ENTERTAINMENT REALM

The Social Climber’s Handbook , by Molly Jong-Fast. Publisher: Villard (April 26, 2011). Literary fiction. paperback, 256 pages.

Easton was a vision of affluence, in a pressed gray jumper from the fanciest girls’ school in Manhattan, long, skinny legs slightly toned from weekly jaunts riding a ridiculously expensive pony rented from Georgina Bloomberg on Long Island. The only thing that betrayed Easton Greenbaum was her “baum,” her slightly out-of-shape nose, and her long jet-black hair.

Through acerbic wit and a ruthless plot, author Molly Jong-Fast highlights greed, excess and selfishness in the quick moving The Social Climber’s Handbook. It’s an amusing and sometimes disturbing novel about moneyed and powerful Manhattanites. The clever Jong-Fast provides a diabolical twist making The Social Climber’s Handbook an even juicier read.

Dick and Daisy Greenbaum, an unhappy couple with two disaffected young daughters, possess affluence and status but lack an affinity for each other or anything of real importance. What happens when their protected world collapses around them? In The Social Climber’s Handbook, Jong-Fast applies a critical eye to marriage and family amidst the standards of “the wacky world of wealth.” Some parts are cringe-inducing and others laugh-out-loud.

The Social Climber’s Handbook must be on the top of everyone’s reading list for upcoming resort vacations or warm-weather reading. It’s perfect for lolling around by a pool, relaxing in the garden with iced tea or tearing through during an all-nighter. Just jump right into this delectable satire.

Molly Jong-Fast website

purchase at Amazon: The Social Climber’s Handbook: A Novel