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The Financial Lives of the Poets

October 13, 2010 by Jennifer

The Financial Lives of the Poets is an interesting novel: urbane, smart, funny, quirky yet realistic (realistic if you are urbane and edgy, which is not my reality, but nonetheless it would be true-to-life for some).

Matt Prior is experiencing the economic downturn first hand. He was downsized from a newspaper where he did financial reporting, then the business that he tried to start on his own folded (a website where he would report on financial news in verse form). He was sucked into a bad renegotiation of his home loan, and now he’s fallen so far behind that he’s about to lose his house. His wife doesn’t know, and she also doesn’t know that he’s been monitoring her flirtatious chats with an old high school flame on Facebook.

The novel is written in first-person from Matt Prior’s point of view, and because of his self-deprecating style, I loved him and laughed along with him, even as I cringed at his some of his choices. I’m not spoiling much (and giving you a heads-up about a potentially sticky subject matter) when I say that after meeting some young men at an all-night drug store, he ends up buying pot from them and then ends up selling it.

Because everything goes just a bit further than most people’s reality goes, the observations about our current society come out as slightly satirical, or at least that’s how this reader chose to interpret them.

If this review makes you chuckle and shake your head and wonder how a writer could pull this together into a sympathetic relatable story, then leave a comment below, and you could win your own copy.

We have two copies to give away (U.S. shipping only). We’ll announce the winner on 10/27.The giveaway is closed.

  • The winner of the YA novel Extraordinary is #36 edj.

Check out our current giveaways, subscribe to our feed, and/or follow us @5M4B on Twitter.

Jennifer isn’t sure she’d describe herself as urbane or hip, but she did enjoy this book. Read about other things she likes at Snapshot.

Filed Under: Fiction, Jennifer, Literary

« A Memory Between Us
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Comments

  1. Barb says

    October 13, 2010 at 10:17 pm

    Yep, I’m totally scratching my head and trying to figure out how that story could be interesting and sympathetic. Sounds like the author is quite talented!

  2. Debbie Vogel says

    October 14, 2010 at 9:51 am

    I would like to read this, it does smack of some reality in todays economy.

  3. edj says

    October 15, 2010 at 4:42 pm

    I like to think of myself as urbane and edgy, especially since my initials are edj. HA! Bad joke for the day. I think this book sounds great. Hope I win.

  4. JAMES LYNAM says

    October 16, 2010 at 9:40 pm

    SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT READ ON A COLD WINTER NIGHT.

  5. Carolyn says

    October 20, 2010 at 8:21 pm

    It sounds funny. Count me in!

  6. Ruthie B says

    October 21, 2010 at 10:28 am

    It does sound like it has some twists & turns but life does too! Please enter me, thanks.

    [email protected]

  7. mrsshukra says

    October 21, 2010 at 1:53 pm

    Very interesting book, would like to read this, please count me in!

  8. Beth C says

    October 21, 2010 at 7:33 pm

    Sounds like an interesting book – please enter me!
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

  9. Stumbeline says

    October 21, 2010 at 9:53 pm

    Thanks for offering the giveaway. This sounds like a very interesting book. lol I’d like to be entered, please.

    iamstumbeline(at)yahoo(dot)com

  10. Ginny says

    October 22, 2010 at 11:02 am

    I’d like to give this book a try

  11. karenk says

    October 23, 2010 at 3:16 pm

    i’m curious about this book…thanks for the chance to read it 🙂

  12. Sarah says

    October 23, 2010 at 6:07 pm

    Sounds like a good read to me.

  13. Ed Nemmers says

    October 25, 2010 at 5:43 pm

    This premise intrigues me!

  14. shawna says

    October 25, 2010 at 8:30 pm

    Sounds like a good read!

  15. Nicole D. says

    October 26, 2010 at 8:01 am

    Sounds like a book I would enjoy! Thanks

  16. Susan Smith says

    October 26, 2010 at 9:43 am

    Sounds like an interesting book

  17. Amy says

    October 26, 2010 at 10:36 am

    Sounds great! Would love to win!
    Thank You!

  18. kathy pease says

    October 26, 2010 at 10:59 am

    Thank you for the awesome giveaway please count me in 🙂
    kathypease(at)gmail(dot)com

  19. christa marteny says

    October 26, 2010 at 12:08 pm

    sounds like a diffrent kind of read

  20. susan smoaks says

    October 26, 2010 at 12:48 pm

    i love to read

  21. Shawn H says

    October 29, 2010 at 11:09 pm

    This is a very intesting giveaway.

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