The eponymous anthologist is also the narrator of this short novel. The famous author has compiled an anthology and his publisher is badgering him for the introduction he owes, which is well past its deadline. His live-in girlfriend leaves him over this behavior, which breaks his heart but does nothing to get him going. She comes over to walk the dog and wash him and such and generally has a genial relationship, but the unwritten introduction remains a barrier to their relationship. He becomes very productive around the house for a time in the way that only a dedicated procrastinator can do. Months go by and relationships get strange.
The anthologist seems a little like a grown-up version of Holden Caulfield. I'm not sure if I read that somewhere before (probably), but that's what it seems like to me.
I am pretty sure I saw a review of this in Harper's when it came out in 2009 and thought it sounded interesting. My first Baker novel, I finished this in July 2013. I picked this up at a Border's closing sale, on the bargain table to boot. It was well worth the price, and I'll probably pass it along to someone.
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