January 9, 2008

My Big Fat Greek Novel

“Beginner’s Greek,” by James Collins

You’re a master of tongues.

Cool it, gutter girl. Not those tongues.

Sí! Oui! It all comes natural.

But the language of love? Well, that’s Greek to you.

Which is why you should read Beginner’s Greek, the new book from New Yorker scribe James Collins. In the romantic tale, Peter Russell sits next to Holly on a plane, falls for her fast, and gets her digits.

Done deal, right? Riiigght. He loses the number, natch, and eventually the girl to his best friend. To call what results a love triangle would be simplifying; the story explores the emotions and impulses of everyone from Peter’s future wife and her stepmother to his wealthy widower boss.

To enjoy it, you have to believe in fate. Pairing it with your next flight might do some good, too. And speaking of soaring, this is Collins’s first novel.

Call it beginner’s luck.

Available online at amazon.com or your local bookstore.