Good Faith

Capitalism, yuppies, and the S&L scandals of the '80s are fodder for Jane Smiley's ninth novel. Here, she deals with the self-involved, self-justifying, get-rich-quick schemes of the period. Joe Stratford, a divorced nice-guy realtor, yields to every temptation. First, he begins an affair with Felicity, a married woman who is also his boss's daughter. Then Marcus, a stranger with impressive credentials, comes to town, and Joe gets involved in a scheme promising high yield for low investment--a temptation that's too good to be true--which, of course, backfires. Richard Poe's narration of Smiley's morality play will keep listeners entertained. Smiley, a consummate craftsperson, makes the listener aware that this is good writing at the same time that Poe's impeccable performance allows the writing to disappear. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine

Starred review from February 17, 2003
Smiley's range as a writer is always surprising. Eschewing both the tragic dimension of A Thousand Acres
and the satiric glee of Moo, her 12th book is a clever and entertaining cautionary tale about America's greedy decade of the 1980s. Narrator Joe Stratford is a genial, well-liked realtor in a small New England town who's respected for his honesty; even his divorce was friendly. When smooth-talking Marcus Burns comes to town, fresh from a decade working at the IRS, where he's learned how to manipulate the law to avoid paying taxes, he convinces Joe and other decent but naïve people that it's never been easier to get rich quick. Marcus envisions a multi-use golf club and housing development. With the help of the conniving president of the local S&L, he easily finds money to purchase Salt Key Farm, a beautiful estate on 580 acres. The reader knows that the bubble will burst, but not how or when; frissons of suspense keep building as Smiley describes the fine points of land assessment, soil evaluation, loan applications and permit hearings in surprisingly riveting detail. Joe's personal life, too, is a tightrope walk. He's having an affair with a married woman, Felicity Baldwin, the daughter of his mentor, Gordon. When that cools, he takes up with another woman who seems perfect, but who turns out to be as devious as Marcus. What makes the story beguiling is Smiley's appreciation of the varieties and frailties of human nature. Every character here is fresh and fully dimensional, and anybody who lived through the '80s will recognize them—and maybe themselves. 200,000 first printing. (Apr. 28)Forecast:Only readers seeking the emotional wallop of
A Thousand Acres will be disappointed by this lively tale, written with literary finesse. Booksellers can bet on a bestseller.

October 1, 2003
One expects that Smiley (Horse Heaven) could write about anything-even real estate circa 1982-and make it quirky and original. Unfortunately, her imagination seems to fall short with Good Faith. Joe, the narrator caught up in questionable deals, is charming but vapid. As portrayed by reader Richard Poe, some of the more interesting characters-like the man drawn by an old rundown house to the point where he hides out there; or Sally, his high school lover killed in a car crash; or Joe's Bible-thumping parents-are given short shrift. Yes, Joe's narration rings true, but after a while it begins to sound like someone droning on and on, giving unasked-for advice about investments, and even then not very intelligent. Considering Smiley's masterful skill with satire in her previous work, it's tempting to give her the benefit of the doubt here, but unfortunately the humor doesn't come across in this audio version.-Rochelle Ratner, formerly with "Soho Weekly News," New York

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