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Appointment in Samarra by John O'Hara

A 1934 novel set in the early Depression years, centered around a man who today we might describe as a high-functioning narcissist: a man filled with rage and self-absorption, constantly running scenes in his head about all the things he can't stand about the people around him.

The novel contextualizes an interesting hinge point in United States socio-cultural history, when the Depression had set in but hadn't yet irrevocably changed society away from Roaring '20s-era libertinism. You also get a sense of the everyday social divides of "normal" America in those days, the era's reflexive classism, sectarianism and antisemitism. The author has a gift for acerbic commentary about social status, comments that ring true regardless of era.

It's interesting to see how certain social differences back then seem laughable now. Take the Catholic/Protestant divide, a central element of conflict among characters in this novel. This specific conflict may have been significant then, but it seems pointless and silly today, since in today's era civilization has far larger conflicts on a far greater scale. Sectarian conflicts have moved up in phylum to Christian vs. Muslim; the class conflicts have gone from trivial class distinctions to an all-out war between elites and everyone else; and if that isn't enough we also are fighting a culture-wars conflict and a brewing global geopolitical power struggle. You look back at people bickering over the Catholic/Protestant divide and you just want to climb into the novel and shake people and show them what's really coming.

The title refers to an old fable about how you can't run from your destiny--in fact, even your attempt to run from it fulfills it. The main character of this book destroys his reputation and his life in a matter of a few short days, thanks to rage, poor judgment, far too much alcohol, and an unwillingness to ask forgiveness. 

This isn't a great novel, by some measures it's not even a good novel. I'd recommend it only to those interested in context for a prior Fourth Turning/Crisis-type era in history in order to better navigate the current era. 

Pair with:
How To Deal With Narcissists by Anonymous Conservative 

Notes: 
* "Tonight's dinner, as almost every guest was able to tell at a glance, was the club's two-fifty dinner. This was a club dinner dance, and all members were invited. At a dinner such as the Ammermanns', the hostess could arrange with the steward for the dollar-fifty (roast chicken), the two-dollar (roast turkey), or the two-fifty (filet mignon), and this had been the filet mignon dinner. The Armormands had just that much money, and their position in Gibbsville was just that certain and insecure, that they had to give the best of everything."

* There's an interesting pacing technique in this novel: the author uses a technique of changing from one character viewpoint to another via shorter and shorter minisegments during the last third of the book. It has the effect of artificially speeding up the pacing and tension. Interesting device.

Vocab:
Swindle sheet: an expense account
Sawbuck: a ten-dollar bill
Paresis: a condition of muscular weakness caused by nerve damage or disease; partial paralysis; also can mean brain inflammation in the later stages of syphilis, causing progressive dementia and paralysis.
Flivver: a cheap car or aircraft, especially one in bad condition. [Heh, today we'd use the word hoop-dee.]

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