Thread: "Lush Life" a review.

I'm not going to do it. Nope. I'm not going to waste your time with some blustery little pseudo-clever introduction to my review of "Lush Life," Richard Price's latest page-burner masterpiece of a novel. No siree, Bob. I'm just going cut to the chase and tell you straight that "Lush Life" is one of the best books I have ever read in my life.

Period.

But don't get me wrong; I'm not trying to convince you that "Lush Life" is classic American literature a la Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" or, say, Jeffrey Eugenides' "Middlesex." But this book is story telling at such a high degree of excellence, I offer no apology for making the comparisons.

“Lush Life” is Price’s ode to the lower east side of Manhattan. It’s a classic contemporary tale: A crime takes place. The police blow the investigation. Then all hell breaks loose. The plot is so thick you can cut it with a knife and eat it with a spoon.

Richard Price’s true genius is dialogue. The characters are so fully rendered and the story so seamless, reading “Lush Life” is like watching a movie on the best high definition television in the world. It has it all: life, death, comedy, tragedy, suspense…and a little bit of sex too.

I must admit it took a few pages for me to catch the rhythm of Price’s style. It was a little disconcerting at first. But once I did, there was no looking back. I enjoyed every moment I spent with “Lush Life.”

I’m going to give it a year or two and then reread the book. I look forward to my return to the mean streets of "Lush Life."