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The Coast of Akron : A novel

by Adrienne Miller

Published: 2005-05-04
Paperback : 400 pages

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"At last, The Coast of Akron! Adrienne Miller is one of the wittiest and most humane writers we have, bringing to mind at once Dorothy Parker, Mary McCarthy, and M.F.K. Fisher." -Dave Eggers

Adrienne Miller, in her dazzlingly ambitious and hilarious first novel, introduces us to the ...

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Introduction

"At last, The Coast of Akron! Adrienne Miller is one of the wittiest and most humane writers we have, bringing to mind at once Dorothy Parker, Mary McCarthy, and M.F.K. Fisher." -Dave Eggers

Adrienne Miller, in her dazzlingly ambitious and hilarious first novel, introduces us to the unforgettable Haven family of Akron, Ohio. This is not your typical Midwestern family, and Lowell Haven is a most unusual patriarch. He's a seducer, a wannabe aristocrat, a liar. Jenny, his former wife, was a brilliant artist, but is today a broken woman with a secret.

In the thirty years since Lowell and Jenny met, Lowell has become a world-famous artist, known for portraits of his favorite subject-himself. But five years ago, Lowell mysteriously stopped painting and the world now demands to know: Why has Lowell Haven abandoned his art? The answer is Merit, Lowell and Jenny's daughter, who is running as fast as she can from her family. Fergus, Lowell's partner, Jenny's ex-best friend, and drama queen extraordinaire, dreams of luring Merit home: the sixty-five-room faux-Tudor mansion where he lives with Lowell. A lavish party for the Midwestern glitterati is the perfect excuse. But his delusions of grandeur loom over the gathering, and his decision to include a certain guest invites disaster.

Stretching from mid-seventies London to the present-day Midwest, The Coast of Akron is a sharply funny and deeply heartbreaking story about the all-too-human urge to own what is unownable.

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Excerpt

1

Wyatt’s glasses were crooked again. Merit rinsed her hands in the kitchen sink, shook them, and took three long, resolute steps toward him. She removed his glasses. Wyatt had just come in from mowing the lawn. He smiled. She smiled. Merit and Wyatt had been married for five years. ...

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Member Reviews

Overall rating:

"I found the book difficult to read."by Ruby W. (see profile) 12/27/05

The transitions of point of view are very hard to follow. I kept having to read the blurb in the dust jacket to see who may have been narrating the current section. I'm not sure my book group would think... (read more)

"I really enjoyed this hilarious novel!"by pam t. (see profile) 10/27/05

Adrienne Miller writing of this book was great! It was funny, moving, tender, intelligent and shocking in some areas.
I think my book club would really enjoy this book as far as a rateing t
... (read more)

"unappealing characters"by pat m. (see profile) 10/26/05

What a collection of vapid, unappealing characters! No matter how well-written the prose is, this book leaves you totally unmoved by the tribulations they endure.

"There are some mildy funny and moving scenes, but overall this book just didn't appeal to me."by Ellen M. (see profile) 10/26/05

Unless there was a deeper level of meaning that I completely missed, I cannot see why anyone would really enjoy this book. It seems like Adrienne Miller wanted to write something quirky and outrageous,... (read more)

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