A Certain Age

By Tama Janowitz

Book Overview

When a woman reaches a certain age, the quest for a husband takes on a particular urgency--especially in certain tightly woven social circles. A Certain Age is a biting and masterful social satire from the bestselling author of Slaves of New York.

Tama Janowitz created a literary sensation with her first book about New York and its slaves, establishing herself as one of the preeminent voices of her generation. Now, she returns with a wickedly funny and glisteningly dark novel that takes as its subject our current obsession with conspicuous consumption--especially in the form of one very misguided young woman, desperate to secure a mate and a certain lifestyle.

When Florence Collins sets out on the jitney for a weekend at her friend Natalie's house in the Hamptons, she boards the bus with an air of unspoken expectation, especially when she spots the very wealthy and still available, if somewhat uptight, Charlie Twigall. But the weekend's promise of potential partnering spirals into a disastrous series of mishaps that include an unwanted nighttime visit from Natalie's husband, the near drowning of Natalie's daughter, a bad financial gamble, and the expulsion of one Florence Collins from the premises.

Thus begins this tragicomic novel about the sad plight of a woman on the make in Manhattan. Biding her time in a low-paying job at one of the lesser auction houses, Florence spends every cent of her not-so-hard-earned money and what's left of her mother's inheritance on body wraps, designer clothes, custom-mixed makeup and skin emollients, and every other known accessory--all in the vain hope of attracting a rich husband.

In prose at once biting and sparkling, Janowitz has created a novel of modern manners with this sly and unforgettable portrait of New York society, as unforgiving today as it was a hundred years ago.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385496109
• ISBN13: 9780385496100
• Release Date: July 1999
• Publisher: Doubleday
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.16 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.3" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Brilliant and amusing

This book is an outrageously funny satirical commentary on single life in Manhattan. Janowitz is superb at characterizations, and observations. Brilliant, insightful and amusing.... I couldn't put this book down, but to be clear, it's not for everyone: 'irony is wasted on the stupid.'

I loved it!

Before there was "sex and the City", there was Florence. I loved her crazy choices, wild lifestyle - I was very concerned about her, but found humor and pain in this wonderfully eccentric novel. I thought it was just fantastic - entertaining - Tama Janowitz - please keep writing!!!!

Absolutely Wonderful

I find it hard to believe that anyone would not love this book. I could not put it down and have passed it on to all my friends who equally love the book. The characters are a true extreme example of women living in the city in their thirties. I recommend this book highly!

TERRIFIC!

Why don't people like this book? It's well-crafted, peppered with hilarious characters, a real tragicomedy...Janowitz has such an endearing way of putting things, even horrible things. Maybe some readers have had their delicate sensibilities threatened (what are these people reading? Danielle Steel?). Seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it novel, and i definitely LOVED it.