Chuckerman Makes a Movie

September 1, 2018
Thirty-five-year-old David Melman knows it's time to make some changes. His perfume branding business causes no small amount of stress, his entire family has been offering him dating advice for the past decade, and he's far too comfortable holding on to the relics of his past. When his sister convinces him to take a screenwriting class taught by her friend Laurel, David never expects to take to it so easily. He dives into his new hobby, learning the lingo, crafting scenes, and flirting just a tiny bit with his very attractive teacher. As David becomes more comfortable with screenwriting and with Laurel, he wonders if even bigger changes are on the horizon. Dickman's first novel follows a flawed and funny protagonist through a series of false starts and farcical situations in the vein of Greg Olear, Matthew Norman, and Elisabeth Egan. Dickman uses David's script as a clever framing device, allowing readers glimpses into David's past, present, and imagined future. With snappy dialogue and a witty collection of characters, Dickman's debut is utterly enjoyable.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)