Zudd: No Bargain in Debasement

By Alan, Grossberg and Alan Grossberg

Gripping novel of two men who try to live forever...and the woman they both desire. Set in a New York corporate world threatened by apocalyptic fire, the business tycoon and the "freak" janitor... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0977956148
• ISBN13: 9780977956142
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: Piera Press
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

There really is no bargain in debasement

Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (7/07) This novel, "Zudd: No Bargain in Debasement," was actually written by Alan Grossberg in 1976, accepted for publication and never published until now. It is the third novel that he has written while living the life of a nomad as an expatriate in Europe and now in a motor-home in California. I had mixed feelings while reading this book because of the debasement aspect. Before I get into the description of the book I will define the word debasement by using the on-line dictionary's definition. The word debasement means to lower in character, quality, or value; degrade. Changing to a lower state, a less-respected state. Therein lays the basis of this story. The story is about Catherine Harlow, who works for a huge conglomerate in New York City. Several months prior, she was mysteriously promoted and relocated to this position where her work requires minimal effort and a great compensation package. She appears to have it all -- beauty, brains and a great job, but she is frustrated because she has never been able to achieve an orgasm. To accomplish this she will go to great lengths and end up completely debasing herself in the process. As the story unfolds, New York City is gripped in an environmental disaster as an oil tanker gets stuck in the Bay and is leaking oil into the water. This was a sideline in the story and I was little disappointed that more was not written about this. This was probably due to the self-absorption of the players in the story. In Catherine's quest to achieve an orgasm, she gets involved with three men. The first one is the most likable, an Englishman, Tom Hutchins. He works for Catherine's company and has been dating her for awhile. He is unable to help her achieve her goal and both become quickly frustrated. Even though he is frustrated, he is convinced that Catherine is the one for him and pursues her to marry him. The second man vying for Catherine's love is married, seventy-three year old billionaire Harrison Foote, III, owner of the company that Catherine works for. He is also an accomplished artist who convinces Catherine to pose for him where he seduces her in his penthouse. The third person that Catherine falls for is the illegitimate son and janitor of Foote Industries, Homer Zudd. He lives in the basement of the building and has a strange collection of toys and rituals. Both Harrison and Homer have decided to cheat death in different ways. Harrison has bought into a Cryogenics company and plans to be frozen and Homer has built up his resistance by feeding every chemical and poison into it. "Zudd: No Bargain in Debasement," takes on many bizarre twists, and just when you think that Catherine will not sink any lower, she does. I had a hard time warming up to the characters, especially Catherine, and was frustrated by her behavior on more than one occasion.