Table for Two by Amor Towles

 

Quite a difficult book to review as it is in two distinct parts. The first is six short stories all, except one, based in New York. The second part is a shortish novel set in Hollywood. But let's start with the six:

THE LINE

Pushkin and his wife Irina are peasants living a hundred miles from Moscow. That is until the latter declares they are Moscow bound. All because at last the royal family have been dispatched. The story is clever in that it is Irina who takes to the city like a duck to water, ending up on her work's committee. Pushkin is a disaster and ends up doing the shopping, waiting hours in line with their ration cards. Where he is quite happy with the relationships he makes. But that is not the end: see main title.

THE BALLAD OF TIMOTHY TOUCHETT

An aspiring young writer finds his way to New York ans a job in an antiquarian bookshop. But it's his crucial ability in draughtmanship that, for some extra cash, is used for what might be a criminal activity. But it's the authors own consideration of Timothy's situation that elevates the story to something special.

HASTA LUAGO

A Friday night at La Guardia airport six days before Christmas and a snowstorm. Jerry Brooks is "fortunate" to have met Smitty who organises a stay at the expensive Grand Hyatt Hotel. A story far from orthodox ends with a final paragraph that shows all the writer's talent and compassion.

I WILL SURVIVE

The break up of the long marriage of Peggy and Harry is an emotional read. She feels "ultimately cheated  by life ..... the loneliness, the indignities of marital collapse"

THE BOOTLEGGER

Mrs Harkness, our narrator,  and her husband Tommy have vowed, now the children are growing, to go on a weekly date. It all happens at Carnegie Hall where they have booked for the season. But it's Tommy who gets far too upset with the old guy in the next seat. I'm not sure why he cannot address the man directly rather than involving security. But apart from that, a moving and touching story.

THE DI DOMENICO FRAGMENT

It's lunchtime at La Maison where we find an old gent called Percival Skinner and his cronies. A representative of a wealthy buyer is after a Giuseppe Di Domenico painting, possibly a fragment. Skinner relates the story of the ancient masterpiece The Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel. Somehow the latest in the family to own the picture decided to cut up the painting and give out fragments to members of the family. Skinner might be able to help, but as in all these things, it does not go to plan.

Next up the short novel:

LOS ANGELES - EVE IN HOLLYWOOD

Not quite "All About Eve" but she is the thread for this story. We have quite short chapters, each one headed by one of the characters: Charlie, Prentice, Olivia, Litsky, Marcus, Wendell, Finnegan and of course Eve. 

PART ONE

Charlie Granger is on a train where he just happens to share a table with one attractive young woman - Evelyn Ross. (Whom we know from the author's earlier book "Rules of Civility). She asks Charlie about himself. 

Next up Prentice Symmons, another old boy and a resident of the Beverley Hills Hotel. Who should he sit with in the lobby but a new resident, you know who. They have a glorious conversation

Here at the hotel Evelyn meets Olivia de Havilland. They strike up a friendship and decide on an adventure. Their chauffer has this list: "Things to do before I skedaddle". 

Litsky hangs out at a club called El Ray's and who should walk in but Olivia and her friend (you know who). Before Litsky can take their picture (he's a cheap skate photographer after any star or starlet) they disappear. But off in pursuit, he manages to take a photo that might set him up for life. However, it's when Towles describes all those Hollywood characters that I was enchanted. "Louis Mayer had begun dining on lettuce because he could no longed cross his fat little fingers behind his back".

Marcus is a lawyer for a Hollywood studio, visited on this occasion by one Miss Ross. And who should appear but Selznick himself, wanting her to look after one of their biggest assets, Olivia.

Eve. At last she has her own chapter when we hear about her younger days. But it's her friend that has a big problem when that photo rears it's head. But just leave it to Eve to sort out.

PART TWO

Back to Charlie (he was on that train with Eve) and although he is sixty six and out of circulation, he agrees to meet Eve and help with the problem. Olivia is being blackmailed and Charlie has some suggestions. So the story takes a different turn into a kind of thriller that I was not expecting. 

However, there are still passages of Towles' trade mark insights such as this: "At least half of what a man hasn't learned in his lifetime, he could have learned with ease. This is one of the insights that comes with age - when one understands the nature of discovery but no longer has the time or energy to submit to it's splendours. Thus we are doomed to end our days in an ignorance largely of our own making".

Olivia has agreed with Eve to keep out of the way while she sorts the problem. She's on her way to Pasadena. (Oh, you railway station, oh you pullman train. Here's my reservation, for my destination, far beyond the western plain. To see my home in Pasadena .....".

It's Prentice who is off to The Hacienda (it has history) and a party (to which he has not been invited) to confront the host  Freddie about the photos. Lots of short chapters ups the pace until we reach Finnegan. He was a top cop until we hear the story about when he had to leave the force, and is now head of security at the Beverley Hills Hotel. He becomes embroiled in the blackmail plot until he's not. Thank goodness for Charlie. And of course Eve who is an absolute star.