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9th out of 84 books
—
76 voters
The Family Man
Elinor Lipman's trenchant and witty novel about a father and daughter reunited.
A hysterical phone call from his ex-wife and a familiar face in a photograph upend Henry Archer's life. Henry is a lawyer, an old-fashioned man, gay, successful, and lonely. Thalia, his stepdaughter from a misbegotten marriage, is now twenty-nine, an actress, hopeful and estranged from her newly...more
A hysterical phone call from his ex-wife and a familiar face in a photograph upend Henry Archer's life. Henry is a lawyer, an old-fashioned man, gay, successful, and lonely. Thalia, his stepdaughter from a misbegotten marriage, is now twenty-nine, an actress, hopeful and estranged from her newly...more
Hardcover, 305 pages
Published
May 5th 2009
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
(first published April 27th 2009)
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Henry Archer is divorced and is gay. For the most part he is happy, but he feels that there is something missing in his life.
Henry's ex-wife Denise had a girl from a previous marriage who Henry adopted when he was married to Denise. But soon the philandering Denise moved on to another man - Glen. Henry let Glen adopt the girl and he stayed out of her life.
But at the very beginning of the story, Glen dies and it is some 10+ years later. Henry finds his long lost adopted daughter Thalia and they...more
Henry's ex-wife Denise had a girl from a previous marriage who Henry adopted when he was married to Denise. But soon the philandering Denise moved on to another man - Glen. Henry let Glen adopt the girl and he stayed out of her life.
But at the very beginning of the story, Glen dies and it is some 10+ years later. Henry finds his long lost adopted daughter Thalia and they...more
This was my first Elinor Lipman novel but it sure won't be the last. This novel is funny, bright, light, intelligent, and also touching, all in under 300 pages!
Henry Arhcer is the gay ex-husband of an exasperating woman named Denise, who has just lost hubby #3 to a heart attack. Henry sends a condolence note, which Denise latches on to as a way to get Henry back into her life as a pal and as a lawyer, since Denise's two stepsons have been left her husband's entire massive estate.
The story also i...more
Henry Arhcer is the gay ex-husband of an exasperating woman named Denise, who has just lost hubby #3 to a heart attack. Henry sends a condolence note, which Denise latches on to as a way to get Henry back into her life as a pal and as a lawyer, since Denise's two stepsons have been left her husband's entire massive estate.
The story also i...more
Henry Archer is retired, lonely, gay, wealthy, and living in a fabulous townhouse on the Upper West Side of New York City. His ex-wife, that's right ex-wife, calls him hysterical after the funeral of her husband. Apparently her behavior at the funeral is the talk of the town. Henry has had a complicated relationship with Denise over the years. When they married, he adopted her young daughter, Thalia, and adored the little girl. But, thinking of Thalia's long-term emotional health, he allowed Den...more
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Not since reading the zany plotlines of books like Cooking With Fernet Branka or writing styles like Beverley Nichol's gardening titles or Wodehouse have I come across such a delightfully amusingly fast-paced plot with a believably flawed but warmly depicted set of characters.
Set in Manhattan where the real estate, shopping and eateries detail are generously depicted - I was hooked from page one where we get introduced to still good-looking gay retired lawyer Henry looking forward to a loveless...more
Set in Manhattan where the real estate, shopping and eateries detail are generously depicted - I was hooked from page one where we get introduced to still good-looking gay retired lawyer Henry looking forward to a loveless...more
This book plodded along, going nowhere, mainly fueled by dialogue from characters I didn't care about, and I had to put it down before even making it halfway through. It wasn't horrendous or completely unreadable, but it's also not a book worth reading or finishing.
Henry's a middle-aged gay man whose ex-wife calls him hysterically one day because her new husband has died without naming her the primary beneficiary of his estate. Meanwhile, Henry recognizes his ex-wife's daughter (Henry's ex-step...more
Henry's a middle-aged gay man whose ex-wife calls him hysterically one day because her new husband has died without naming her the primary beneficiary of his estate. Meanwhile, Henry recognizes his ex-wife's daughter (Henry's ex-step...more
This is the classic Manic Pixie Dream Girl with a twist--the uptight guy whose life she turns around is her gay ex-stepfather.
It's a charming bit of wish fulfillment that will keep you delightfully entertained as you roll along, and make little to no sense in retrospect. Wannabe actress Thalia, who flirts with everyone and wears her step-grandmother's clothes, is the kind of person who's deliciously fun in fiction and who you'd want to bash her head in with a brick after two days if you knew her...more
It's a charming bit of wish fulfillment that will keep you delightfully entertained as you roll along, and make little to no sense in retrospect. Wannabe actress Thalia, who flirts with everyone and wears her step-grandmother's clothes, is the kind of person who's deliciously fun in fiction and who you'd want to bash her head in with a brick after two days if you knew her...more
Henry is a retired lawyer, gay, divorced, and still resentful of his ex-wife Denise who was unfaithful during their marriage. Still, when Denise, now widowed from her third or fourth rich husband, sends a phone SOS of sorts to Henry, he comes to the rescue. She is about to be ruined by her stepsons, and she needs a serious legal defense, so she can keep the pension she feels entitled to after 20 + years of marriage. Henry's hard feelings are somewhat mellowed when he discovers that his hairstyli...more
Jul 26, 2011
Stuart
added it
Very enjoyable. An easy read, I devoured it in four train rides. It is perhaps not “Jane Austen in Brooklyn” as some of the publicity would have you believe, but it is a well-written, lively, humorous story with characters that you can like, and a happy ending. The story revolves around some almost Shakespearean realtionships. It starts with Henry and Denise; they were divorced 24+ years ago due to her infidelity and his homosexuality. Now she has been widowed, and wants to be friends again. And...more
While this was rather awful I will give it two stars for still being readable, and since I took this along as a not taxing yet still interesting enough to get me through hours of waiting for tickets for Shakespeare in the Park, and it got the job done (actually read the whole thing in that one sitting)I will show my gratitude accordingly.
The story's premise is sort of cute, if a bit trite and wholly unrealistic - an older gay guy was a step dad and then adopted dad to his brief wife's daughter f...more
The story's premise is sort of cute, if a bit trite and wholly unrealistic - an older gay guy was a step dad and then adopted dad to his brief wife's daughter f...more
This is the fourth Lipman novel I've read, so I think I can almost make a judgment on her writing. Long and short: she's excellent at dialogue and awkward characters (like Denise in this, Alice in the Pursuit of Alice Thrift, Bernice in "Then She Found Me," and Laura Lee in "My Latest Grievance"), but most of her characters are thin and unbelievable.
Her novels are billed as "screwball comedies," I'm assuming alluding to Cary Grant or Rosiland Russell films, or something like that. But Lipman gi...more
Her novels are billed as "screwball comedies," I'm assuming alluding to Cary Grant or Rosiland Russell films, or something like that. But Lipman gi...more
I don't believe in leaving a review of books I didn't finish, but this one's an exception.
Initially, we meet Henry's ex-wife, whom he hasn't heard from in 25 years, bitching about her long-ago pre-nup being enforced by her stepson: she was to get everything should her third husband (Henry was second) die after their 25th anniversary; he only made it to #24. So, she's now reduced to "penury" as a result (an allowance that would still put her in the top 1% or so of U. S. households). Ugh!
Henry rea...more
Initially, we meet Henry's ex-wife, whom he hasn't heard from in 25 years, bitching about her long-ago pre-nup being enforced by her stepson: she was to get everything should her third husband (Henry was second) die after their 25th anniversary; he only made it to #24. So, she's now reduced to "penury" as a result (an allowance that would still put her in the top 1% or so of U. S. households). Ugh!
Henry rea...more
1 like · like · see review
The book jacket describes this book as a modern day Jane Austen story, which is what originally drew me to it. While I didn't think the story line was particularly Austen-esque, there was a lot of humor and witty dialogue, so I guess that's where the comparison comes in. The story is about a man named Henry who divorced his wife after she cheated on him. He then lost contact with his step-daughter, who was about two at the time. The story actually starts twenty-five years after that divorce: his...more
I'd fallen in love with two of Elinor Lipman's books, The Inn at Lake Devine and Isabel's Bed, and read as many of her others as I could find, following those. I was a bit disappointed in the last two I'd read , My Latest Grievance and The Pursuit of Alice Thrift, so I was a bit hesitant to read The Family Man. I actually stayed up half the night reading because I was so drawn into the story and the characters. I loved the relationship development, especially between Thalia and Henry. One of the...more
4 likes · like · see review
Elinor Lipman's "The Family Man," set in contemporary Manhattan, is a witty celebration of engaging dialogue and the triumph of love. Wordy characters abound in this fast-paced domestic farce: Henry Archer, a successful, recently retired gay attorney; Denise, his histrionic ex-wife from the distant past; Todd, a middle aged sales clerk with his eye on Henry; Thalia, an aspiring actress who seeks to reunite with her stepfather Henry after twenty years of estrangement -- all of these characters ar...more
Frothy light and entertaining comedy of manners. A buttoned-up formerly married gay man meets up with his former step-daughter, Thalia, an aspiring actress, and falls in love, in a familial way. Along the way he meets the true love of his life (Todd) and reconnects with his wacky ex, Thalia's mother Denise. The main plot is about Thalia's adventures as the fake fiance of a D-list actor who is trying to improve his image.
I classified this as chick lit because one of the main characters is a young...more
I classified this as chick lit because one of the main characters is a young...more
Elinor Lipman is known for producing smartly written, amusing stories of modern day people facing modern day problems. In her latest outing, The Family Man, she introduces us to an array of unusual characters ranging from charming Henry Archer the single, retired and quietly gay attorney and his ex-wife the distraught, recently widowed an absolutely self-centered Denise Krouch to their aspiring actress daughter Thalia and her pretend boyfriend Leif, a quasi Hollywood star who is trying to jump s...more
I've been in a reading funk lately. Haven't liked a thing I've picked up. On Saturday, I was looking through the new books on our library's shelves and since I was not recognizing many of the authors, I started just pulling them out and looking at the cover. (Who says you can't judge a book by its cover?) I liked the cover of this book and on closer inspection recognized Elinor Lipman as the author of Then She Found Me, a book that I read only because I was planning on seeing the movie once it c...more
The charming cover and slim size are pluses, as well as the light yet accomplished prose and the easy-on-the-brain plot. I read this novel in a day and enjoyed it in a mild way - but I wish there had been a bit more depth and insight to the characters. The main character, Henry, is delightful - everyone likes him, and no wonder. And somehow we're supposed to think it's fabulous that, when his long-lost stepdaughterThalia reappears in his life, he immediately gloms onto her and lives entirely for...more
I was certain this book would receive 5 stars from me as I got started. It's an infectious, sweet read that made me feel good as I got through 100 pages. Lipman has a great way for rendering characters, and here she's created some characters you want to spend time with.
In the end, I must say the book felt a bit long... and that statement obviously doesn't jibe well with the previous. I felt that some of the plot strings were less interesting (Denise and her house and whether or not she was cheat...more
In the end, I must say the book felt a bit long... and that statement obviously doesn't jibe well with the previous. I felt that some of the plot strings were less interesting (Denise and her house and whether or not she was cheat...more
May 25, 2009
Carol
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Lipman fans, those wanting a 'light read" with substance
I love Lipman's books. Her characters are fun and multidimensional - there's always at least one character that you don't really like, yet you feel at least some sympathy for them - no clear cut "Bad Guys." Most of her books are set in the Boston area, but this one takes place in NYC. The action circles around Henry Archer (an early-retired lawyer who happens to be gay), his long-lost but rediscovered "daughter" (he was married for two years, adopted Thalia, but lost her to his wife when she che...more
The Family Man—Elinor Lipman ***
Retired gay lawyer Henry Archer reunites with adopted daughter Thalia after her second adopted father's death. It was 24 years after he gave up a custody battle that had him painted as unfit because of his sexuality. It may sound complicated but it's really not because "The Family Man" is about witty dialog. This is a book to read after reading a book about extreme hardship, and you look forward to a diversion.
There's nothing really bad about this novel; it just w...more
Retired gay lawyer Henry Archer reunites with adopted daughter Thalia after her second adopted father's death. It was 24 years after he gave up a custody battle that had him painted as unfit because of his sexuality. It may sound complicated but it's really not because "The Family Man" is about witty dialog. This is a book to read after reading a book about extreme hardship, and you look forward to a diversion.
There's nothing really bad about this novel; it just w...more
A very sophmoric story of Henry Archer who is a retired lawyer. His ex-wife contacts him after her husband of 24 years passes away and she finds out her step sons are going to enforce her pre-nup stating she gets very little if they weren't married for 25 years. Henry as it turns out is gay now and was during their marriage. He visits her and sees a picture of her daughter who he had apodted as a 2 year but gave up rights to her new stepdad. He recognizes her as someone who works at the salon he...more
This is a light-hearted book, a fun way to pass the time, although I never found myself fully engaged. The main character, Henry, is wonderful, and I bought his character hook, line, and sinker. Yet his sort-of daughter Thalia (he adopted her when he married her mother, but when they divorced, he allowed his ex's next husband to gain custody of the daughter), who returns to Henry's life, is devoid of depth. At times I wanted to shake her and ask her what she could possibly be thinking. To Henry,...more
Most of Elinor Lipman's novels hinge on complicated wisps of plots, but their comedic lightness rarely detracts from their enjoyment. Reviewers agree that perhaps the best elements in a new Lipman novel are the characters — heartfelt, civilized, completely engaging, and never less than fully human. The Family Man, set in Manhattan rather than Lipman's usual haunting grounds of New England, doesn't disappoint in its portrayal of complex family relationships and use of exquisite language. Only the
...more
I heard an interview with the author on NPR, she lives in Western Massachusetts, and the lead-in was "a modern-day Jane Austin", my interest was piqued.
While a fine family-relationship novel, it isn't exactly Austin-esque. I liked the characters and the setting of modern-day Manhattan, it lacked the humor that I find in many of Austin books. But, I loved the protagonist Henry, and his step-daughter Thalia, and the characters of Todd and Lillian.
My two quibbles with the book is that the "name dro...more
While a fine family-relationship novel, it isn't exactly Austin-esque. I liked the characters and the setting of modern-day Manhattan, it lacked the humor that I find in many of Austin books. But, I loved the protagonist Henry, and his step-daughter Thalia, and the characters of Todd and Lillian.
My two quibbles with the book is that the "name dro...more
TFM is not a Tolstoy drama. But then again, how many people go "Let me read something heavy and depressing" after a long day of work or errands? Not many people will go "Ooh, I must watch 'The Schindler's List' again on this sunny afternoon!" And as far as the timeless classics are concerned, this is not it. It is, however, a light enjoyable fast-paced romp, a modern-day novel of manners set mostly in Manhattan. Having read this book, I now wonder whether people in the city are really that snapp...more
I'd fallen in love with two of Elinor Lipman's books, The Inn at Lake Devine and Isabel's Bed, and read as many of her others as I could find, following those. I was a bit disappointed in the last two I'd read , My Latest Grievance and The Pursuit of Alice Thrift, so I was a bit hesitant to read The Family Man. The book jacket describes this book as a modern day Jane Austen story, which is what originally drew me to it. While I didn't think the story line was particularly Austen-esque, there was...more
What an enjoyable book! I sat down yesterday afternoon to get through a few chapters and found myself stuck to my seat until the end. It wasn't that the story was so compelling or the writing was so fabulous, it was that the characters were so enchanting that I just wanted to keep spending time with them. I can't ever remember falling so in love with a main character as I did with John Henry Archer. His relationship with Todd fit like a glove and I appreciate that we are finally seeing well roun...more
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After reading a couple of grim mysteries, this was just what I needed. Lipman fills her novel with chatty and funny people who move through life with the best intentions and wrestle with universal questions like getting the freshest bagels at Zabar's and figuring out a life plan now that you've scored a rent-free maisonette in the Upper West Side. That sounds like I didn't like it, but I did: all of the characters are big hearted, and if they are overly self-absorbed, it's made up by their kindn...more
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Elinor Lipman is the author of eight novels about contemporary American society and a collection of short stories. Born and raised in Lowell, Massachusetts, Lipman graduated from Simmons College where she studied journalism. She lives in Western Massachusetts and Manhattan, and received the New England Book award for fiction in 2001. Her novels Then She Found Me, The Ladies' Man, and The Pursuit o...more
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