Lincoln: A Novel (The American Chronicle Series)

by Gore Vidal
Lincoln: A Novel (The American Chronicle Series) cover
Good Books rating 3.88
Technical
  • ID: 5338
  • Added: 2025-10-23
  • Updated: 2025-10-23
  • Reviews: 4
Reviews
abebooks.com · Unknown · 2025-10-23
frustrating 3.50

The reviewer found 'A Visit From The Goon Squad' to be a well-written and meticulously crafted book, but also frustrating due to its complex structure and the need for multiple readings to fully appreciate it. The interconnected stories, spanning different times and places, explore themes of time, loss, and the passage of life, with each character experiencing a decline in innocence or success.

The reviewer highlights that 'A Visit From The Goon Squad' is a unique and ambitious novel that defies easy definition. It reads like a novel but is actually a collection of thirteen interrelated short stories, each following different characters connected to a record company executive. The stories span various locations and time periods, creating a puzzle that takes time to come together. The reviewer suggests reading the book in one sitting or close sessions to keep track of the connections between characters. The title's meaning is nuanced, referring to time as a 'goon' that robs people of their youth and vitality. Each character experiences a loss of innocence, relevance, or success, which connects them. The most iconic chapter is told through Powerpoint slides, but other stories, such as 'Found Objects' and 'Safari,' are also memorable. The book is praised for its well-written and meticulously crafted nature, but the reviewer finds it frustrating due to the need for multiple readings to fully appreciate it. It is recommended for those with the time and brain space to dedicate to it.

Quick quotes

    How did I go from being a rock star to being a fat fuck no one cares about?

    The most iconic and talked-about chapter of A Visit From The Goon Squad is, of course, Great Rock and Roll Pauses by Alison Blake, a story told entirely through Powerpoint presentation slides.

    All told, A Visit From The Goon Squad is a great book in the sense that it’s incredibly well-written and meticulously crafted.

logan.shopopenbooks.com · Unknown · 2025-10-23
beautiful 4.50

The book is a collection of interconnected narratives centered around the music industry, exploring themes of time, memory, and the passage of life. It's praised for its clever structure and beautiful storytelling, though it can be a bit heartbreaking.

A Visit from the Goon Squad is a novel that weaves together multiple stories, all connected to the music industry. The characters include an aging record producer, his assistant, and various other figures whose lives intersect in meaningful ways. The book is celebrated for its unique structure and the way it captures the essence of time and memory. Each narrative offers a glimpse into the lives of these characters, showing how their pasts shape their present and future. The novel is not just about the music industry but about the human experience, the inevitability of aging, and the longing for what has been lost. It's a beautiful and clever book, though it can be a bit heartbreaking at times. The use of technology as a theme is particularly noteworthy, highlighting how it both connects and disconnects us from our pasts.

Quick quotes

    Spoiler alert: You will get old. You will die. Things will never be like they are right now. And yet, how things are right now will determine how they are in the future. This is so.

    A collection of narratives -- they aren't really stories -- centered around various record industry denizens

    It's beautiful and clever and very smart, and, okay, a little bit heartbreaking.

ebay.com · Unknown · 2025-10-23
remarkable 4.50

The reviewer praises Jennifer Egan's 'A Visit From the Goon Squad' for its innovative structure and compelling narrative, highlighting the author's ability to weave together multiple storylines and perspectives. The book's exploration of time, love, and regret is noted as particularly moving, with the reviewer impressed by Egan's versatility and creativity in storytelling.

Jennifer Egan's 'A Visit From the Goon Squad' is a remarkable piece of fiction that defies traditional narrative structures. The book is a collection of interconnected stories that span over 40 years, each told from a different perspective. The reviewer is impressed by Egan's ability to maintain coherence and momentum despite the fragmented nature of the plot. The characters are intricately linked, and their stories are filled with simmering regret and the relentless passage of time. Egan's versatility is showcased through various narrative techniques, including a PowerPoint presentation and a futuristic vision of New York. The reviewer finds the book to be a moving exploration of love and its wreckage, with Egan's creative approach making it a standout work of fiction.

Quick quotes

    The book starts with Sasha, a kleptomaniac, who works for Bennie, a record executive, who is a protégé of Lou who seduced Jocelyn who was loved by Scotty who played guitar for the Flaming Dildos, a San Francisco punk band for which Bennie once played bass guitar (none too well), before marrying Stephanie who is charged with trying to resurrect the career of the bloated rock legend Bosco

    There is a madness to her method. She hands off the narrative from one protagonist to another in a wild relay race that will end with the same characters with which it begins while dispensing with them for years at a time.

    And yet everything hangs together, connected by a tone of simmering regret arising from love’s wreckage and time’s relentless devouring.

abebooks.com · Unknown · 2025-10-23
mixed 3.00

The reviewer found Jennifer Egan's 'A Visit from the Goon Squad' to be a unique and challenging read with a gritty, hard-boiled tone. They appreciated the complex character perspectives and the exploration of taboo topics but struggled with the lack of a cohesive plot and the depressing themes.

The reviewer had high expectations for 'A Visit from the Goon Squad' after hearing positive reviews and meeting the author. They found the novel's tone and style to be gritty and unique, with a film noir feel set in the punk rock era of NYC. The book's structure, which consists of short stories about different characters, was both compelling and challenging. The reviewer appreciated the exploration of taboo topics and the complex character perspectives but found the lack of a cohesive plot and the depressing themes difficult to enjoy. They also felt that the book lacked the redemption promised in the cover summary. Overall, they found the book to be a great literary work but not one they particularly enjoyed.

Quick quotes

    Structural dissatisfaction: Returning to circumstances that once pleased you, after having experienced a more thrilling or opulent way of life, and finding that you can no longer tolerate them.

    Time’s a goon, right? You gonna let that goon push you around?

    I was impressed by the complex point of views, character, and mixing of culture and social taboos but I can’t say that I particularly enjoyed the book.

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