Review Quotes
"In his fiercely intelligent second novel (after A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism ), Mountford examines, with wry humor and sympathy leavened with a realistic accounting of Vincenzo d'Orsi's flaws and failings, the repercussions of a decision made in haste and--perhaps--regretted at leisure. Or not regretted. Who could have ever predicted that an economist at the World Bank could be such a terrific main character? I absolutely loved The Dismal Science ." --Nancy Pearl, author of the Book Lust series "Peter Mountford''s elegantly written The Dismal Science --an advance on his superb first novel--is an extremely impressive imagining by a relatively young writer into a relatively old man''s life. It also is a brilliant extrapolation of the economist''s ''dismal science'' into a metaphor for the difficult fate of any living, breathing, dying human being." -- David Shields, author of The Thing About Life Is That One Day You''ll Be Dead REVIEWS AND PRAISE FOR A YOUNG MAN'S GUIDE TO LATE CAPITALISM "Peter Mountford's striking debut novel is a smart and entertaining book. Set near the peak of the financial bubble in 2005, the book charts the story of a young financial journalist, Gabriel de Boya, recently hired as an analyst for a notoriously unscrupulous hedge fund. Gabriel's first mission is a test of his abilities: go to Bolivia and find a way to profit from the Bolivian presidential election. In Gabriel, Mountford creates a complex, charismatic, and engaging character, a chameleon who works himself into increasingly precarious positions as his mission is both facilitated and complicated by his love affair with the Bolivian president-elect's press liaison. In Mountford''s novel, the stakes of international finance and the personal lives of those involved intersect in a beautifully drawn Bolivia. A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism accomplishes that rare trick of being a book of ideas and politics while remaining, at its core, a profoundly intimate, character-driven story and a tremendously good read. I highly recommend this captivating debut novel by a remarkably promising young writer." - Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain in a guest author review for Amazon.com " A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism is a terrific debut novel--smart, moving, beautifully written. Peter Mountford''s parable of the voracious global economy reminded me of Graham Greene''s The Quiet American in its clear-eyed depiction of the realpolitik of our age." - Jess Walter, author of Beautiful Ruins " A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism is, quite simply, one of the most compelling and thought-provoking novels I've read in years. It's extraordinarily vivid, populated by characters whose fates I cared about desperately, beautifully written, timely beyond measure, but above all it conveys--with impressive precision and nuance--how we are vectors on the grid of global capital; how difficult it is to even attempt to be an authentic, let alone admirable, human being when we are, first and last, cash flow." - David Shields, author of Reality Hunger: A Manifesto and The Thing About Life Is That One Day You'll Be Dead "Peter Mountford, in his amazing debut as a novelist, has updated the gilded myth of Wall Street swashbucklers in expensive suits and spun it out into the world in a hellbent tale, dramatizing the contorted rationalizations practiced by the financial elite to justify their self-delusion. Forget fame, respect, making the world a better place. Transcend the craving for money by acquiring a truckload of it. Buddha as a hedge fund operator, reallocating soullessness throughout the system." - Bob Shacochis, author of Swimming in the Volcano and The Next New World " A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism is a brilliant debut novel, one that is generous in giving readers an original cast of vividly-drawn and unforgettable characters, learned in its knowledge of the interwoven worlds of finance and politics, sexy, and thoroughly cosmopolitan. Peter Mountford is easily one of the most gifted and skillful young writers, already accomplished, I have had the pleasure of reading in many years." - Charles Johnson, author of Middle Passage and Dreamer "In his debut novel, A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism , Peter Mountford has something important to say about the ambiguous moral ground where the personal meets the political. He has experience and sophistication beyond his years and is well-positioned to mine this vein. This novel is worth your time and attention." - David Guterson, author of Snow Falling on Cedars "Peter Mountford's A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism is a sharp, funny and terrifying novel--in a world so much like our own (part of the terror: it may, in fact, be our world), Gabriel's actions and the reactions of those around him caused me to wonder, again and again: how do I wish to live in this world, and what latitude might I find?" - Peter Rock, author of My Abandonment "This expat novel set in Bolivia covers high finance, politics, and morality. It takes on the issues of our times better than any book we've read in years." - Citation for a "Nobbie" award for a best book of 2011, from The Nervous Breakdown "This is Mountford's triumph: he has created a commentary on contemporary economics that is as moving and genuine as it is biting and satirical . . . A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism will be remembered as a touchstone work of the Era of Twenty-First Century Economic Crises." - Raphaela Weissman for Bookslut "Compulsively readable . . . Daringly allegorical and written with apt understatement, A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism appears as a Trojan horse within the realm of contemporary literary fiction. Mountford has the courage to depict a world in which personal lives aren''t really that personal." - Chris Kraus in the Los Angeles Review of Books "Debut novels don''t come much savvier, punchier, or more entertaining than [ A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism ]." - Michael Upchurch in the Seattle Times "Several things set Peter Mountford''s impressive debut, A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism , apart from the few finance-driven novels that have emerged in the wake of the economic meltdown." - Jessica Loudis for NPR.ORG "What a miraculous thing Mountford has done. Gabriel is right on both counts. And wrong. That polarity crackles in the heart of this novel, which is neither afraid to feel deep sympathy for its tragic protagonist nor hesitant to judge him harshly." - Alexander Yates in the Kenyon Review "Mountford''s powerful novel avoids easy judgements as it explores how money can take over one''s life." - Mark Athitakis in Minneapolis Star-Tribune "In this dazzling debut novel, Mountford displays a gift for characterization and a sure-footed grasp of financial matters that enable him to guide a reader nimbly through the arcane vernacular of Wall Street." - New Jersey Star Ledger "In his powerfully-written, quick-paced, and timely debut, Mountford shines a hard light on today's frantic financial amphitheater--a place where morality is secondary to making a dollar and large companies can sabotage entire countries." - Greg Brown in The Rumpus "This is quite simply
" The Dismal Science is exuberant art, a deep, moving comedy about grief, guilt, and the heart''s geopolitics. Mountford writes with soul and style and makes the plight of his protagonist count." --Sam Lipsyte, author of The Ask and The Fun Parts "In his fiercely intelligent second novel (after A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism ), Mountford examines, with wry humor and sympathy leavened with a realistic accounting of Vincenzo d'Orsi's flaws and failings, the repercussions of a decision made in haste and--perhaps--regretted at leisure. Or not regretted. Who could have ever predicted that an economist at the World Bank could be such a terrific main character? I absolutely loved The Dismal Science ." --Nancy Pearl, NPR commentator and author of the Book Lust series "Peter Mountford''s elegantly written The Dismal Science --an advance on his superb first novel--is an extremely impressive imagining by a relatively young writer into a relatively old man''s life. It also is a brilliant extrapolation of the economist''s ''dismal science'' into a metaphor for the difficult fate of any living, breathing, dying human being." --David Shields, author of The Thing About Life Is That One Day You''ll Be Dead REVIEWS AND PRAISE FOR A YOUNG MAN'S GUIDE TO LATE CAPITALISM "Peter Mountford's striking debut novel is a smart and entertaining book. Set near the peak of the financial bubble in 2005, the book charts the story of a young financial journalist, Gabriel de Boya, recently hired as an analyst for a notoriously unscrupulous hedge fund. Gabriel's first mission is a test of his abilities: go to Bolivia and find a way to profit from the Bolivian presidential election. In Gabriel, Mountford creates a complex, charismatic, and engaging character, a chameleon who works himself into increasingly precarious positions as his mission is both facilitated and complicated by his love affair with the Bolivian president-elect's press liaison. In Mountford''s novel, the stakes of international finance and the personal lives of those involved intersect in a beautifully drawn Bolivia. A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism accomplishes that rare trick of being a book of ideas and politics while remaining, at its core, a profoundly intimate, character-driven story and a tremendously good read. I highly recommend this captivating debut novel by a remarkably promising young writer." - Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain in a guest author review for Amazon.com " A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism is a terrific debut novel--smart, moving, beautifully written. Peter Mountford''s parable of the voracious global economy reminded me of Graham Greene''s The Quiet American in its clear-eyed depiction of the realpolitik of our age." - Jess Walter, author of Beautiful Ruins " A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism is, quite simply, one of the most compelling and thought-provoking novels I've read in years. It's extraordinarily vivid, populated by characters whose fates I cared about desperately, beautifully written, timely beyond measure, but above all it conveys--with impressive precision and nuance--how we are vectors on the grid of global capital; how difficult it is to even attempt to be an authentic, let alone admirable, human being when we are, first and last, cash flow." - David Shields, author of Reality Hunger: A Manifesto and The Thing About Life Is That One Day You'll Be Dead "Peter Mountford, in his amazing debut as a novelist, has updated the gilded myth of Wall Street swashbucklers in expensive suits and spun it out into the world in a hellbent tale, dramatizing the contorted rationalizations practiced by the financial elite to justify their self-delusion. Forget fame, respect, making the world a better place. Transcend the craving for money by acquiring a truckload of it. Buddha as a hedge fund operator, reallocating soullessness throughout the system." - Bob Shacochis, author of Swimming in the Volcano and The Next New World " A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism is a brilliant debut novel, one that is generous in giving readers an original cast of vividly-drawn and unforgettable characters, learned in its knowledge of the interwoven worlds of finance and politics, sexy, and thoroughly cosmopolitan. Peter Mountford is easily one of the most gifted and skillful young writers, already accomplished, I have had the pleasure of reading in many years." - Charles Johnson, author of Middle Passage and Dreamer "In his debut novel, A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism , Peter Mountford has something important to say about the ambiguous moral ground where the personal meets the political. He has experience and sophistication beyond his years and is well-positioned to mine this vein. This novel is worth your time and attention." - David Guterson, author of Snow Falling on Cedars "Peter Mountford's A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism is a sharp, funny and terrifying novel--in a world so much like our own (part of the terror: it may, in fact, be our world), Gabriel's actions and the reactions of those around him caused me to wonder, again and again: how do I wish to live in this world, and what latitude might I find?" - Peter Rock, author of My Abandonment "This expat novel set in Bolivia covers high finance, politics, and morality. It takes on the issues of our times better than any book we've read in years." - Citation for a "Nobbie" award for a best book of 2011, from The Nervous Breakdown "This is Mountford's triumph: he has created a commentary on contemporary economics that is as moving and genuine as it is biting and satirical . . . A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism will be remembered as a touchstone work of the Era of Twenty-First Century Economic Crises." - Raphaela Weissman for Bookslut "Compulsively readable . . . Daringly allegorical and written with apt understatement, A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism appears as a Trojan horse within the realm of contemporary literary fiction. Mountford has the courage to depict a world in which personal lives aren''t really that personal." - Chris Kraus in the Los Angeles Review of Books "Debut novels don''t come much savvier, punchier, or more entertaining than [ A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism ]." - Michael Upchurch in the Seattle Times "Several things set Peter Mountford''s impressive debut, A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism , apart from the few finance-driven novels that have emerged in the wake of the economic meltdown." - Jessica Loudis for NPR.ORG "What a miraculous thing Mountford has done. Gabriel is right on both counts. And wrong. That polarity crackles in the heart of this novel, which is neither afraid to feel deep sympathy for its tragic protagonist nor hesitant to judge him harshly." - Alexander Yates in the Kenyon Review "Mountford''s powerful novel avoids easy judgements as it explores how money can take over one''s life." - Mark Athitakis in Minneapolis Star-Tribune "In this dazzling debut novel, Mountford displays a gift for characterization and a sure-footed grasp of financial matters that enable him to guide a reader nimbly through the arcane vernacular of Wall Street." - New Jersey Star Ledger
" The Dismal Science is exuberant art, a deep, moving comedy about grief, guilt, and the heart''s geopolitics. Mountford writes with soul and style and makes the plight of his protagonist count." --Sam Lipsyte, author of The Ask "In his fiercely intelligent second novel (after A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism ), Mountford examines, with wry humor and sympathy leavened with a realistic accounting of Vincenzo d'Orsi's flaws and failings, the repercussions of a decision made in haste and--perhaps--regretted at leisure. Or not regretted. Who could have ever predicted that an economist at the World Bank could be such a terrific main character? I absolutely loved The Dismal Science ." --Nancy Pearl, NPR commentator and author of the Book Lust series "Peter Mountford''s elegantly written The Dismal Science --an advance on his superb first novel--is an extremely impressive imagining by a relatively young writer into a relatively old man''s life. It also is a brilliant extrapolation of the economist''s ''dismal science'' into a metaphor for the difficult fate of any living, breathing, dying human being." --David Shields, author of The Thing About Life Is That One Day You''ll Be Dead " The Dismal Science is a beautiful novel: stark, powerful, and life-affirming. Vincenzo's haunting journey will stay with me for a very, very long time." --Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain REVIEWS AND PRAISE FOR A YOUNG MAN'S GUIDE TO LATE CAPITALISM "Peter Mountford's striking debut novel is a smart and entertaining book. Set near the peak of the financial bubble in 2005, the book charts the story of a young financial journalist, Gabriel de Boya, recently hired as an analyst for a notoriously unscrupulous hedge fund. Gabriel's first mission is a test of his abilities: go to Bolivia and find a way to profit from the Bolivian presidential election. In Gabriel, Mountford creates a complex, charismatic, and engaging character, a chameleon who works himself into increasingly precarious positions as his mission is both facilitated and complicated by his love affair with the Bolivian president-elect's press liaison. In Mountford''s novel, the stakes of international finance and the personal lives of those involved intersect in a beautifully drawn Bolivia. A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism accomplishes that rare trick of being a book of ideas and politics while remaining, at its core, a profoundly intimate, character-driven story and a tremendously good read. I highly recommend this captivating debut novel by a remarkably promising young writer." - Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain in a guest author review for Amazon.com " A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism is a terrific debut novel--smart, moving, beautifully written. Peter Mountford''s parable of the voracious global economy reminded me of Graham Greene''s The Quiet American in its clear-eyed depiction of the realpolitik of our age." - Jess Walter, author of Beautiful Ruins " A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism is, quite simply, one of the most compelling and thought-provoking novels I've read in years. It's extraordinarily vivid, populated by characters whose fates I cared about desperately, beautifully written, timely beyond measure, but above all it conveys--with impressive precision and nuance--how we are vectors on the grid of global capital; how difficult it is to even attempt to be an authentic, let alone admirable, human being when we are, first and last, cash flow." - David Shields, author of Reality Hunger: A Manifesto and The Thing About Life Is That One Day You'll Be Dead "Peter Mountford, in his amazing debut as a novelist, has updated the gilded myth of Wall Street swashbucklers in expensive suits and spun it out into the world in a hellbent tale, dramatizing the contorted rationalizations practiced by the financial elite to justify their self-delusion. Forget fame, respect, making the world a better place. Transcend the craving for money by acquiring a truckload of it. Buddha as a hedge fund operator, reallocating soullessness throughout the system." - Bob Shacochis, author of Swimming in the Volcano and The Next New World " A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism is a brilliant debut novel, one that is generous in giving readers an original cast of vividly-drawn and unforgettable characters, learned in its knowledge of the interwoven worlds of finance and politics, sexy, and thoroughly cosmopolitan. Peter Mountford is easily one of the most gifted and skillful young writers, already accomplished, I have had the pleasure of reading in many years." - Charles Johnson, author of Middle Passage and Dreamer "In his debut novel, A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism , Peter Mountford has something important to say about the ambiguous moral ground where the personal meets the political. He has experience and sophistication beyond his years and is well-positioned to mine this vein. This novel is worth your time and attention." - David Guterson, author of Snow Falling on Cedars "Peter Mountford's A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism is a sharp, funny and terrifying novel--in a world so much like our own (part of the terror: it may, in fact, be our world), Gabriel's actions and the reactions of those around him caused me to wonder, again and again: how do I wish to live in this world, and what latitude might I find?" - Peter Rock, author of My Abandonment "This expat novel set in Bolivia covers high finance, politics, and morality. It takes on the issues of our times better than any book we've read in years." - Citation for a "Nobbie" award for a best book of 2011, from The Nervous Breakdown "This is Mountford's triumph: he has created a commentary on contemporary economics that is as moving and genuine as it is biting and satirical . . . A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism will be remembered as a touchstone work of the Era of Twenty-First Century Economic Crises." -Raphaela Weissman for Bookslut "Compulsively readable . . . Daringly allegorical and written with apt understatement, A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism appears as a Trojan horse within the realm of contemporary literary fiction. Mountford has the courage to depict a world in which personal lives aren''t really that personal." -Chris Kraus in the Los Angeles Review of Books "Debut novels don''t come much savvier, punchier, or more entertaining than [ A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism ]." -Michael Upchurch in the Seattle Times "Several things set Peter Mountford''s impressive debut, A Young Man''s Guide to Late Capitalism , apart from the few finance-driven novels that have emerged in the wake of the economic meltdown." -Jessica Loudis for NPR.ORG "What a miraculous thing Mountford has done. Gabriel is right on both counts. And wrong. That polarity crackles in the heart of this novel, which is neither afraid to feel deep sympathy for its tragic protagonist nor hesitant to judge him harshly." -Alexander Yates in the Kenyon Review "Mountford''s powerful novel avoids easy judgements as it explores how money can take over one''s life." -Mark Athitakis in Minneapo