Book Review: Gertrude of Stony Island Avenue by James Purdy
James Purdy (1914 – 2009) is the type of writer who attracts a cult following. The eccentric English poet Edith Sitwell claimed to have “discovered” him, when he was primarily a short story writer. This is amusing in itself, since Purdy’s fiction is replete with so many Sitwell-like characters, resplendent in heavy jewelery and flowing gold gowns, reciting rather than speaking their dialogue. Over the years, Purdy has amassed a wide range of devoted followers, from ‘trash’ filmmaker John Waters to literati such as Gore Vidal and Jonathan Franzen.
Purdy lived to the grand age of 94 and continued to write until his death. He published more than a dozen novels during his lifetime, as well as poems, short stories, and plays. His first extended fiction was the novel 63: Palace of Dreamsfollowed by his first novel proper Malcolm (1959). Gertrude Avenue of Stony Island It was the last novel by James Purdy, published in 1996.
Most of James Purdy’s novels are fairly similar in style, tone, and content, though not entirely uniform. Purdy wiggles a bit when it comes to characters, plot, and situation, but he never casts his literary web in general. Short stories differ from novels in that, for the most part, they are written in a simpler, more direct style, eschewing the high baroque style of novels. I have not read any of Purdy’s plays or poetry, so I cannot provide a style comparison for these other two genres.
James Purdy a mixture of magical realism and American Gothic
Purdy’s novel mixes magical realism with American Gothic. Her writing style is very elaborate, almost baroque. The only other writer who comes close to Purdy’s style is Truman Capote, in his first novel. Other rooms, other voices. Truman Capote, however, would continue to experiment and change, while Purdy pretty much wrote the same novel over and over again. Purdy’s fiction is also more extravagant than the first Capote, frequently indulging in pieces of stage drama. Terrifying matriarchs and powerful deans have a habit of making impressive entrances.
Gertrude Avenue of Stony Island centers on the elderly Carrie Kinsella’s search for the spiritual essence of her deceased daughter, Gertrude. This takes Carrie through all sorts of weird and wonderful adventures, meeting various eccentric characters. We never know how and why Gertrude died, but her bohemian lifestyle as a painter of hers meant that she had many liberated friends and lived a liberated life. As Carrie comes closer to the puzzle that she was her daughter, she too finds a kind of personal release. As the novel closes, we learn that this is more or less the theme of the novel: abandoning the restrictions of society and living your own life, no matter how bohemian or extravagant.
the message of Gertrude Avenue of Stony Island it can really be left out, because Purdy doesn’t really make authentic emotional connections with the reader in his novels. Fans of him read and enjoy it because of the camp gothic style of it which is also informed by classical learning. While Purdy is a corny writer at times, this doesn’t mean he’s shallow. His fiction is deeply aesthetic and he writes in exalted prose. Purdy is a strange mix of the earthy and the artificial. His novels are like beautiful old Catholic churches: filled with heavy wooden pews, muscular iconography of saints and sinners, and dazzling stained glass windows. For those who enjoy this type of writing, his work is deeply satisfying.
Gertrude Avenue of Stony Island James Purdy fans will not be disappointed. There are plenty of laughs, and Purdy’s sapphire and ruby prose is in fine form. For newbies looking for a place to start reading Purdy, this final novel by a highly original American author is a good place to start.
Gertrude Avenue of Stony Island, by James Purdy. Published by Peter Owen Publishers. ISBN: 0-7206-1011-7