After Annie
A Novel
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
He and Annie have been famous, nobodies, and mingled with the rich and crazy. Through it all, they've been passionate lovers and fast friends. But when Annie dies of cancer, Herbie is lost. If you think this is going to be a tragic tale about grief, think again. Herbie is too cantankerous, sly, and charming to keel over. Enter Olive, a beautiful bartender who just might be a great actress; Candy, Herbie and Annie's neurotic daughter; and a woman named Billy, the tough-talking golf pro who teaches Herbie more about his psyche than about his lousy swing. After Annie is a hilarious and beautifully rendered novel about a man off the rails, battling through the middle-aged wilderness days he hoped never to face alone. It is a book that examines the inevitable passing of time with clarity and wry brilliance, and a story of surprising power.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Best known for his role on L.A. Law as Stuart Markowitz and his non-fiction, Tucker (Family Meals) draws from his professional experience for a creditable fiction debut. After the death of his wife from breast cancer, veteran TV actor Herbie Aaron turns to alcohol and hash to dampen his grief; reviving his old golf passion in Myrtle Beach, S.C., he spends more time boozing and doping than taking refresher courses from lesbian golf pro Billy Stiles. Meanwhile, his "prot g " Olive, starring in a regional theater production of Uncle Vanya, seeks out Herbie's professional thespian advice and reassurances. A complicated relationship soon develops between the ambitious Olive and curmudgeonly Herbie (who first hit on Olive while visiting his dying wife). Herbie seems wary to commit though he freely discusses his problems with Billy on the links. The rich depiction of the inner workings of the acting profession adds an appealing dimension to the breezy narrative. Crusty widower Herbie's off-putting attitude is mostly balanced by Olive (who perhaps demonstrates more talent than her mentor) and her earnest efforts to succeed on the stage.
