The Feeling Of Evening

Michael Cunningham's "By Nightful," is before anything else, a beautifully written book. The prose is almost poetic that a lot of ties I caught myself re-reading a lot of it, not only from fear of missing some of the minute detailed nuances in the writing, but also because the words read and sound wonderful. At first glance, this book may be just another one of those "middle-aged men novel" (maybe that's why I liked it so much?) and one can also argue that the plot is, at best, skimpy. However, it is deeply profound and has multitude astute observations on life, love, and sex that I can forgive any of those faults. 


The main character, Peter Harris, speaks with such a distinct tone that's half psychoanalytic, and half critical, all with a mock ironic tone. He is the kind of guy you want to sit next to at the dinner table. I could imagine the character eviscerating every single guest at the party. But the character is also flawed - he is 44 and in a boring marriage of 20 years  - and is going through a lot of transitional feelings. (middle age, you see) His life is forever changed with the arrival of his wife's 23 year  old brother, "Mizzy" (short for 'The Mistake') and you get a sense of that "I don't know what hit me" plot point that will both infuriate and seduce you at the same time. 


Michael Cunningham has such a feel for characters. By the end of the book, you will feel like you know these people, warts and all. Even minor characters like Uta, his assistant, soar in your imagination. In here, these people are framed by the New York Art World, an environment I really know very little about. After reading this book, I have a small understanding of it, for better or worse. 


This novel will make you think, it will make you angry, it will make you desire someone, but above all, it will make you feel.