Saint Mazie - Hardcover

Jami Attenberg's fictional reconstruction of Mazie's life is a bold departure from how historical novels are usually written. Split between fictionalised diary entries, excerpts from The Unpublished Autobiography of Mazie Phillips-Gordon (also fiction) and Attenberg's invented interviewees, the structure resonates a relentless energy that keeps the narrative rattling along ... Attenberg captures Mazie's voice so vividly you can close the book and still hear her talking. She is a tremendous achievement ... and you sure won't forget her in a hurry. Attenberg has written a bold, magnificent book about family, altruism, women and freedom, as well as a love letter to New York and a timely social manifesto for the 21st century. What more can we ask of our fiction? (Benjamin Johncock Guardian 2015-07-01)

Fierce, feisty and moving, this is a fine portrait of an inspiring woman (Eithne Farry Sunday Express 2015-06-28)

Fascinating ... Attenberg's prose is sharp, fast-paced and economical, brilliantly channelling Mazie's vivacious character. And despite being set firmly in the past, Mazie's experiences of grief, family, friendship and mental health are timeless and universal. (Observer 2015-06-22)

Attenberg's novel reads like a very real portrait of the 1920s and 1930s ... this is a novel with as big a heart as Mazie herself. (Lucy Scholes Independent 2015-06-22)

Wonderful (Viv Groskop Red 2015-06-16)

Attenberg's style, at turns lyrical and blunt, is a strong match for Mazie, who spends her days in a small brass cage, selling tickets, and her nights on the streets of the Bowery, cavorting with men or, during the Great Depression, handing out dimes and bars of soap to the 'bums.' This voice - pleasantly tinged with jazz age argot, refreshingly modern in its honesty, and always intimate - is Attenberg's great achievement in Saint Mazie. ...[A] boisterous, deep, provocative book. (Boston Globe)

Ingeniously constructed.... An attentive character study that also happens to be rich in city lore and period detail, Saint Mazie is an edifying, companionable and moving novel. (Kansas City Star)

Tender-hearted and loose-living. Mazie is the unlikely guardian angel of New York City's Depression-era down-and-outs. You'll love this smart, touching novel that brings her world to life. (People Magazine)

Fresh and witty... Saint Mazie looks deep into the spirit of generosity. Jami Attenberg's Mazie lives a very big life in a very small space, turning her darkest experiences into something inspiring. (Wall Street Journal)

Saint Mazie is full of love and drink and dirty sex and nobility.... Attenberg takes Mitchell's witty, colourful piece and spins it into something equally lively and new. (New York Times Book Review)