...a beautiful thing to waste one's life for love

I found the book to be strange, but also strangely lyrical. The author really painted pictures with his words – and not just pictures of people or places, but pictures of feelings and emotions.

"It is a brave and stupid thing, a beautiful thing to waste one's life for love."

Well, I agree with the stupid thing. Although I enjoyed the book, I was frustrated by Max’s obsession with Alice. I’m all for falling in love, but never at the cost of WASTING one’s life. Life can be full of love without having “the love of [your] life.” Max had a best friend I don’t think he really appreciated until he was gone (of course, if I understood the book correctly, Max was the love of Howie’s life). Does this make me sound like an old-maid single person?

Max kept waiting for his circumstances (his Alice) to make him happy, which of course, never happened.

I did find myself asking why the author chose this specific time period? Was it simply to showcase San Francisco history at the time of the great earthquake? How would the book have been different if the story were set in the present day? The 1950’s?

Did anyone else cry when the bear was killed?

The Confessions of Max Tivoli

What an intriguing idea. The whole story was very thought provoking. I spent time considering how dependent we are upon the idea of time and the way that we progress through it. We have limited control over how our lives are played out, so we find comfort in at least knowing that we will progress from childhood into old age. That's not to say that we are comfortable with growing old, but at least we have an idea of what to expect.

I had to question whether or not it was fair that his mother required him to act the part of an adult while he was yet a child. I realize that it was for his protection as well as hers, but when he wanted to be a child he was not allowed, and when he was an adult he was forced to act the part of a child. What a confused individual such a creed would produce.

Then there was the bizarre love triangle. It was...Well, bizarre. Was there anyone in the story that had any lasting happiness? I sure hope that when I approach the end of my life that I don't look back and only see shattered dreams, missed opportunities and unfulfilled expectations. What a bummer. Perhaps that outlook comes from living in a rainy place like San Francisco.

I really didn't find the book to be all dismal, but it wasn't overwhelmingly uplifting either. There was enough humor in it to keep it from being too heavy. It was a good read.

There is much more to be said, but I'll cut it short.