Rating: 
Summary: Who cares?
Review: I must agree with Charles Weinstein, who posted his review on March 22, 2004. Rather than paraphrase what he so eloquently and perceptively found lacking in Greer's book, I would simply direct those who might be swayed by the gushing, glowing reviews to read his before buying this disappointing work. Such a promising premise - and yet the characters left me caring not a whit for them, or what ultimately became of them. Having just finished The Time Traveler's Wife and You Remind Me of Me, this book seemed liked an apt continuation of the theme - time and place disjointed, the placement of characters we care about in impossible situations. I gave up after 175 pages, read the last page, and moved on to the next book on my shelf - Peace Like a River. Higher hopes abound.
Rating: 
Summary: A Tour de Force!
Review: I picked up Confessions based on its great NYTimes review and was not dissappointed. This is a fabulous book - a great read with moments of pure genius. The first few pages can be a bit confusing, but stick with it. It's a brillant book in line with the best that Dickens and Proust had to offer.
Rating: 
Summary: Difficult But Stunning
Review: I picked up this book knowing it would be different and initally I found it to be very difficult to keep up with. I found it confusing to try and figure out at what age and time the writer was dealing with. But once I figured out the writer's style and marvelled at his brilliance and individuality I found myself caught up completely in this little tale about Max Tivoli.Andrew Sean Greer has written a book that is profound and very much in its own class. He writes with great prose and many phrases read like poetry, causing one to pause and treasure the thought. I applaud Mr. Greer for writing unlike any other and being brave enough to stick his neck out to reap the rewards. You will fall in love with Max Tivoli, pain in his lonliness and ache for someone to love him. It is such an interesting concept to start from the end, to be old when you are young and young when you are old. Maybe we should all try a bit of his wisdom. Max reminds me of an old soul reincarnated into a young child and hindered by all the handicaps of youth and then slowed once again by the horrors of aging just when exuberance is at its most inspirational. It brings new meaning to deja-vu'!! While Max brings such sadness it is a wonderful thing to feel emotion just from the simplicity of reading. I wish more books were written with such warmth and heart.
Rating:
Summary: Pleased to be the First To Review Max Tivoli on Amazon
Review: I was fortunate enough to be the narrator for the audio version of "The Confessions of Max Tivoli", thus I am able to write of this book before it's release. In short, "...Max Tivoli" was a thrill to read aloud. Mr. Greer has a wonderful gift for expressive language and his astonishing story seemed to tell itself. I was so taken by this book that I'm planning to reread it...this time quietly...to myself. Thank you, Andrew
Rating:
Summary: Pleased to be the First To Review Max Tivoli on Amazon
Review: I was fortunate enough to be the narrator for the audio version of "The Confessions of Max Tivoli", thus I am able to write of this book before it's release. In short, "...Max Tivoli" was a thrill to read aloud. Mr. Greer has a wonderful gift for expressive language and his astonishing story seemed to tell itself. I was so taken by this book that I'm planning to reread it...this time quietly...to myself. Thank you, Andrew
Rating:
Summary: An enchanting page turner....
Review: I won't write a whole description of this book as there is a detailed one above...just read it! I just finished moments ago and I don't usually write reviews. It was enchanting, heartbreacking and I can't wait to read more of Andrew Sean Greer. He has taken a beautiful love story and given it a twist of unreality-the bakwards aging process-and delivered a very powerful story and narrator. It is in my top 5 favorite books thus far.
Rating:
Summary: A Stunning Achievement
Review: I'm a writer, a reader, a book reviewer and a literary website host. I'm not a friend of the author and I'm completely independent-minded when I tell you this is the most beautiful, poignant, stunning book I have read in years. It's a marvelous discovery, one that will leave you wanting to read all of Greer's work. It's a mesmerizing tale that anyone with a love of language and of character will take into their hearts. It's one of those books that simply makes you want to stop reading for a while because you know everything else is going to fall short for a long time. I envy anyone getting to discover this great book.
Rating:
Summary: Rich and satisfying.
Review: If you are an ambitious reader, you may stumble upon the conclusion before you arrive. If, however, you are content to let the flow of words carry you on to the logical finale, you will be moved by the flawed and utterly human choices of Max Tivoli. The improbability of the premise becomes immaterial. Max makes the decisions we all will make, and we forgive him for that reason.
Rating:
Summary: Get the Broom
Review: If you read this book, have a broom handy. Your heart will be broken into pieces, which will be broken into smaller pieces and smaller pieces, until by the end of the book, there won't be anything left but dust to sweep up. Whew.
Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking tale of a life lived backwards
Review: Imagine being born an old man and growing physically younger. Imagine grappling with physical and chronological ages that are at odds with each other for all but a brief period in your middle age. Imagine falling in love and stopping at nothing to be near the one you love. Max Tivoli has had such a life. He is a protagonist like no other, and now he writes his confessions. No, not his memoirs... his confessions. Max bares his soul, revealing the paradoxes, the ironies, and the cyclical patterns in his unique and tumultuous life. He documents his struggles against the currents of time, where he has had to keep reinventing himself as time moved inexorably forward for others. He laments the deceit and rejection he has had to practice to follow his mothers advice to "be what they think you are." He describes how his best friend, in stages, plays the role of his son, his brother, and his father. He memorializes a love that transcends drastically changing age differences.
Taking place in San Francisco around the turn of the twentieth century, when gaslights and carriages make way for electric lights and automobiles, the action centers on the three time periods in Max's life when his path crosses that of his love, Alice. In each of the three sections he reluctantly reveals, bit by bit, the surprising details that comprise the core of his life. His need for acceptance and love is portrayed in an entirely new and fresh way. The story evinces emotions that are powerfully heartrending. The writing is lyrical and full of imagery. This incredible novel will take your breath away, and I recommend it highly. If you only have the time to read one literary novel this season, make it this one. Eileen Rieback
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