Saturday's Derision

Revolutionary Road, the Original

Recently we made a cross-country move. We were forced to downsize our possessions. This meant books. Over the years we had amassed a considerable library, one which brought to us many nights of literary satisfaction, as well as a daily dose of ownership pride. We donated dozens of books to Blue Bicycle Books, a worthy second hand seller in Charleston, SC. The others went to friends. It was a painful process, but one that in retrospect gives us comfort, knowing our babies went to good homes. We did keep some, though. We had to. It’s all about the essentials. One title that now lines our meager shelf in Vashon, WA, is Revolutionary Road, by Richard Yates. Yates to us is a favorite writer. The man’s character composites are simply tremendous. The novel is exquisite, painful. Reading it begets punishment. And it hurts. But the prose sparkles, washing over you clean, even as it describes the horrid circumstances of its characters. It leaves you gasping. For years we heard rumors of a film version. We waited, expectantly and skeptically.

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