Starred review from October 22, 2001
Trillin is a highly accomplished storyteller as well as a humorist and memoirist, and this oddly titled novel is by far his funniest and sunniest yet. It's a quintessentially New York comedy (and how pleasant to see those words in conjunction again) revolving around Murray Tepper, a quiet, good-humored man whose one oddity is his passion for parking on Manhattan streets. His knowledge of arcane New York parking rules is encyclopedic, and he likes nothing better than to park legally and sit in his car reading the paper. This irritates countless other drivers who think he is about to leave a desirable spot, and the title refers to his quirky determination to stay just where he is. Paradoxically, people begin to gravitate to him, to sit with him in the car and tell him their troubles; they even line up to do so. This in turn irritates the mayor (shades here of pre-crisis Giuliani), who accuses Tepper of fomenting disorder on the streets. Such a conflict becomes the stuff of tabloid headlines, and next, of course, is the offer of a book contract and a TV show. Nothing much happens beyond this, and the plot is resolved with calm good sense, but along the way Trillin captures dozens of pitch-perfect New York moments, in restaurants, in a loutish literary agent's office and in the quaintly old-fashioned business where Tepper works (he runs a mailing-list service and is a genius at perceiving the odd connections between people, where they live and what they buy). Trillin's book is the best tonic for post–September 11 blues imaginable. Agent, Lescher and Lescher, Ltd. 8-city author tour. (Jan. 15)Forecast: An eye-catching jacket, a slim length and Trillin's well-deserved reputation for sardonic humor should spike regional sales in the Northeast.
September 1, 2001
Of course it's funny: this is the story of a man whose joy in life is parking.
Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
November 1, 2001
Anyone who lives and tries to park in Manhattan (or any other big city, for that matter) will respond to Trillin's take on life in the Big Apple (before September 11). Murray Tepper, loving husband, father, grandfather, and part owner of a company that brokers mailing lists, also has a dark side--he likes to park. But he doesn't just park, he finds a "beautiful spot," puts his money in the meter, and sits in his Chevy Malibu reading the newspaper until his time is up. Not only does this perfectly legal, seemingly harmless behavior rile other drivers who are circling the block, but it also puzzles his family and starts to attract attention. Murray finds small crowds waiting near his usual spots, hoping for a chance to benefit from what they perceive to be his special wisdom. There is talk of a series of advice books and maybe even a movie. But Mayor Frank Ducavelli, who sees parking as "the key to urban order," considers Murray a subversive and wants him stopped. Is Murray a symbol of urban alienation? Does his choice of spots reflect a hidden agenda? Or does he just enjoy mastering the intricacies of long-term meter and alternate-side parking regulations? Readers feeling the need to relax with a book that's very funny, humane, and not too taxing to read will enjoy this clever tale of urban life at the time of the millennium. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)