
The Mezzanine A Novel
A National Book Critics Circle Award-winner elevates the ordinary events that occur to a man on his lunch hour into “a constant delight” of a novel (The Boston Globe). In this startling, witty, and inexhaustibly inventive novel, New York Times–bestselling author Nicholson Baker uses a one-story escalator ride as the occasion for a dazzling reappraisal of everyday objects and rituals. From the humble milk carton to the act of tying one’s shoes, The Mezzanine at once defamiliarizes the familiar world and endows it with loopy and euphoric poetry. Baker’s accounts of the ordinary become extraordinary through his sharp storytelling and his unconventional, conversational style. At first glance, The Mezzanine appears to be a book about nothing. In reality, it is a brilliant celebration of things, simultaneously demonstrating the value of reflection and the importance of everyday human experiences. “A very funny book . . . Its 135 pages probably contain more insight into life as we live it today than anything currently on the best-seller list.” —The New York Times “Captures the spirit of American corporate life and invests it with a passion and sympathy that is entirely unexpected.” —The Seattle Times “Among the year’s best.” —The Boston Globe “Baker writes with appealing charm . . . [He] clowns and shows off . . . rambles and pounces hard; he says acute things, extravagant things, terribly funny things.” —Los Angeles Times Book Review “Wonderfully readable, in fact gripping, with surprising bursts of recognition, humor and wonder.” —The Washington Post Book World
Reviews

Sarah Christine Gill@Gilly

Jeff Brown @jeffb23

Katherine@katebugs

Robert Vetter@vobertretter

Niklas Pivic@pivic

Steph@stephelaine

Will Vunderink@willvunderink

Angie Lee@angielee

Shreya Punj@theeditorrecommends

edith w.@edithm

Toby Fehily@tobyfehily

Martin Ackerfors@ackerfors

Kathleen Mullins@kathleenm

Christopher McCaffery@cmccafe

Jeremy Warren Mills@upton0goode

Dave Lehman@dlehman

Jason Long@jasonlong

Gareth Kay@garethk

Lily Bradic@lily

Erik Moe@erikmoe
Highlights

Sarah Christine Gill@Gilly

Sarah Christine Gill@Gilly

Sarah Christine Gill@Gilly

Sarah Christine Gill@Gilly

Sarah Christine Gill@Gilly

Sarah Christine Gill@Gilly

Sarah Christine Gill@Gilly

Katherine@katebugs
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Katherine@katebugs
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