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Louis Begley

    October 6, 1933

    Louis Begley is an American novelist whose work frequently delves into themes of identity, memory, and survival. His early experiences, including surviving the Holocaust, profoundly shaped his worldview and infused his writing with a deep exploration of how past trauma informs the present. Begley's prose is marked by its precision and keen psychological insight, capturing characters navigating complex realities. His novels invite readers to contemplate human resilience and the intricate nature of the self.

    Louis Begley
    Killer's Choice
    Kill and Be Killed
    Shipwreck
    Wartime Lies. Lügen in Zeiten des Krieges, englische Ausgabe
    Transatlantische Missverständnisse
    The Man Who Was Late
    • 2020

      The New Life of Hugo Gardner

      • 224 pages
      • 8 hours of reading
      3.0(82)Add rating

      Beloved author Louis Begley returns to the monied halls of the Upper East Side with a sharp new comedy of manners. Divorced after decades of comfortable marriage, retired journalist Hugo Gardner sets out to explore paths not travelled. After four decades of what he believes to be a happy, healthy partnership, Hugo Gardner's world is overturned when he learns that his wife, Valerie, is not only requesting a divorce but has left him for a younger, more vital man. Hugo, an octogenarian political writer and retired journalist for Time, must rethink the way he's lived, and reassess how he'd like to spend his remaining years. Reconsidering past relationships in his mind, with years of distance, Hugo begins to see things in a new light: Valerie, whose youth and ambition eventually came between them; his children, whose support might be more financially than emotionally motivated; and his friends, who, like him are rapidly aging before his very eyes. With an ominous oncologist's report hanging over his head, Hugo decides to get away for a bit, to a conference in Paris. There, a new romance blooms and Hugo finds himself wondering if growing old in Paris might be the perfect antidote to the drama he left behind in New York. Unflinching, witty, and urbane as ever, Louis Begley delivers a spot-on satire of the world of New York's aging elite, and uncovers the unexpected delights a late-in-life change can offer.

      The New Life of Hugo Gardner
    • 2019

      Killer's Choice

      • 288 pages
      • 11 hours of reading
      3.1(30)Add rating

      Marine-turned-novelist Jack Dana returns for one final adventure in this chilling conclusion to Louis Begley's epic saga. "Fans of Lee Child's Jack Reacher should enjoy Jack Dana's adventures."--Publishers Weekly With the death of his nemesis, corrupt business mogul Abner Brown, retired Marine infantry officer Jack Dana can finally return to his peaceful career as a novelist. And after falling hard for Heidi Krohn, the glamorous high-powered lawyer who helped avenge his best friend's death, Jack dreams of starting a family of his own. But dark forces intervene to upend Jack's comfortable new life when two of his uncle Harry's closest friends are brutally murdered in their own home. Quickly it becomes clear that these murders are a message, sent by a shadowy criminal Jack comes to call "the Monster." His warning to Jack: a fate even more cruel awaits you. Indeed, despite the best-laid precautions, there seems to be no escape when Heidi and her nephew are kidnapped. With their lives in the balance, Jack must take the only step honor will allow and face the Monster alone, whatever the consequences. Look for all of Louis Begley's gripping Jack Dana thrillers: KILLER, COME HITHER - KILL AND BE KILLED - KILLER'S CHOICE

      Killer's Choice
    • 2016

      Kill and Be Killed

      • 269 pages
      • 10 hours of reading
      3.1(35)Add rating

      "Master stylist Begley continues the story of Jack Dana, the former Marine Corps officer turned novelist whose quest to avenge his murdered uncle takes a new, more dangerous turn. The man who brutally murdered Uncle Harry is dead. In an effort to recover from the confrontation and collect himself, Jack takes refuge on Torcello, a small island in the Venetian lagoon, to return to his writing career. Even more urgently, he wants to win back Kerry, the beautiful lawyer who rejected him after the bloody episode with Harry's assassin. But events beyond Jack's control intervene: Kerry loses her life in circumstances that contradict everything Jack thinks he knew about her. Soon death begins to stalk Jack himself. It is impossible not to recognize in its drumbeat the machinations of Abner Brown, the man who orchestrated Harry's demise. Jack fights back, driven by cold rage and determination to complete his revenge. At his side is Kerry's best friend, the glamorous and enigmatic Heidi Krohn. Their quest will force Jack to plumb the abyss of depravity into which Kerry had sunk and face one of his fellow Marines who has embarked on a violent feud of his own. Reprising memorable characters from Killer, Come Hither and introducing dangerous new ones, Begley concludes Jack's harrowing vendetta with one last shocking twist"--

      Kill and Be Killed
    • 2015

      Killer, Come Hither

      • 272 pages
      • 10 hours of reading
      2.9(94)Add rating

      A taut thriller that takes readers from the office suites of Manhattan to the tidy elegance of Sag Harbor and the rough-and-tumble western plains of Brazil. “Fans of Lee Child’s Jack Reacher should enjoy Jack Dana’s adventures.”—Publishers Weekly Jack Dana, a star student at Yale, joins the military after 9/11—only to have sniper fire cut short his career as a Marine Corps infantry officer. While recovering at Walter Reed Hospital, he begins to write a novel about his wartime experience. Jack’s uncle Harry, a surrogate father to him, as well as a partner at a leading New York law firm, helps Jack secure a publisher. Jack is thrilled when his book becomes a huge success, but after a celebratory trip to South America, Jack returns home to shocking news: Uncle Harry is dead, found hanged in his summer home. Horrified and incredulous, Jack digs into the facts surrounding the tragedy and comes to believe that his uncle’s death was no suicide. Delays of law are not for Jack, so he takes matters into his own hands—embarking on a dangerous journey of justice and revenge. Look for all of Louis Begley’s gripping Jack Dana thrillers: KILLER, COME HITHER • KILL AND BE KILLED • KILLER’S CHOICE

      Killer, Come Hither
    • 2013

      By the author of the beloved Schmidt series, Memories of a Marriage is a penetrating look at class and privilege, shifting from Paris to Manhattan, Long Island to Newport. Mourning his wife and daughter, and on the edge of old age, Philip reencounters an astonishing woman from his past: Lucy De Bourgh, an heiress who was once a passionate debutante and the intimate of many men, including Philip himself. As she reveals the startling details of her failed marriage to Thomas Snow—a townie turned powerful international banker, liked by many but to her a loathsome monster—Philip discovers a story that will challenge his assumptions about those he has known, admired, and desired. A triumph by an author expert in revealing the good breeding and bad behavior of the moneyed elite, Memories of a Marriage is an eloquent and irresistible book that explores all the varieties of love and the very concept of truth.   Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more.

      Memories of a Marriage. Erinnerungen an eine Ehe, englische Ausgabe
    • 2012

      Schmidt Steps Back

      • 384 pages
      • 14 hours of reading
      3.6(53)Add rating

      Struggling to recover from Carrie the waitress's rejection and his daughter's marriage to a Jewish man, lawyer Albert Schmidt hopes for renewal when both Carrie and his daughter become pregnant and when he falls for the beautiful French widow of a former partner. By the author of Schmidt Delivered.

      Schmidt Steps Back
    • 2007

      Reden in Zeiten des Krieges - Der Antiamerikanismus, auch und besonders der europäische, blickt auf eine lange Tradition zurück. Seit der Anti-Intellektuelle George W. Bush Präsident ist und die USA Krieg führen, ist das transatlantische Verhältnis noch schwieriger geworden. Das beklagt auch Louis Begley, der große amerikanische Romancier. Die Rede, die er am Vorabend des Europa-Forums vor kleinerem Kreis unlängst hielt, legt Zeugnis davon ab und erscheint nun in Welterstveröffentlichung als zweisprachiges Buch in handlichem Format. Begley sieht die europäische Ablehnung seit Bushs Kriegen und seiner beschämenden Politik auf einem neuen bedenklichen Niveau, und als Mann mit europäischen Wurzeln tut ihm das besonders weh. Mehr noch: Begley hält den neuen europäischen Antiamerikanismus für hochgefährlich. Er droht, den Zugang zu einem transatlantischen Dialog zu versperren, der in der Vergangenheit zwar auch unterschiedliche Meinungen zeigte, doch immerhin die Voraussetzung für Europas Rolle als Partner und Vermittler war. So schonungslos indes wie Louis Begley mit der Bush-Regierung ins Gericht geht, so leidenschaftlich wirbt er dafür, dass Europa sein Problem mit Amerikas Macht nicht so groß werden lässt, dass es den Blick auf die amerikanischen Tugenden versperrt. Amerikaner und Europäer brauchen einander, sie MÜSSEN Partner sein.

      Transatlantische Missverständnisse
    • 2007

      At Harvard in the early 1950s, three mismatched freshmen are thrown together as roommates--Sam, an aristocratic Yankee; Archie, an affable Army brat; and Henry, a Polish refugee--in the story of their college years and their unique friendship.

      Matters of Honor
    • 2005

      Venice for lovers

      • 216 pages
      • 8 hours of reading
      2.6(64)Add rating

      Every year for all the 30 they have been married, Louis Begley and Anka Muhlstein spend long, enjoyable months in Venice. They write and live there and over the decades La Serenissima has become their second home. The owners of their favourite restaurants have become their friends and they share the lives of the locals, far off the beaten tourist tracks, as Muhlstein describes in her contribution to this book. Louis Begley tells the story of how he fell in love with and in Venice. He is not the only one who did, as his literary essay on the city's place in world literature demonstrates. Henry James, Marcel Proust and Thomas Mann are only the most illustrious predecessors. Muhlstein and Begley's Venice is a very private view of a place, which will forever inspire dreams of love and passion

      Venice for lovers
    • 2004

      Shipwreck

      • 255 pages
      • 9 hours of reading
      3.3(121)Add rating

      The narrative explores the exhilarating yet destructive power of passion through the character of John North, a writer who defies conventions to follow his emotions relentlessly. His journey highlights the complexities and consequences of pursuing one's desires, ultimately leading to profound revelations about love and ambition.

      Shipwreck