A Comedy of Errors for Our Time

Categories: Fiction

Just as the economy is about to tank, this guy gets a brilliant idea - he quits his job so he can start up a financial advice web site that is written in the form of poetry.  OK, it wasn't so brilliant, but that's what makes this novel so very appealing.  Each of the characters is adept at making the occasional bad decision, just like most of us in the general population. 

Author Jess Walter has created an Everyman for the current economic climate in Matt Prior, suburban dad and regular guy whose life becomes an extended comedy of errors with a domino effect.  Following the demise of his website, Matt makes another questionable decision, thinking that he can resolve his financial crisis by selling illegal substances to other regular folks like himself, just for a few weeks until he can catch up on his mortgage. 

Throw in a wandering wife, a father with dementia, two innocent kids, and Matt's new 'friends' that he met at the 7-11 late one night, and you've got something like "Matt's Excellent Adventure of 2009". The Financial Lives of the Poets is a clever and very timely comic novel.