Product Description

Albert Schmidt is a retired lawyer who misses his recently deceased wife, has an unhealthy diet, is a mild anti-Semite and owns a nice home in the Hamptons he feels compelled to offer to his daughter as a wedding present. Said daughter, Charlotte, is a yuppie in all the worst ways. She handles public relations for tobacco companies, doesn't want the house in the Hamptons, and is about to marry a buttoned-up Jewish lawyer. Schmidt, who had built a very lucrative career on his ability to be 'always demonstrably and impeccably right', begins to feel the first stirrings of self-doubt and, to his own astonishment, finds himself beginning an affair with a frank, exuberant waitress, a woman younger than his daughter. The conflict takes off from there in this finely told tale of retirement, inheritance, sex and death.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #759417 in Books
• Published on: 2003-02-13
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

About the Author
Begley is a senior partner at Debevoise & Plimpton, a prestigious US law firm. Wartime Lies was the winner of the PEN Hemingway Award, The 1991 Irish Times Aer Lingus International Prize, and the Prix Medicis Etranger, France's most coveted prize for fiction in translation. It was a National Book Award, Los Angeles Times Book Award, and National Book Critics' Circle Award finalist. About Schmidt was likewise a National Book Critics' Circle Award and Los Angeles Times Book Award finalist. Begley has received the American Academy of Letters prize for literature.

Customer Reviews

A good read!
I read this novel when I became saturated with suspense thrillers and mysteries. I was pleasantly surprised. It almost came up to the standard of the review in the New Times Book Review which prompted me to read it.You will enjoy the prose once you get used to the writing style which uses no quotations - you must pay attention to wehther or not the characters are speaking or just thinking.

Beautifully written, but wrapped up too abruptly
Begley writes beautifully; his prose is seemingly effortless, although I'm sure it took many drafts to make it seem that way. Schmidt is a compelling protagonist, and his story is artfully told -- at least until the final fifty pages or so. The ending is far too abrupt, and the loose ends are tied up so neatly (and so much in Schmidt's favor) as to be unbelievable. It's not simply a compliment to Begley's writing style to say I wanted the book to go on longer; the story itself demanded to be longer. A more

A very enjoyable read
If you are even thinking about reading this book, then just do it! Begley's fascinating style and subtle wit makes this book a joy to read.