Chilly scenes of winter

Chilly scenes of winter is the irresistibly funny yet piercing first novel that launched Ann Beattie's reputation as one of America's most exciting voices in fiction. It is the story of love-smitten Charles; his friend Sam, the unemployed Phi Beta Kappa college graduate; and Charle's mother, who spends much of her time in the bathtub feeling depressed. But, above all, it is an uncannily accurate look at the nostalgia suffered by people yearning for deeper feelings in a culture that turns feeling into cliches.