Revolutionary Road, by Richard Yates

I was so tired when I got into bed last night, but still decided it was a good idea to finish this book. I mean, I only had 50 pages left. (Read: sarcasm.) The ending left me so sad and kind of lonely feeling that I couldn't fall asleep for another hour.

I really wanted to see this movie when it came out, but as of yet haven't seen it. I was mightily pleased to find not one but two copies in the library at my work. When I finally started it (because I tend to save books in my bookcase for library droughts), I was quite surprised to see that the book, which is set in 1955, was actually published in 1961. I thought it was written more recently. so it was cool to see that this view of sort of suburban misery and conformity was taken at the actual time it was happening. As far as I knew, that was all hindsight.

Even though the book is of a definite time and place, and pregnant women smoke with abandon, the story could be from today. A very very good read.

Revolutionary Road
Revolutionary Road (Movie Tie-in Edition) (Vintage Contemporaries)