*The Thieves of Manhattan* by Adam Langer is a darkly comedic novel that takes aim at the world of literary fraud, drawing on the long history of literary fakes and forgeries. The story follows Ian Minot, an aspiring writer whose short stories seem destined for obscurity. His girlfriend, the beautiful Romanian Anya Petrescu, finds success more easily, eventually leaving Ian for Blade Markham, a former gang member whose “memoir” becomes a bestseller despite its questionable authenticity.

Ian’s fortunes take a turn when he’s approached by Jed Roth, a disgruntled former editor, who proposes a scheme to publish Jed’s sensational, pulpy tale about book theft and murder as a memoir. The plan involves Ian writing the story, promoting it as a true account, and then publicly renouncing it, giving both men a chance to exact revenge—Jed on his former employer, and Ian on the literary world that has rejected him.

The novel is a satirical exploration of literary pretension, fame, and the blurry line between fact and fiction. Langer uses humor, made-up slang (such as calling a penis a "Portnoy"), and a twisting plot to keep readers engaged. Though the central conceit—that the book Ian is writing is the one the reader is reading—may be predictable, Langer keeps the story fresh by throwing in multiple surprising twists and turns. The result is an entertaining, thought-provoking novel that plays with the conventions of literary fiction while reflecting on the darker side of the publishing world.

 

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Random House; No Edition Stated (July 13, 2010)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 259 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1400068916
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1400068913
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.11 x 0.59 x 7.95 inches
• Condition: Used- Very Good

 

Humorous American Literature, Humorous Fiction, Suspense Thrillers, Satire,