THE RIGHT BURGEE

by Henry Lee ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A

(NB: Burgees are nautical pennants.) Mr. Lee is attempting to steal an alive from John O'Hara's martini in his depiction of the moneyed folkways of the members of the Housatonic Yacht and Tennis Club. Al Babcock, Chairman of the Admissions Committee, is the same kind of fatuous status-seeker as Appointment in Samara's Julian English (also a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) but lacks Julian's dragic edge and suicidal tenacity. Al's problem is whether or not to admit Joe and Helen Dreyer to the club. Joe is a lecher, heavy-drinker and cruel to his wife, who is Jewish, but Al only knows this by hearsay. Al's wife is up in arms for their admittance because her 17-year-old daughter's society debut hangs upon the Dreyers being made HY&T members. High forces in the club are also pushing for the Dreyers. When Al finally asserts his prerogative and blackballs Dreyer, although he is falling for Dreyer's wife, he not only loses caste at the club but also his wife and family. To keep his self-respect, he resigns from the club and may possibly, marry Helen, as the Tide foams over his martini and his soul rises properly deterged.

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Trident Press

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1964

Categories: FICTION