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Product Description: Oscar Feldman, the renowned figurative painter, has passed away. As his obituary notes, Oscar is survived by his wife, Abigail, their son, Ethan, and his sister, the well-known abstract painter Maxine Feldman. What the obituary does not note, however, is that Oscar is also survived by his longtime mistress, Teddy St. Cloud, and their daughters.
As two biographers interview the women in an attempt to set the record straight, the open secret of his affair reaches a boiling point and a devastating skeleton threatens to come to light. From the acclaimed author of The Epicure's Lament, a scintillating novel of secrets, love, and legacy in the New York art world. Customer Reviews: Rating: 
Date: 2008-07-04
Portrait of an Artist and his Subjects
When an influential figure painter, Oscar Feldman, dies suddenly, he is eulogized and his obituary describes him as a man who left behind a wife of many years, a son, and his sister, Maxine Feldman, also a painter.
But what the obituary leaves out, and what is discovered by two men, designated biographers, is much more.
On the other side of the city, a woman, Teddy St.Cloud, who was his mistress for many years, and the mother of his two daughters, has her own story to tell.
As the biographers descend, separately, interviewing the principals in the story, as well as a cast of characters that includes the two daughters, a completely different picture emerges.
In uncovering the "true" story behind the legend, the biographers also unearth a long buried secret that has the potential to totally dethrone the famous man.
In the end, the facts are presented, albeit with completely different perspectives by the two writers, and a more balanced picture of the great man is born.
A compelling story is told by Ms. Christensen, reminding us that nothing is ever as it seems.
Rating:
Date: 2008-07-01
A great summer read
This is the first book by Kate Christensen that I have read, and I was highly impressed both by her writing style and her character creations. It's not too heavy a read for the summer, but not as light as "typical chick lit." It was fascinating to read about older women and how they have such rich inner (and outer) lives, even well into their 80's.
If you are looking for an entertaining yet enriching book, you will not be disappointed with The Great Man.
I'm buying another of Christensen's books today, that's how much I liked this one. Rating:
Date: 2008-06-24
A REMARKABLE NOVEL - RICH WITH WIT AND KEEN OBSERVATIONS
A cursory glance at the title indicates that this is a book about a man. It is, and it isn't. Of course, the man of the title, Oscar Feldman, rather the late Oscar Feldman, a figurative painter, plays a role. But the starring parts are given to three women, Teddy, his mistress; Abigail Feldman, his widow; and Maxine Feldman, his sister. Each is being interviewed by two biographers who hope to tell Oscar's true story.
According to his obituary, Oscar died at the age of 78 after a prodigious career, which was totally devoted to the painting of female nudes. He remained apart from others in the artistic world, and once wrote, "The female body is the ultimate expression of truth and beauty..." His works were characterized by bold brush strokes, and came to be highly collectible.
After reading this, one can easily see why two biographers, Henry Burke and Ralph Washington, were intrigued, determined to find out the truth about Oscar Feldman. What better place to start than with his mistress, Teddy?
Now 70-some she is still an attractive woman, angular with chin length white hair and a ready wit. She's a bit of a tease and gives her friend, Lila, a start when she admits "I wouldn't mind seeing my old carcass in bed with a nubile forty-year-old body." She's come to terms with who she is now and what her life has been. She gave birth to Oscar's twin daughters, Ruby and Samantha, and basically raised them alone. Yet, she loved Oscar, enjoyed tweaking him in front of a gathering so he would show off. She adored him...did she also manipulate him? She seems to have had the upper hand when she says that she could share him but he could not share her.
Maxine is quite a different story. She, too, is an artist yet never received the acclaim that her brother did. She is an unhappy woman, who lives with her dog, Frago, and her assistant, Katerina. Not at all comfortable with who she is, Maxine wears thick glasses and thinks she looks like an "ugly dwarf like toad." She detested the thought of anyone writing a biography of Oscar......unless they might shed some light her way. Maxine fears she will die alone and forgotten; she longs for a much closer relationship with her years younger assistant.
Abigail, whom Teddy called "Oscar's fat wife" was the favored daughter of a multimillionaire furrier. The apartment she and Oscar shared, a gift from her father, was on 84th and Riverside. She knew her husband little, assuming he would give up the silly notion of being an artist and go into business with his father. What she did know was Teddy; she saw her at Oscar's openings. Of course, she was also extremely jealous but also curious. Now that Oscar was gone she ordered almost everything she wanted or needed via the Internet so that she rarely left the apartment and her autistic son, Ethan.
Christensen is such a skillful author that she leads readers along, tantalizes them with lively, astute prose until an important secret is revealed and the three women come together to decide what is to be done, what is to be told and what is not.
The Great Man won the Pen/Faulkner Award - deservedly so. It is a remarkable novel, rich with wit, keen observations, and characters we'll not soon forget.
- Gail Cooke Rating:
Date: 2008-06-23
Kate Christensen's Fourth Novel: When do we get to read No. 5?
I've always found it fascinating when people of advancing years brag that they are "going to be" the next age, not holding onto the current year designation, which, of course, is what I've done for years.....usually not until the TIME of my birth will I admit I'm a year older. After reading THE GREAT MAN, I'm rethinking this.....planning to be graceful, bold and sassy/sexy. Kate Christensen somehow has crawled inside the minds of women past 70 and "gets" them......individually, specifically and gloriously. Oh, yes, Oscar Feldman may be the central figure of this book, but we learn about him, slowly, like peeling a pungent onion, through the lives and tales of four intriguing women. And then the book ends, sadly, while I sit waiting for more. I can only pray the movie is not far away. Rating:
Date: 2008-06-22
Great Women
It's so wonderful to read a beautifully written book about vibrant, sexually active, super alive women over the age of 70. I laughed; I commiserated with the women; I loved seeing them in their settings, and I hated having the put the book down to actually live my own life. |
