Story of My Life (novel)
Story of My Life is a novel published in 1988 by American author Jay McInerney.
Plot and characters
The novel is narrated in the first-person from the point of view of Alison Poole, "an ostensibly jaded,
Influences
Poole is based on McInerney's former girlfriend
I loved that horse. When he was poisoned I went into shock. They kept me on tranquilizers for a week. There was an investigation — nothing came of it. The insurance company paid off in full, but I quit riding. A few months later, Dad came into my bedroom one night. I was like, uh-oh, not this again. He buried his face in my shoulder. His cheek was wet and he smelled of booze. I'm sorry about Dangerous Dan, he said. Tell me you forgive me. He muttered something about the business[.][3]
There was speculation that Story of My Life was a
Poole also appears in the novels of
ELIZABETH: We met ... at the Kentucky Derby in '85 or '86. You were hanging out with that bimbo Alison Poole. Hot number.
PATRICK: What do you mean she was a hot number?
ELIZABETH: If you had a Platinum card she'd give you a blow job. Listen, this girl worked at a tanning salon. Need I say more?
In 2008, McInerney incorporated Hunter's affair with presidential candidate John Edwards into "Penelope on the Pond", featuring Poole, in his short story collections The Last Bachelor and How It Ended.[6]
Critical response
Michiko Kakutani wrote,
[T]here are some quick, funny portraits of club denizens in this volume, and some satiric renditions of the stoned dialogue that can accompany the ingestion of chemical substances. In the end, though, none of this makes us care about Mr. McInerney's characters. It simply leaves us depressed at the shallowness of these people's lives, and at the author's failure to find a worthy showcase for his talents.[7]
Publishing history
In August 2008, Vintage Books ordered an additional 2,500 copies of the book in the wake of the interest generated by then-presidential candidate John Edwards acknowledging his affair with Hunter.[8]
Notes
- ^ a b McInerney, Jay (January–February 2005). "Interview". BREATHE MAGAZINE.
- ^ Huffington Post. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
- ^ ISBN 0-679-72257-2.
When I was a kid I spent most of my time on horseback. I went around the country showing my horses and jumping, until Dangerous Dan dropped dead. I loved Dan more than just about any living thing since and that was it for me and horses.
- New York Magazine. 1988-09-05. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
- New York Magazine. 2008-08-06. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ^ Familiar groove in the Big Apple, The Australian.
- ^ Michiko Kakutani, Gold Cards, Parties and Late Rent, New York Times, August 20, 1988
- Baltimore Sun