false 9499 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 9499 2 1017258 1999 The Elusive Embrace: Desire and the Riddle of Identity total:45|5:17|4:21|3:5|2:2|1:0| 45 188 65 7 6225 4.13 870 280 6294763 161897 1031000 0375400958 9780375400957 1 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1180365474m/1031000.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1180365474s/1031000.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1031000.The_Elusive_Embrace 4.00 5 The Elusive Embrace is an elegantly written memoir that shifts effortlessly between these locales, and between the events in Mendelsohn's life and the Greek and Roman classics that are his academic specialty. Whether he's elaborating upon his earliest explorations of his sexuality or teasing out the secrets that redefine his family history, he writes with admirable grace and delicacy. --Ron Hogan ]]> 1999 3 1 false Sun Sep 16 17:09:14 -0700 2007 Thu Oct 25 21:44:44 -0700 2007
How can we both desire love and still love to be the object of desire? "Identity, the Greeks knew, is a paradox," says Daniel Mendelsohn at the end of Geographies, the first chapter of The Elusive Embrace; the nex...more...]]> 51124448 1805656 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.20 40 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 4 0 false Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Apr 01 04:32:02 -0700 2009 Mon Apr 06 12:59:30 -0700 2009 more...]]> 8495510 76742 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 5 0 false Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2001 Wed Oct 31 15:29:57 -0700 2007 Wed Oct 31 15:29:57 -0700 2007 7775865 3947 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 4 0 false Mon Oct 15 20:01:17 -0700 2007 Fri Oct 26 06:15:06 -0700 2007 4656178 85634 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 5 0 false Thu Aug 16 13:57:40 -0700 2007 Thu Aug 16 13:58:24 -0700 2007 22668946 158310 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 2 0 false Wed May 21 01:38:01 -0700 2008 Wed May 21 01:38:01 -0700 2008 50189759 280092 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 4 0 false Mon Mar 23 11:54:08 -0700 2009 Mon Mar 23 11:54:36 -0700 2009 78286779 2766458 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 0 0 false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Wed Nov 18 23:13:42 -0800 2009 Mon Dec 07 19:39:27 -0800 2009 77790765 1465052 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 0 0 false Sat Nov 14 16:48:04 -0800 2009 Sat Nov 14 16:48:04 -0800 2009 74964437 1040935 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 0 0 false Sun Oct 18 17:35:53 -0700 2009 Sun Oct 18 17:35:53 -0700 2009 71183481 956884 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 0 0 false Mon Sep 14 10:08:55 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 14 10:08:55 -0700 2009 66857541 16945 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 5 0 false Mon Aug 10 11:36:36 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 10 11:36:36 -0700 2009 61316453 2465213 1031000 0375400958 9780375400957 1 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1180365474m/1031000.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1180365474s/1031000.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1031000.The_Elusive_Embrace 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is an elegantly written memoir that shifts effortlessly between these locales, and between the events in Mendelsohn's life and the Greek and Roman classics that are his academic specialty. Whether he's elaborating upon his earliest explorations of his sexuality or teasing out the secrets that redefine his family history, he writes with admirable grace and delicacy. --Ron Hogan ]]> 1999 5 0 false Sat Jun 27 14:47:55 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 27 14:47:55 -0700 2009 59601575 1850142 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 0 0 false Sun Jun 14 06:13:33 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 14 06:13:33 -0700 2009 58744406 660474 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 0 0 false Sun Jun 07 09:03:12 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 07 09:03:12 -0700 2009 53149832 2077405 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 0 0 false Sat Apr 18 13:55:06 -0700 2009 Sat Apr 18 13:55:06 -0700 2009 49874476 2078998 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 4 0 false Fri Mar 20 10:33:15 -0700 2009 Fri Mar 20 10:33:15 -0700 2009 47646824 2076773 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 2 0 false Thu Feb 26 18:20:32 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 26 18:20:32 -0800 2009 47622466 2069978 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 0 0 false Thu Feb 26 14:09:24 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 26 14:09:24 -0800 2009 47056280 1881318 9499 0375706976 9780375706974 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422m/9499.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166004422s/9499.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9499.The_Elusive_Embrace_Desire_and_the_Riddle_of_Identity 4.18 45 The Elusive Embrace is a profound exploration of the mysteries of identity.  It is also a meditation in which the author uses his own divided life to investigate the "rich conflictedness of things," the double lives all of us lead.

Daniel Mendelsohn recalls the deceptively quiet suburb where he grew up, torn between his mathematician father's pursuit of scientific truth and the exquisite lies spun by his Orthodox Jewish grandfather; the streets of manhattan's newest "gay ghetto," where "desire for love" competes with "love of desire;" and the quiet moonlit house where a close friend's small son teaches him the meaning of fatherhood.  And, finally, in a neglected Jewish cemetery, the author uncovers a  family secret that reveals the universal need for storytelling, for inventing myths of the self.  The book that Hilton Als calls "equal to Whitman's 'Song of Myself,'" The Elusive Embrace marks a dazzling literary debut.]]> 1999 3 0 false Sat Feb 21 10:41:36 -0800 2009 Sat Feb 21 10:42:52 -0800 2009 8 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=9499