Crazy About Lili by William Weintraub

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The author of City Unique takes us back to the wicked old Montreal of 1948 in this fine, funny novel, where an innocent seventeen-year-old McGill student falls for a famous stripper “Catcher in the Rye meets Guys and Dolls”? Maybe. Or how about “Evelyn Waugh’s Decline and Fall comes to Mordecai Richler’s Montreal”? Close. But best of all is simply this: “William Weintraub — friend of Richler, Moore, and Gallant — has quietly produced a mature comic masterpiece.” Our hero, show more Richard Lippman, is about to enter McGill and is desperate for two things — a sense of direction in life and, much more important, sexual experience with a real, live girl. Unknown to his “refined” Westmount parents, he’s brought into the exciting Montreal world of burlesque and brothels by his Uncle Morty, who introduces him to Lili L’Amour, the star stripper of the day. Before you know it, he’s (a) head over heels in love with Lili and (b) using his poetic talents to write the text for her routine, and even giving her tips on how to move. Much follows, including his creation of “Freckles, The Girl Next Door,” a stripping sensation. By day a respectful McGill student courted by campus Communists, by night a free-spending night-club sampler and reviewer — well, it’s quite a year for Richard. And this is quite a novel for all of us. Watch for falling prizes. show less

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LynnB 2,361 reviews

This coming-of-age story is set in Montreal where Richard Lippmann, about to enter university, falls in love with a stripper named Lili L'Amour. What follows are his adventures over the summer and first year of classes as an aspiring poet, writing work for Lili to strip to. He also helps another stripper by creating a new character for her; gets a job in public relations, narrowly avoids becoming a communist and generally finds himself a year later, unable to answer his father's "what are you going to do with your life" question.

The book has hints of farce and satire, and is fun to read. Richard and the strippers are the kind of characters you hope will turn out fine.

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