Richard Yates: Revolutionary Road

I enjoyed this book very much, probably the best book I've read in years, comparable to Vanity Fair of Thackeray or Point Counter Point of Huxley, by the ability to look deep in the soul of its characters. It's a story of a young married couple, Frank and April Wheeler, who are unhappy with their life in a suburb of New York. They are in their late 20ties, and yearn for another, more fulfilling life. Frank does a boring office job in New York, whereas April is a housewife. As they try to escape their life, by making a plan to go and live in Paris, the tragedy slowly starts to unfold.

Although one could say that the author made a story out of nothing, the strength and authenticity of each character is amazing. If you saw the movie, you can still read a book and be pleasantly surprised. That's what I did. Apart from good dialogues, in the book you will find also an inner world of Frank and April, which cannot be put on screen. The author's sharpness in presenting the subtlety of their innermost feelings is incredible. In the book, we also get more to the core of each character, their history is explained, and their current actions are grounded in what has happened before. The author jumps between the present and the past with great ease.

The book was the first book of Richard Yates, and an entry in the finals for the National Book Award in 1962. The movie reached the screens this year. You can order the book on Amazon, and for the DVD you have to wait till June.