Back of the book blurb: From the moment of its publication in 1961, Revolutionary Road was hailed as a masterpiece of realistic fiction and as the most evocative portrayal of the opulent desolation of the American suburbs. It’s the story of Frank and April Wheeler, a bright, beautiful, and talented couple who have lived on the assumption that greatness is only just around the corner. With heartbreaking compassion and remorseless clarity, Richard Yates shows how Frank and April mortgage their spiritual birthright, betraying not only each other, but their best selves.
She is Too Fond of Books’ Review: Fifty years before the Desperate Housewives of Wisteria Lane, we have Frank and April Wheeler of Revolutionary Road. In this novel, which has been widely acclaimed as influential to other writers, Richard Yates paints a bleak portrait of the American suburbs of the 1950s. Specifically, he looks at an unnamed town in southeastern Connecticut, within an easy commute of Manhattan. Frank and April Wheeler have lived in this suburb for several years, and are raising two young children in a world where children are seen but not heard, and nothing interferes with Frank’s after-work scotch or weekend nights of stimulating conversation with the neighbors, Shep and Milly Campbell. Nothing, that is, until Frank realizes that the neighbors are essentially dull and silly, and April has an idea that will shake up the routine of their lives.
Writing about one typical Saturday night dinner and conversation with the two couples, Yates says:
… even after politics had palled there had still been the elusive but endlessly absorbing subject of Conformity, or The Suburbs, or Madison Avenue, or American Society Today. “Oh Jesus,” Shep might begin, “you know this character next door to us? Donaldson? The one that’s always out fooling with his power mower and talking about the rat race and the soft sell? Well listen: did I tell you what he said about his barbeque pit?” And there would follow an anecdote of extreme suburban smugness that left them week with laughter.
It’s this cynical approach to the suburbs, to career goals, to treating children as playthings or accessories, that reminds me a bit of Ayn Rand’s writing. I enjoyed it – there was a lot of dry wit, making Revolutionary Road and its inhabitants caricatures of the worst of the suburbs; but it didn’t leave me in a hurry to read Yates’ other works. From what I gather, the themes of loneliness and hopelessness run through his eight other novels, including Cold Spring Harbor, The Easter Parade and Disturbing the Peace. Considering that it was first published in 1961, I’m sure Revolutionary Road was enlightening and shocking for its time.
I read the Vintage Contemporaries edition which contains an introduction by novelist Richard Ford which “pays homage to the lasting influence and enduring power of Revolutionary Road.” Be cautioned if you read this edition; save the introduction for after you read the novel, as much of the plot is told in Ford’s analysis.
My neighborhood book group selected Revolutionary Road as our November book; I’m looking forward to hearing everyone else’s thoughts on the book. We wanted to read it before the film is released this winter (I’m quite curious about that particular book-into-movie adaptation). What attracted us to the book? Our street name is Revolutionary Road – no kidding!
Have you read Revolutionary Road? How do you think it will fare as a movie? What’s the most unusual reason that you had for reading a particular book?
I haven’t read the book but saw the trailer the other day and thought it looked kind of good. I do love Leo and Kate.
I love dry wit, so this sounds like a good read to me. Thanks for the review.
I like a dry sense of humor myself. Concept sounds interesting. I just checked out the trailer for the movie and it looks really good. I love the Kate/Leo combination and to be honest…I can relate to the themes within this book. I’ll check it out.
Amy – thanks for reminding me about the movie trailer. For those of you who haven’t seen it, look here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9OxvHl-xg4
Kathy and Ti – perhaps I should have said “cynical”, which in my house doubles as dry wit. It’s easy for an adult to carry off with the right audience, but it troubles me to see sarcastic humor in my kids!
I haven’t heard too much about the movie, and I hadn’t heard of the book before. Sounds like an interesting read, though, so I better check it out before I see the movie. If I watch the movie first, I’ll never read the book!
Anna – I’m the same way, wanting to read the book before I see the movie; thank goodness for Netflix!
[...] Suicidewas sent to me by the author, DeWitt Henry. DeWitt saw my review of Revolutionary Road and offered me his collection of linked biographical essays, which include stories of his [...]
[...] group, Rev Road Readers on my calendar, meets to discuss Richard Yates’ Revolutionary Road (reviewed here). It’ll be interesting to compare and contrast the suburbia of Yates’ Revolutionary [...]
[...] group, Rev Road Readers on my calendar, meets to discuss Richard Yates’ Revolutionary Road (reviewed here). It’ll be interesting to compare and contrast the suburbia of Yates’ Revolutionary [...]
For what it is worth, I believe there is a Revolutionary Road, literally, in Concord, MA or nearby. Yates’s was in CT, and later Ann Beattie supposedly lived near or in the house that Yates modeled on the Wheelers.
[...] (The Heretic’s Daughter)127. Fate (Zorgamazoo)128. Wendi (Finding Father Christmas)129. Dawn (Revolutionary Road)130. Dawn (The Tutu Ballet)131. Page Turner (Revolution in World Missions)132. Rachel (A Bell for [...]
Great review. You have convinced to begin reading this book today. Sounds like your book club is a neighborhood book group. I started one just about five years ago. Most of us live on Bedford Ave. so we call ourselves the Bedford Book Club or BBC. Our blog is here. That’s funny that you all live on Revolutionary Road. How’d your group like the book?
I really liked your review! As far as the movie goes, although I am planning on seeing it, I have heard that it is not as evocative and emotional as the book. I am still looking forward to the movie, even if it’s only to make a comparison to the novel.
[...] book is Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. I reviewed this last fall; have you read it? Jump on over to The New Yorker to post your [...]
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