Dear Great Book Guru, I will be celebrating St Patrick’s Day at K.C. Gallagher’s here in Sea Cliff, but I heard that Heneghan’s Tavern in Point Lookout is the place to be if you are willing to leave our lovely Village.  But before I go anywhere this weekend, I want to have a good book in hand.  Someone told me there is an interesting first novel set in Brooklyn about writers. Sound familiar and, if so, would you recommend it?  St Patrick’s Day Celebrant

Dear Celebrant, I applaud your choice of venues and yes, I have heard of THE LOVE AFFAIRS OF NATHANIEL P. by Adelle Waldman.  Waldman writes about a thirtyish author  who finds love and happiness in Brooklyn- well, maybe not love and possibly not happiness.  Set in the present time, the novel traces Nate Piven as his first novel is about to be published and, to his surprise, finds his magazines articles and book reviews suddenly in great demand. His relationships with various women are recounted and we begin to see a pattern of smart man, too many choices.  Nate is bright, articulate, but ultimately superficial and the reader begins to tire of his many romantic missteps. The beauty of this book lies not in Nate’s portrayal,  but rather  in Waldman’s carefully crafted depiction of  social and literary sites in Brooklyn and Manhattan. From cozy taxi rides over the Brooklyn Bridge to antique lit backyard restaurants, the author offers us a glimpse into a visually attractive but socially chaotic world.