This book was my introduction to Richard Yates, who has become one of my favourite writers because of the melancholy lining his work. He writes a wonderful and tragic story of ambition, dreams deferred and desires that are never quite followed through.

Although sometimes referred to as a Beat Writer, Yates to me is set apart from Kerouac & crew, focusing instead on the undercurrents of unhappiness in "normal" life. The characters in the book are familiar and timeless, as the story itself was published in 1961.

That this was Yates' first novel is astounding. It's a work so exceptional and perfect, that the characters, especially April Wheeler, still enter my mind long after I've read it. If you love good writing and would like to see the quiet fuss about this "writer's writer," please pick up a copy of this book from your library or purchase a copy.