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Book Description
An offbeat and satirical work of what might be considered literary fiction, The Chronicles of a Cynic is a loosely allegorical spin on DanteÂ's Purgatorio. This contemporary bildungsroman follows the unlikely path of the title characterÂ-a writer/educator named Dan Taylor-GehryÂ-across the country to teaching jobs, through loves gained and lost, against encounters with the seven deadly sins, amidst moderate success in writing and publishing, and ultimately downward through his darkest psychological recesses. The cynicÂ's frenetic pace matches the transience of KerouacÂ's Sal Paradise, and the bombastic tone of his narration evokes visions of Ignatius Reilly waxing philosophical from behind a hot dog stand. With his cynicism rooted in his desire for cultural purity, Taylor-Gehry takes his idealism too far by resorting to ridiculous acts of violence against others and himself. During his incarceration, he is forced to prove his sanity by charting his life story, resulting in this darkly comic novel of ideas.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
The Chronicles of a Cynic,Christian Michael Fletcher,iUniverse,0595299997,Classics,Fiction,Fiction - General,Humorous,Literary,Literature: Classics
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