is the first book by Geoffrey Wolff I had read. I will have to look for his other books now. This is simply darn good writing. I was sorry to see the story end, and particularly sad at how it ended. Wolff's father may have lived large, but he died alone and unnoticed. And in spite of everything, Geoffrey Wolff still thinks of his dad - and misses him. Good book. ( )