Title: over-rated
Product review: Wanting to have good national writers is a powerful motivator. I think that this has happened with John Cheever, from the retrospective praise of his work to our fascination with his bisexuality and persistent alcoholism. Indeed, his personal demons are far more interesting than his prose.While I read isolated stories in mags and liked them, reading them in a lump like this makes his weaknesses seem very plain indeed. His stories almost all revolve around a common plot: things in the suburbs don't turn out the way we want, and most often, a lot of alcohol does little to soften the blow of deteriorating reliationships, alienated children, and nothing to do in retirement. When you read 20 stories like that in a row, Cheever appears as a feeble writer indeed. This a throwaway magazing writing, not some timeless achievement that should enter the pantheon.Not recommended.
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