The Bones

by Seth Greenland

Book Overview

Frank Bones is a self-destructive, take-no-prisoners, bad boy comic at the bottom rung. Lloyd Melnick is a long-lost acquaintance whose work on the smash hit The Fleishman Show has made him the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1582345503
• ISBN13: 9781582345505
• Release Date: March 2005
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Length: 393 Pages
• Weight: 1.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.3" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Hollywood tale with a distinctly non-Hollywood ending

'The Bones' is such a good read that I would extend my workouts just to get one more chapter in. Seth Greenland has given us an exquisite and deeply observed novel of Hollywood, with - I might add - a distinctly non-Hollywood ending. There's definitely no "Come Lift Us Up Where We Belong" feel-good ending here. Frank wants a taste of what Lloyd has; Lloyd wants a taste of what Frank has; and - when both get it - the results aren't pretty. I suspect industry insiders will have a field day drawing the lines between Greenland's fictional protagonists and their real world equivalents. Even an outsider like can me draw some reasonable guesses, like Sethland's management duo of Robert Hyler and Jolly De Meo seeming an awful lot like Brad Grey and Bernie Brillstein. And the none-too-sharp Bart Pimento sounds quite a bit like Jennifer Aniston's ex. For me though, the best parts are Sethland's streams-of-consciousness from inside the mind of the tortured scribe Lloyd Melnick; these are simply brilliant pieces where random, jumbled, increasingly frenetic and detached thoughts simply come flying in and rapidly out of Melnick's confused brain. To quote any of it here would be to give away key parts of the story. The writing here is tight and spellbinding. No wonder David Mamet had picked up the rights to it. It's got a Mamet-like intensity and cadence to it. It seems like the project is hung up a bit right now (according to what I can glean from reports on the Internet). Let's hope 'The Bones' can make it to the screen, because I think it would translate beautifully.

Can you handle "The Bones?"

The Bones is book that might look and feel daunting. Don't be put off, it's a beautifully constructed plot and the writing is a joy to digest, which makes it much lighter than the 400+ pages. It's a fun ride, it's often laugh out loud funny, especially in its descriptions of high-life excesses in Beverly Hills or low-life people on the run in a stolen car. I often felt a sense of awe and joy of certain words or a sentence construction that can run to six lines without causing me any comprehension constipation. Sometimes I revisisted a passage just for the fun of it again, and now I want to re-read the whole book to see if there any plot-holes in it, - I did the same thing with "Usual Suspects". The second half really rolls along fast with some great unexpected twists which are still turning over in my head,-again like a good film. As well as its plot and observational descriptions, this book is sprinkled with passing characters studies interacting with the leading players, for example the sexy bar-fly packing a stiletto (and not just on her shoes) or a gas attendant who could blow their cover, but chooses to act cool and join the game instead. Also, reading this book improved my vocabulary. Some of the new words are a joy to read. My favorite is "ananoidily" - as in trying to talk with a stuffed-up nose. Just say it. It's onomatopoeic and it perfectly suits the fussy Hollywood nanny-type who is afflicted with the condition. By the way, who is this guy Seth Greenland? He only has two and a half lines about himself and yet he knows all about the in-jokes and showbiz lifestyle, as well as bikers' dive bars in places like Tulsa! This guy has lived a little, surely?...Which world does he inhabit? In fact, which way is he headed? From the Bones-like comedy bars to Beverley Hills, or down in the opposite direction? We should follow his progress. I feel a film script, or even a Sam Shepherd-ish play could be in the works. If Sam Shepherd does stand-up comedy, Bones would be his dream role. Yes, he's cool enough, and he seems to have the stand-off attitude that despises the Hollywood system which is meant to nurture his craft. (Note to self: this book makes me think that even I could be movie producer...hmm). You should catch this book and share it with a friend too, so you can compare notes and that sense of awe at great writing. I can't wait to find out what's going to happen to "The Bones", and to Seth Greenland too.

best I've read in a while

Sharp, witty, complex, intelligent, provocative, funny. An amazing feat for a first novel, this book has a finesse you'd expect a writer to evolve over a few books. This was the freshest funniest book I've read in a long time, yet also deeply provocative and sharp.

To Live and Laugh in L.A.

I'll admit it. I love US, Star and schlocky TV shows about Los Scandales. I'm dying for the new season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm." And I still guffaw over Seinfeld re-runs. But I also love Jane Austen, Turgenev and Philip Roth. That's why I'm crazy about this book. It's a devilishly delicious stew of colorful, conniving and utterly convincing characters (Frank Bones, Lloyd, Honey et al), insiders' only dish and insanely intelligent language. Plus it's perfectly spiced up with adults only moments and some exciting (but not horrifying) violence. Be warned: once you start reading, you won't be able to put it down -- or stop laughing. Bring on the movie....but buy the book first!

The Bones

A sometimes nihilistic dark comedy that provides an inside view to TV-Hollywood and the human condition around mid-life. This novel has some interesting narrative features of a play. The two protagonists interestingly contrast the roles of the gusto-grabbing id-libido (Frank) and the sober ego (Lloyd), and these roles are played out to the hilt. Some fascinating thoughts parade across the consciousness of these two men, and to be privvy to them is an intriguing experience. Dialog too flows well and is generally riveting. There is suspense, sex, and $, but not much violence. You will laugh out loud. This book talks to existential questions, without being high-fallutin, and shares some insightful views on popular culture and the human condition in the USA, through the sometimes-jaded eyes of our nation's entertainment capital.