Exley, an alcoholic, is in and out of mental hospitals, sponges off his parents, or lives at a bachelor friends apartment where flamboyant, sad characters drop in all day, including an italian who. Exley is the hardboiled, unredeemed precursor to alcoholic survivalists augusten burroughs and. Exleys a fans notes isnt bad, but it certainly isnt great either. In the novel, the main character, miller, is obsessed with frederick exley, the cultishly beloved author of a fans notes. Exley recounts his worship of the ny giants in the early sixties and his brief encounters with frank gifford as a student at usc. Financed and distributed by warner brothers, it was never popular and. I especially appreciate exley s novelists eye for weird characters.
First published in 1977 a fan s notes open library. Frederick exley, whose first novel, a fans notes, was critically acclaimed in 1968 and laid the foundation for a cult following, has died at age 63. Bunny is the daisy buchanan to exley s jay gatsby, and a fan s notes makes clear once again how central to our literature fitzgerald s great novel is. A fans notes, exleys landmark 1968 personal history and fictional memoir, pivoted on the authors lifelong obsession with gifford. Odd, i thought, that there would be an author deserving of such expansive praise, yet of whom i had never heard. A fans notes frederick exley a struggling alcoholic teacher reminiscences about a life of mental hospitals, failed job interviews and the feeling of being out of. Custom slipcase frederick exley a fans notes 1st 1st.
Apr 14, 2017 in the achievements of his hero, frank gifford, frederick exley found everything he needed to write a fans notes, his unique and moving classic about american manhood. This fictional memoir, the first of an autobiographical trilogy, tra. The novels protagonist is in fact named frederick exley. Frank giffords death a reminder of his biggest fan. But gatsby had character a quality that exley he knows it too painfully lacks. Frederick exleys classic 1968 account of his epic alcoholism, a fans notes, bears the oxymoronic subtitle a fictional memoir. See all books authored by frederick exley, including a fans notes, and last notes from home, and more on thriftbooks. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. Pdf a fans notes book by frederick exley free download 385.
I have drawn freely from the imagination and adhered only loosely to the pattern of my past life. In todays literary climate with the blurred and shifting demarcation between memoir. Free download or read online a fans notes pdf epub book. Aug 10, 2015 and for many, the news of gifford s passing reminded them of the late frederick exley, a cult author best known for a fan s notes, an acclaimed 1968 fictional memoir that details his obsession with the nfl hall of famer. The book s originality immediately stood out from the manufactured best sellers headed for hollywood. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Like hermann hesses steppenwolf and anything by antonin artaud, frederick exleys a fans notes is one of those books that gets pushed on you by crazy people. Though the events in this book bear similarity to those of that long malaise, my life. Any paper and cloth products used are also acid free. A writer has a mental breakdown, unable to deal with the society around him. Exley, an alcoholic, is in and out of mental hospitals, sponges off his parents, or lives at a bachelor friends apartment where flamboyant, sad characters drop in all day, including an italian who sometimes believes he is a hit man. Pdf a fans notes book by frederick exley free download. A struggling alcoholic teacher reminiscences about a life of mental hospitals, failed job interviews and the feeling of being out of.
It is the space between those words, between real and fabricated memory, that clarke examines. Frederick exley s literary output over some twenty years amounts to only three novels. Like hermann hesses steppenwolf and anything by antonin artaud, frederick exleys a fans notes is one of those books that gets pushed on you by crazy. Read it if you like catcher in the rye and that type of angst fueled opus. Directed by eric till, a brit who, other than 2003s martin luther biopic, has spent much of the past 40 years directing tv movies, a fans notes is an adaptation of frederick exleys beautiful and damning autobiographical novel. Buy a cheap copy of a fan s notes book by frederick exley. The novel starred a failed writer named fred exley from watertown, ny who was an alcoholic and fanatic of the new york giants football team, especially its quarterback.
He was nominated for a national book award, was the recipient of the william faulkner award, received the national institute of arts and letters rosenthal award, and won a playboy silver medal for the best nonfiction piece of 1974. Sep 21, 2007 but the most memorable book of all was frederick exley s a fan s notes. When i read in early summer that frederick exley, best known as the author of a fans notes, was dead of a stroke at the age of 62, i wasnt. Mordantly and poignantly, exley describes the profound failures of his lifeprofessional, sexual, and personal. It was not that any of us doubted the efficacy of group therapy for alcoholics it is probably the only treatment, but. In frederick exleys a fans notes, a fictional memoir published in 1968, the hero, also called frederick exley, cannot hold a job. Subtitled a fictional memoir and categorized as fiction, the book is semiautobiographical. How frank gifford inspired frederick exley to write the. A fan s notes wikipedia frederick exley s a fan s notes transports the dissolute soul.
Buy a fans notes by frederick exley online at alibris. Frederick exley s inimitable fictional memoir a fan s notes has assumed the status of a classic since its first publication in 1968. In glacial falls, upstate new york where he is teaching, life begins again for exley as it does every sunday in a bar, with the amber allure of the bottle just before. Apr 27, 2010 buy a fan s notes by frederick exley, nick hornby isbn. Looks like we found a way to sneak some nonfiction onto the bookslut 100 after all. The book itself is an interesting autobiographical fiction, a good literary drunkalogue with some excellent moments. Frederick exley and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 385 pages and is available in paperback format. A fans notes wikipedia frederick exleys a fans notes transports the dissolute soul. Frederick exley s a fan s notes transports the dissolute soul. Frederick exley s classic 1968 account of his epic alcoholism, a fans notes, bears the oxymoronic subtitle a fictional memoir. True, there are moments where the book sags and other times where it seems that exley is writing what i should have said in some confrontation. In the achievements of his hero, frank gifford, frederick exley found everything he needed to write a fans notes, his unique and moving classic about american manhood. He didnt so much sleep as pass out, and the energy he expended in talk might have powered a generator. With jerry orbach, patricia collins, burgess meredith, rosemary murphy. Exley s is the stronger book, a documentary of experience exposed, sometimes assessed, and often numbingly a recurrent word intensified. In 1988, gifford threw a book party for exley following the release of last notes from home, his third and final novel. In a brief note to the reader in the opening pages, exley writes. Never a best seller, now in print largely thanks to its enshrinement in the modern library, a fans notes is a specialty item in the way the big lebowski is a cult movie. A fans notes 1968, pages from a cold island 1975, and last notes from home 1988, plus enough magazine art.
How i came to be reading frederick exleys astonishing fictional memoir a fans notes, i have no idea. Frederick earl fred exley march 28, 1929 june 17, 1992 was an american writer best known as the author of the fictional memoir a fans notes. The strange life of frederick exley, and thought, exley. Lured by the siren voice of america, exley has gatsbylike aspirations. Sep 29, 20 in frederick exleys a fans notes, a fictional memoir published in 1968, the hero, also called frederick exley, cannot hold a job. Frederick exley is the author of a fans notes, pages from a cold island, and last notes from home he was nominated for a national book award, was the recipient of the william faulkner award, received the national institute of arts and letters rosenthal award, and won a playboy silver medal for the best nonfiction piece of 1974. Frederick exleys a fans notes transports the dissolute soul. A fans notes frederick exley a fan s notes is funny and painful in equal measure.
In todays literary climate with the blurred and shifting demarcation between memoir and fiction, a fans notes would have been aggressively and successfully marketed as nonfiction. Frederick exley, whose first novel, a fan s notes, was critically acclaimed in 1968 and laid the foundation for a cult following, has died at age 63. I had used alcohol for precisely what it was, a depressant to check the mental exhilaration produced by extended sobriety. Buy a cheap copy of a fans notes book by frederick exley. Exley would be a great addition to my travels, with the bonus that it would be a day trip. The books originality immediately stood out from the manufactured best sellers headed for hollywood. One day, rooting around in the bookstore, i came across jonathan yardley s effusive misfit. Frederick exleys first novel is basically a memoir with a wink a sort of zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance for selfloathing depressive alcoholics. This fictional memoir, the first of an autobiographical trilogy, traces a self professed failures nightmarish decent into the underside of american life. Exley s fictional memoir remains quite obscure, even here in america, but it is a staggering book, a beautiful book, and. Blue had become the perennial mockepic hero of his country, the salesman, the boomer who believed that at the end of his american sojourn of demeaning doorbellringing, of faking and fawning, he would come to the ultimate sale, conquer, and soar. Frederick exleys inimitable fictional memoir a fans notes has assumed the status of a classic since its first publication in 1968.
I suspect how a reader responds to this book will depend in part on whether they are drawn to confessional characters willing to admit their flaws, or find it to be unappealing grandstanding, a kind of reverse bravado. Sep, 1992 when i read in early summer that frederick exley, best known as the author of a fan s notes, was dead of a stroke at the age of 62, i wasnt surprised. Frederick exley published his debut novel a fans notes in 1968 to critical acclaim. Frederick exley is the author of a fans notes, pages from a cold island, and last notes from home. A fans notes by frederick exley, first edition abebooks. He smoked too much, he drank too much, he ate too little. He was nominated for a national book award, was the recipient of the william faulkner award, received the national institute of arts and letters rosenthal. The first edition of the novel was published in 1968, and was written by frederick exley. Mar 08, 2018 fred exley s a fan s notes is a good example of that. After we ordered our drinks i said, i think this is where fred exley hung. But gatsby had charactera quality that exley he knows it too painfully lacks. Exleys fictional memoir remains quite obscure, even here in america, but it is a staggering book, a beautiful book, and.
The best novel written in the english language since the great gatsby. Strong, beautiful, american, one of a kind is what kurt vonnegut would call it. The main characters of this fiction, novels story are fred exley, bunny sue allorgee. Frederick exley 19291992 a fans life by steven huff it must have been around 1995 or 96 when i was in new york city, in the village, and i wandered into the lions head bar with a friend. When i read in early summer that frederick exley, best known as the author of a fans notes, was dead of a stroke at the age of 62, i wasnt surprised. Bunny is the daisy buchanan to exleys jay gatsby, and a fans notes makes clear once again how central to our literature fitzgeralds great novel is. Never a best seller, now in print largely thanks to its enshrinement in the modern library, a fans notes is a specialty item in the way the big lebowski is a cult. Oct 19, 1997 in many ways, a fan s notes was exley s one great moment of triumph, a rigorously selfreflective piece of autobiographical fiction that uses the author s imagined relationship with gifford as a. Frederick exley s first novel is basically a memoir with a wink a sort of zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance for selfloathing depressive alcoholics. Like the three of us had a pact, governed by signalspinching one another, agreeing to step fiercely on each others toes when we felt riotous laughter welling up within us. A fans notes by frederick exley nook book ebook barnes.
Frederick exleys literary output over some twenty years amounts to only three novels. The narrator is a drunken sports fan who has a hard life it does not sound funny, but it is. Odd, i thought, that there would be an author deserving of such expansive praise, yet of whom i. Frederick exley books list of books by author frederick. Frederick exley recounts his life as the son of a heroworshipped high school athlete who is doomed to be a spectator not only of sports, but of life. Scott fitzgerald ever since exley burst onto the literary scene in 1968 with a fans notes. He was nominated for a national book award, was the. Unlike some men, i had never drunk for boldness or charm or wit. A fan s notes 1968, pages from a cold island 1975, and last notes from home 1988, plus enough magazine art.
It doesnt live up to its most hyperbolic back cover blurb. But the most memorable book of all was frederick exleys a fans notes. Fred exleys a fans notes is a good example of that. One day, rooting around in the bookstore, i came across jonathan yardleys effusive misfit. Buy a fans notes by frederick exley, nick hornby isbn. Frederick exleys fictional memoir is a brilliant, unsparing depiction of a sports obsessive and the oppressive world he inhabited. Fred exley s a fan s notes is a good example of that. A fans notes is the odyssey of one mans unending heartbreak and retreat into an inner world of fantasy and dreams, a retreat, by his own account and language, punctuated by alcoholism and trips to the madhouse.