The University of Wisconsin Press

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Fiction

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A Friend of Kissinger A Novel David Milofsky Library of American Fiction Terrace Books "A lyrical, melancholy, nostalgic, and lightly pensive rendition of a boy's coming of age."—Kelly Cherry, author of My Life and Dr. Joyce Brothers: A Novel in Stories In this lively coming-of-age novel, young Danny Meyer lays bare a landscape of illness and despair but emerges triumphant, with a new awareness of the limitations of security and the lessons of eternity. Danny's bubble-like existence in paradisal Madison is broken when his father, a concert pianist and professor, is stricken with illness and must give up his professorship. The family is forced to move to Milwaukee to live at the brink of poverty while his father gets sicker, his artistic mother struggles as bread-winner, and his brother becomes delusional. Here, Danny finds himself in the uncertain position of having to accept the responsibilities of manhood while still struggling with adolescence. In a world that keeps shifting, Danny befriends the son of a gangster and, through his brushes with that compelling world of crime, finds his way to a new confidence. Realistically portrayed, A Friend of Kissinger , captures an authentic sense of place that is one part arty, heartland Main Street and one part shady, small-time gangsterland. "David Milofsky's latest is a rousing Vanity Fair of a novel, turning real life Milwaukee into a vibrant mosaic of American life with its hustlers and gangsters, its chess champions and lusty housemaids, its next door neighbors who went to grade school in Germany with Henry Kissinger. The young narrator is wide-eyed but cool, sympathetic but unsparing, and he tells this story with verve and wit and real insight. A first-rate piece of authentic Americana."—George Cuomo, author of Among Thieves and Trial by Water David Milofsky is professor of English at Colorado State University, where he directs the Center for Literary Publishing and edits the Colorado Review. He is the author of the novels Playing from Memory, Eternal People, and Color of Law. For more information about David Milofsky, please visit his website here. Reviews | Larger Image of cover for use in publicity For use on pubicity related Web pages you may download the book's cover image, shown above. Just right click on the image, and choose "Save Picture As..." If you are using a Mac just click on the image and select "Download to disk" from the pull-down menu. Media & bookseller inquiries regarding review copies, events, and interviews can be directed to the publicity department at publicity@wwwtest.uwpress.wisc.edu or (608) 263-0734. (If you want to examine a book for possible course use, please see our Course Books page. If you want to examine a book for possible rights licensing, please see Rights & Permissions.)

March 2003 232 pp.      6 x 9 Paper $24.95 t ISBN 978-0-299-18520-6 ADD TO CART

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