Description
“Keen-eyed and poignant . . . compulsively readable.” —Publishers Weekly
“Gina Yates–daughter of the American master Richard Yates–is further proof that writing talent is often a genetic phenomenon.” —Blake Bailey, author, A Tragic Honesty: The Life and Work of Richard Yates; Philip Roth: The Biography
“A novel that’s both fun and funny and dances to its own playful and unconventional drumbeat.” —Aaron Hamburger, author, —Nirvana is Here
The voice of disgraced love guru Brooks Nixon seems to haunt Hope Townsend, showing up at inopportune moments to deliver unwelcome commentary on her hapless romances. Brooks―who once doled out cliched dating advice to millions―fell out of favor with his fanbase when a life-altering experience shifted his counsel to a free-wheeling, anti-monogamy platform. The about-face earned him the moniker “Narcissus Nixon” and made him slightly less annoying to Hope, a goth music devotee who prefers animals over people. Hope’s dueling traits of misanthropy and compassion often hinder her progress in jobs as well as relationships. Little by little, she finds herself more influenced by the new Nixon than she’d care to admit. To shake off his hold on her thoughts and come to terms with her own destiny, she must uncover the truth behind Nixon’s transformation and draw the line between his recommendations and her authentic desires.
NARCISSUS NOBODY is a brilliant—often humorous—story of a woman who is driven to embody the free-wheeling independence of her feminist heroes, in the face of the more straight-laced suburban women in her community. Author Gina Yates is the youngest daughter of the late celebrated author Richard Yates (Revolutionary Road), and with this novel, she makes her mark as a writer of sparkling originality.
NARCISSUS NOBODY: A Novel, by Gina Yates; Trade Paper Original; 288 pages;
ISBN: 978-1-953103-00-0; $16; April 13, 2021
