The Great World and Timothy Colt"imothy Colt, a young lawyer, shy, sincere and assiduous, is gored by the client for whom he has won a six million dollar case. In this book, as in all of Auchincloss' books, the "law of the lion" is an operative and authoritative force -- and with Colt's submission to it (his apology to crude George Emlen earns him a partnership in the law firm) Colt deserts his own standards and destroys himself. The new philistine world to which he gains admission costs him his wife, Ann, and his boys; under the tutelage of Sheridan Dale, senior member of the firm, he learns that the social game, the money game, is all part of the law; there is his attraction to Dale's stepdaughter -- Eileen -- a decorative divorce and finally his involvement in a questionable trust proceedings through which he gets his chance to turn back on "the great world" and redeem himself, and his wife, at the cost of his career. A biopsy of a class and a system, Louis Auchincloss is an expert diagnostician and a smooth raconteur -- on a par and a parallel with J. P. Marquand. That will be the audience to secure -- and it should be appreciative."--Kirkus |
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afraid Anita anyway apologize asked Austin better boys brownstone cern chair Clarissa clients course cried Dale Dale's damn darling David David Fairchild deal dear desk door drink dryly Duane East River Eileen everything exclaimed eyes face feel felt Fibre Company firm Florence Floyd friends Genevieve George Emlen George's girls give going hand Harper's Bazaar head heard Hell's bells Henry Knox Holcombe husband irritated knew Knox's lame duck Larry laughed lawyer living looked marriage married matter mean mind mother Mummy murmured never nice night nodded partner party paused protested retorted Sally seemed Shallcross Sheffield Sheridan shoulders shrugged silent sitting smile stared sudden suddenly suppose sure talk tell There's things thought Timmy Colt Timmy's told tone tonight took trust turned voice walked what's wonder worry young