BEATITUDE

A debut novel focuses on two close friends in 1990s New York City.

The year is 1995, and Harry Charity and Jay Bishop work at a magazine called Element. Harry and Jay forge a bond when they discover they are both fans of the Beat generation. This enthusiasm reaches a new level when the two visit the New York Public Library. It is there that they see the famous scroll of Teletype paper that Jack Kerouac used to compose On the Road. It’s a match made in heaven. The two pals eat lunch together frequently and discuss writing something as a team. While Harry is single and (at least somewhat) looking for the man of his dreams, Jay seems to be straight. Jay dates an art student named Zahra Kaviani. They may have their ups and downs, but they are a serious couple. As for Harry, he focuses on his romantic problems and work. Whether Harry is reflecting on his past relationship with a man named Matteo Ortiz or interviewing Allen Ginsberg, he has much to contemplate. Closs’ story paints an inviting picture of ’90s New York. Subway tokens are on the way out and email is on the way in. Bookstores abound, and no one stares at a cellphone on a night out. Place in this world likable characters like Harry and Jay, and the stage is set for an enjoyable drama about unrequited love. Readers will feel sympathy for Harry when he pets his cat and stares off into the city night. But other aspects of the tale can be tedious. At one point, Jay ruminates on a potential career move: “I don’t want to seem like I’m begging for the job. If he offers it to me, I want to be able to say, ‘These are my terms.’ ” Such work-related discussions are as dull as they sound. This is especially true when there are more heartfelt matters at stake.

A realistic and engaging love story in a finely illustrated setting.