The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Apt.3W

by Gabriel Brownstein

This brilliantly inventive first collection captures the disparate lives of the residents of Manhattan's West 89th Street. Five stories are set in one apartment building, where young Davie Birnbaum watches his neighbors' lives unfold. The title story reworks F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," whose hero is born as an old man and ages in reverse; Brownstein's Button lives on the third floor, fading away toward infancy. In apartment 7E, a lawyer named Zauberman reenacts the life of Hawthorne's Wakefield: he abandons his family so that he can spy on them. Meanwhile, the proctologist in the penthouse plays Icarus and Daedalus with his misfit son.These are tales of literary voyeurism, as the narrators look in on other people's everyday victories and misfortunes marriages, car accidents, love affairs, and adoptions and make sense of what they see by thinking about the stories they know best. Winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award; Finalist for the Book-of-the-Month Club First Fiction Award; Chosen as a 2002 Book to Remember by the New York Public Library.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Audiobook

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

Reviews

[Joshua Rigsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great writing here. I enjoyed it more than I expected to.

[Blake Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5!! Such an interesting and engaging read. At times, this made me laugh; other times oddly emotional. It was unique and fun—loved it!

[Brenda Hicks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree that this book is well written. It also solidifies my belief that I would not enjoy living in New York...too many people and not enough space creates a weirdness, I fear, that only natives can truly enjoy. But that's probably what New Yorkers say about people who live with too few people and plenty of space. It's probably a good thing that differing geography attracts different types of people. Interesting, but dark read.

[maney man · Rating 3 out of 5]

yea i just didn’t like it fr all the stories did not keep my attention. wanted to do 2 1/2 but it wouldn’t let me but yea, wow. the last story? not sure what to make of that one part but it was by far the most entertaining.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was hard to get through and didn't make a lot of sense most of the time.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't believe I never wrote this book down. It was so odd. Good, but odd. Why would someone chose to rewrite a story by F. Scott Fitzgerald? I believe that some of the other stories were also "take-offs" from other famous writers, but I don't remember enough to know which stories.

I am not sorry that I read this book - it was well written and captured my imagination. The author definitely has a way with words. I just can't imagine the jumping off points that Brownstein used. I suspect part of my problem is I am not a city person, so these are not stories I could tell.

[Thing Two · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story collection centers around one apartment building in Brooklyn, and its residents as seen through the lens of middle-aged "Davey" who has lived there his entire life. The writing reminds me simultaneously of PHILLIP ROTH and Jonathan Safran Foer. Some of the stories - like the title - are the author's reworkings of familiar. All-in-all a very enjoyable collection.

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize this wasn't the original (I'll have to turn to F. Scott Fitzgerald for that one), but this collection of short stories didn't leave me disappointed. Though Brownstein borrows from many "greats" of literature, he succeeds in writing little tales that are modern, charming, and certainly have literary value of their own. A fast read, especially on public transportation, but it managed to suck me in.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The depth of characterization and the breadth of imagination in these stories is astounding. Even with the characters absorbed from other stories, Brownstein has something new and fresh to say without departing from their essential nature. The result is interesting and delightful to read. Brownstein is also a devious emotion manipulator. Though the techniques he uses are not overtly obvious, he is definitely in control of the reader's emotions.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book contains a collection of stories. I really did not enjoy any of them much. There is no literary value in the writing. I did like just a few short witty passages here and there which deserve a bit of mention, would not be enough to 'make' the book though. Good try by G. Brownstein, but overrall just OK.

[sydney]

Really wanted to like it! Couldn't get into it. Might try again some other time.

(Probably, though, I should just read the original "Benjamin Button" story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I think that's what made me pick this up in the first place.)

[Keri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is quirky; unlike most things i read (mystery, historical fiction). Each story is a little different and creative - for us ADD readers, it keeps you entertained. Very "curious" - if you want to try something different, this is it.

[Camilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of short stories is wonderfully written. I didn't realize that the curious case of benjamin button was a re-writing of the original as by F Scott Fitzgerald... Now I want to re-read this collection, as well as Fitzgerald's original story before the movie comes out in December

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series of stories based on one apartment building - very Salinger's - Nine Storis-esque in that each story is related to the main character; they're all intertwined. He did a fantastic job of taking existing short stories and modifying them to make them his.

[Deborah Frazier Gibson]

This book did not get great reviews, but like most "underdog" stories, I loved it. It takes place in one apartment building in NY from start to finish describes the lives and stories of each of the tenants. Perfect writing.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an intriguing journey to follow. Once I got sucked in, I couldn't put this book down.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings on this one, many of the stories were sort of meh, and a few were very good. Stick to the original, perhaps.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

too flowery; doesn't seem to be very well written; this is a book of short stories; only read the first four

[Sediqa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd so read this one again and again and again ... Loved the little short story involving Icarus and the Inventor of Love. Has inspired me to read Kafka and Auden.

[Karen]

Awful book - hated every page.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took me quite some time to finish. Wasn't boring. It was more like listening to a good story but then getting distracted as it went bit too long or branched.

[Shannon Marantelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not quite sure if I liked this or not. Some of the stories were good, some weren't so good. An "interesting" read I guess.

[G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

My favorites were "Safety", Musee Des Beaux Arts", and (of course) "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Apt. 3W". I skipped a good amount of the book though.

[Mitchell Busby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read, filled with quaint little tidbits that I did enjoy