Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

This book is divided into four parts. The first part is a novel by a writer who knew a prominent financier and his wife. He based his book their life together. The second part is a ghostwritten autobiography by the financier, who has taken issue with the novelist’s portrayal and wants to set the record straight. The third is a memoir by the ghostwriter, documenting her life and the process of writing the financier’s memoir. The fourth is a journal kept by the wife of the financier toward the end of her life, which provides clarity on the motivations for all these happenings.

There are quite a few interesting historical aspects of this book. It covers the rampant speculation leading up to the crash of the stock market in 1929. The ghostwriter’s father is a member of an anarchist group, which is at odds with her work for a financier and causes family conflicts.

It will take a bit of patience to fully enjoy this book. I found the first two sections, the novel and “autobiography,� extremely dull. I almost gave up on it. Then we get to the third section, and I started to get interested. If the book had only consisted of the last two sections, with perhaps excerpts of the first two, I would have enjoyed it much more. As it is, I can only say I enjoyed half.