There are two main stories in this work. The first is called “Folly.” Alice is in her twenties, working at a publisher in Manhattan, when she starts an affair with a famous novelist near the end of his career, hoping to get a Nobel Prize before he dies. The relationship happens without fanfare and apparently without thought on her part. Alice seems blank and if not naïve, then certainly lacking in sophistication. She does her job and she sees the novelist. He is affectionate to her and she seems to enjoy being with him, but there are no emotional depths examined. She provides a foil for his conversation and they have sex. He does not want to form a committed relationship since he likes his freedom, and he is generous and mildly patronizing to her, occasionally educating her about literature and music, and calls her a “good girl.” She occasionally runs errands for him. But she has time on her side, and we know that she will eventually move on.  We gradually see some change in the energy between the two.Their dialog is amusing and there story is made more interesting when we learn from the book’s press that the book’s author had an affair with Philip Roth when she worked in New York.

The third shorter story features the same famous author being interviewed about his career for a BBC radio show. He talks about his childhood, his relationships, and how his books related to his own life. There’s a revelation or two in this story which shed new light on the first story.

The second story is apparently completely unconnected with the other two. It is called “Madness,” and it features a young man from the US, Amar, who is held at an airport on a stop over and questions about his travel plans. The questioning extends and he considers his life as an academic and his family. It raises issues of identity and politics, very different from the lighter themes in the rest of the book. It’s an interesting contrast, but also feels very contrived, like an exercise for a creative writing class.

But Asymmetry is still an enjoyable book. The unabridged audiobook is performed by Candace Thaxton, Arthur Morey, Aden Hakim, and Fiona Hardingham. It is performed with energy and character, and listening brings the stories alive.

© 2019 Christian Perring

Christian Perring teaches in NYC.